SPEM

About SPEM

In seeking to track the performance of the S&P Emerging BMI Index (the “Index”), the Fund employs a sampling strategy, which means that the Fund is not required to purchase all of the securities represented in the Index. Instead, the Fund may purchase a subset of the securities in the Index in an effort to hold a portfolio of securities with generally the same risk and return characteristics of the Index. The quantity of holdings in the Fund will be based on a number of factors, including asset size of the Fund. Based on its analysis of these factors, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (“SSGA FM” or the “Adviser”), the investment adviser to the Fund, either may invest the Fund's assets in a subset of securities in the Index or may invest the Fund's assets in substantially all of the securities represented in the Index in approximately the same proportions as the Index, as determined by the Adviser to be in the best interest of the Fund in pursuing its objective. The Fund is classified as “diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; however, the Fund may become “non-diversified” solely as a result of tracking the Index (e.g., changes in weightings of one or more component securities).  When the Fund is non-diversified, it may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers.Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally invests substantially all, but at least 80%, of its total assets in the securities comprising the Index and in depositary receipts (including American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) or Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”)) based on securities comprising the Index. In addition, in seeking to track the Index, the Fund may invest in equity securities that are not included in the Index (including common stock, preferred stock, depositary receipts and shares of other investment companies). The Fund may also invest in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments (including money market funds advised by the Adviser) for cash management purposes. In seeking to track the Index, the Fund's assets may be concentrated in an industry or group of industries, but only to the extent that the Index concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries. Futures contracts (a type of derivative instrument) may be used by the Fund in seeking performance that corresponds to the Index and in managing cash flows.The Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index designed to define and measure the investable universe of publicly traded companies domiciled in emerging markets. The Index component securities are a subset, based on region, of component securities included in the S&P Global BMI (Broad Market Index). The S&P Global BMI is a rules-based index that measures global stock market performance. A country will be eligible for inclusion in the S&P Global BMI if it is classified as either a developed or emerging market by the S&P Global Equity Index Committee. Country classification is reviewed annually and determined based on quantitative criteria and feedback from market participants via a publicly available market consultation. All publicly listed companies with float-adjusted market capitalizations of at least $100 million and sufficient liquidity based on 12-month median value traded ratio and 6-month median daily value traded are included for each country. Once included, all current constituents with float-adjusted market capitalizations of at least $75 million and sufficient liquidity will remain in the S&P Global BMI for each country. The Index is “float-adjusted,” meaning that only those shares publicly available to investors are included in the Index calculation. All stocks are weighted proportionally to their float-adjusted market capitalization and the Index is reconstituted annually in September. In addition, the Index rebalances quarterly to allow for the inclusion of eligible initial public offerings, as well as new listings on eligible exchanges and issues that emerged from bankruptcy. As of November 30, 2024, a significant portion of the Fund comprised companies in the financial and technology sectors, although this may change from time to time. As of November 30, 2024, countries represented in the Fund included Brazil, Chile, China (which includes investments in China A Shares), Colombia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. As of November 30, 2024, a significant portion of the Fund comprised companies located in China, India and Taiwan, although this may change from time to time. As of November 30, 2024, the Index comprised 6,915 securities.The Index is sponsored by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC  (the “Index Provider”), which is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser. The Index Provider determines the composition of the Index, relative weightings of the securities in the Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Index.