1. Summary of Significant
Accounting Policies
a. Security Valuation:
The Fund values its
securities at current market value or fair value, consistent with regulatory requirements. "Fair value" is defined in the Fund's Valuation and Liquidity Procedures as the price that could be received to sell an asset
or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between willing market participants without a compulsion to transact at the measurement date. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, the Board of Directors
(the "Board") designated abrdn Investments Limited (the "Adviser") as the valuation designee ("Valuation Designee") for the Fund to perform the fair value determinations relating to Fund investments for which
market quotations are not readily available.
Equity securities that are
traded on an exchange are valued at the last quoted sale price or the official close price on the principal exchange on which the security is traded at the “Valuation Time” subject to application, when
appropriate, of the valuation factors described in the paragraph below. Under normal circumstances, the Valuation Time is as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") (usually 4:00 p.m.
Eastern Time). In the absence of a sale price, the security is valued at the mean of the bid/ask price quoted at the close on the principal exchange on which the security is traded. Securities traded on NASDAQ are
valued at the NASDAQ official closing price.
Foreign equity securities that
are traded on foreign exchanges that close prior to the Valuation Time are valued by applying valuation factors to the last sale price or the mean price as noted above. Valuation factors are provided by an independent
pricing service provider. These valuation factors are used when pricing the Fund's portfolio holdings to estimate market movements between the time foreign markets close and the time the Fund values such foreign
securities. These valuation factors are based on inputs such as depositary receipts, indices, futures, sector indices/ETFs, exchange rates, and local exchange opening and closing prices of each security. When prices
with the application of valuation factors are utilized, the value assigned to the foreign securities may not be the same as quoted or published prices of the securities on their primary markets. A security that
applies a valuation factor is determined to be a Level 2 investment because the exchange-traded price has been adjusted. Valuation factors are not utilized if the independent pricing service provider is unable to
provide a valuation factor or if the valuation factor falls below a predetermined threshold; in such case, the security is determined to be a Level 1 investment.
Short-term investments are
comprised of cash and cash equivalents invested in short-term investment funds which are redeemable daily. The Fund sweeps available cash into the State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund,
which has elected to qualify as a “government money market fund” pursuant to Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, and has an objective, which is not guaranteed, to maintain a $1.00 per share NAV. Registered
investment companies are valued at their NAV as reported by such company. Generally, these investment types are categorized as Level 1 investments.
In the event that a
security’s market quotations are not readily available or are deemed unreliable (for reasons other than because the foreign exchange on which it trades closes before the Valuation Time), the security is valued
at fair value as determined by the Valuation Designee, taking into account the relevant factors and surrounding circumstances using valuation policies and procedures approved by the Board. A security that has been
fair valued by the Adviser may be classified as Level 2 or Level 3 depending on the nature of the inputs.
The Fund may also invest in
private equity private placement securities, which represented 0.0% of the net assets of the Fund as of September 30, 2023. The private equity private placement securities in which the Fund is invested are deemed to
be restricted securities. In the absence of readily ascertainable market values, these securities are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by, or under the direction of the Board, pursuant to valuation
policies and procedures established by the Board. The Fund’s estimate of fair value assumes a willing buyer and a willing seller neither of whom are acting under the compulsion to buy or sell. Although these
securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the prices realized on such sales could differ from the prices originally paid by the Fund or the current carrying values, and the difference could be
material. These securities are stated at fair value as determined by the Fund's Pricing Committee by utilizing the net asset valuations provided by the underlying funds as a practical expedient. In determining the
fair value of these investments, management uses the market approach which includes as the primary input the capital balance reported; however, adjustments to the reported capital balance may be made based on various
factors, including, but not limited to, the attributes of the interest held, including the rights and obligations, and any restrictions or illiquidity of such interests, and the fair value of these private equity
investments.
