ASA Gd & Prcs Mtl

The Fund today announced that Axel Merk has resigned from his position as Chief Operating Officer of the Fund, effective immediately. Mr. Merk submitted his resignation letter to the Board of Directors of the Fund this morning without prior notice. Also without prior notice to the Fund or the Board, Mr. Merk announced his resignation through a press release, which included a copy of his resignation letter. In that letter, Mr. Merk expressed concerns regarding what he perceives to be potential risks to the Fund’s control environment.

Despite Mr. Merk’s actions, the Fund’s control environment is sound. Further, the Board takes its governance responsibilities seriously, including seeking to ensure operational and control environment continuity through any changes to management.

The Board will provide further updates regarding the potential transition as appropriate.

2026-06-11T00:00:00-04:00June 11th, 2026|

Disclosure: Views and opinions expressed are for informational and educational purposes only as of the date of production/writing/speaking and may change without notice at any time based on a multitude of factors. Speaker’s/presenter’s/author’s opinions are their own and may not necessarily represent the opinions of AICA, its Board, or its staff. Materials may contain “forward-looking” information that is not purely historical in nature, such as projections, forecasts, market return estimates, proposed or expected portfolio composition, and other items. Listed closed-end funds and business development companies trade on exchanges at prices that may be above or below their NAVs. There is no guarantee that an investor will be able to sell shares at a price greater than or equal to the purchase price or that a closed-end fund’s discount will narrow. Non-listed closed-end funds and business development companies do not offer investors daily liquidity but rather offer liquidity on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis, often on a small percentage of shares. Closed-end funds often use leverage, which can increase the fund’s volatility (i.e., risk). Actual distribution amounts may vary with fund performance and other conditions. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This material is not intended to be a recommendation or investment advice, does not constitute a solicitation to buy, sell or hold a security or an investment strategy, and is not provided in a fiduciary capacity. Shares of closed-end funds are subject to investment risks, including the possible loss of principal invested. Closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value (NAV).