Clough Global Opportunities

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-Q

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED

MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

Investment Company Act file number: 811-21846

CLOUGH GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Erin Douglas Nelson

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80203

(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (303) 623-2577

Date of fiscal year end: March 31

Date of reporting period: December 31, 2012


Item 1 – Schedule of Investments.


Clough Global Opportunities Fund

STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS

December 31, 2012 (Unaudited)

 

     Shares    Value

COMMON STOCKS 113.45%

Consumer Discretionary 20.38%

Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

  336,358    $6,868,430

Arcos Dorados Holdings, Inc. -
Class A
(a)(b)

  112,900    1,350,284

Arezzo Industria e Comercio S.A.

  92,080    1,778,639

Ascena Retail Group,
Inc.
(a)(d)

  163,700    3,026,813

BorgWarner, Inc.(a)(b)(d)

  72,800    5,213,936

Bosideng International Holdings, Ltd.

  10,128,233    3,005,469

Charter Communications,
Inc.
(d)

  23,762    1,811,615

Cia Hering

  87,300    1,790,343

Cinemark Holdings,
Inc.
(a)(b)

  151,578    3,937,996

Denso Corp.

  56,800    1,949,171

Ford Motor Co.(a)(b)

  1,075,538    13,928,217

H&R Block, Inc.(a)(b)

  944,531    17,539,941

Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

  43,978    1,596,477

International Meal Co. Holdings S.A.

  132,614    1,638,649

Lamar Advertising Co. - Class A(a)(b)(d)

  95,070    3,683,963

Liberty Global, Inc. - Class A(a)(b)(d)

  115,707    7,288,384

Liberty Interactive Corp. - Class A(a)(b)(d)

  301,402    5,931,591

Liberty Media Corp. - Liberty Capital(a)(d)

  64,056    7,431,137

Liberty Ventures -
Series A
(a)(b)(d)

  135,104    9,154,647

Man Wah Holdings, Ltd.

  6,430,900    5,359,878

Michael Kors Holdings, Ltd.(a)(d)

  64,800    3,306,744

News Corp. - Class A(a)

  113,732    2,904,715

Orient-Express Hotels, Ltd. - Class A(a)(d)

  227,014    2,653,794

Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc.(a)(b)(d)

  239,883    5,654,042

Signet Jewelers, Ltd.(a)

  60,300    3,220,020

Time Warner, Inc.(a)

  89,336    4,272,941

Toyota Motor Corp.

  109,700    5,071,259

UNICASA Industria de Moveis S.A.(c)

  268,600    1,467,953

Viacom, Inc. -
Class B
(a)(b)

  168,100    8,865,594
    

 

       141,702,642
    

 

    

 


     Shares    Value

Consumer Staples 6.07%

Anheuser-Busch InBev NV - ADR(a)

  38,755    $3,387,575

Brazil Pharma S.A.(c)

  790,115    5,556,853

Cia de Bebidas das Americas - ADR(a)

  85,462    3,588,549

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc.(a)(b)(d)

  127,842    5,287,545

Heineken NV

  94,600    6,302,088

M Dias Branco S.A.

  52,200    1,990,866

Molson Coors Brewing Co. - Class B(a)(b)

  152,513    6,526,031

Raia Drogasil S.A.

  57,248    645,036

SABMiller PLC

  117,800    5,405,952

Vinda International Holdings, Ltd.

  2,565,714    3,508,850

WhiteWave Foods Co.(a)(d)

  2,676    41,585
    

 

     42,240,930
    

 

Energy 15.68%

    

Natural Gas Leveraged Exploration &

Production 3.94%

Cabot Oil & Gas Corp.(a)(b)

  39,500    1,964,730

EQT Corp.(a)(b)

  90,400    5,331,792

EXCO Resources, Inc.(a)(b)

  441,602    2,989,646

Range Resources
Corp.
(a)(b)

  109,600    6,886,168

Southwestern Energy
Co.
(a)(d)

  306,015    10,223,961
    

 

     27,396,297
    

 

Non-North American Producers 2.51%

China Shenhua Energy Co., Ltd. - Class H

  1,010,000    4,423,966

Eni SpA

  168,011    4,067,215

InterOil Corp.(a)(b)(d)

  89,594    4,975,155

Total S.A.(a)(b)

  76,200    3,963,162
    

 

     17,429,498
    

 

Oil Leveraged Exploration & Production 2.07%

Anadarko Petroleum
Corp.
(a)(b)

  34,994    2,600,404

Gulfport Energy Corp.(a)(d)

  178,958    6,839,775

Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp.(a)(d)

  242,700    2,147,895

Noble Energy, Inc.(a)(b)

  28,000    2,848,720
    

 

       14,436,794
    

 

Oil Services & Drillers 4.71%

Cameron International Corp.(a)(b)(d)

  143,782    8,117,932

National Oilwell Varco,
Inc.
(a)(b)

  122,924    8,401,855

Noble Corp.(a)(b)

  114,143    3,974,459

Oil States International,
Inc.
(a)(b)(d)

  41,036    2,935,716

PetroChina Co., Ltd. -
Class H

  926,000    1,311,789

    

 


      Shares    Value

Energy (continued)

Schlumberger, Ltd.(a)

   32,800    $2,272,712

Seadrill, Ltd.(a)(b)

   92,864    3,417,395

Weatherford International, Ltd.(a)(d)

   207,495    2,321,869
     

 

      32,753,727
     

 

Tankers 2.45%

     

Golar LNG Partners
LP
(a)

   86,071    2,569,219

Golar LNG, Ltd.(a)(b)

   392,958    14,452,995
     

 

      17,022,214
     

 

TOTAL ENERGY

   109,038,530
     

 

Energy Infrastructure & Capital Equipment 0.45%

Dresser-Rand Group,
Inc.
(a)(d)

   55,300    3,104,542
     

 

Financials 27.11%

     

Business Development Corporations 5.90%

Ares Capital Corp.(a)

   822,236    14,389,130

Golub Capital BDC,
Inc.
(a)

   226,900    3,625,862

Medley Capital Corp.(a)

   146,188    2,128,497

PennantPark Investment Corp.(a)

   556,104    6,114,364

Solar Capital, Ltd.(a)

   487,745    11,661,983

Solar Senior Capital,
Ltd.
(a)

   167,431    3,124,262
     

 

      41,044,098
     

 

Capital Markets 2.23%

CITIC Securities Co., Ltd. - Class H

   3,408,445    8,619,122

Haitong Securities Co.,
Ltd.
(d)

   3,442,000    5,906,268

Indochina Capital Vietnam Holdings, Ltd.(c)(d)(e)

   25,655    32,069

Nomura Holdings, Inc.

   163,728    950,600
     

 

      15,508,059
     

 

Commercial Banks 4.95%

Bank of China, Ltd. -
Class H

   16,320,000    7,285,291

China Construction Bank Corp. - Class H

   8,828,000    7,084,405

Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico SAB de CV - ADR(a)(d)

   107,400    1,737,732

Industrial & Commercial Bank of China -
Class H

   10,295,000    7,305,328

Wells Fargo & Co.(a)(b)

   321,708    10,995,979
     

 

        34,408,735
     

 

Diversified Financials 7.81%

Bank of America
Corp.
(a)(b)

   2,872,457    33,320,501

    

 


      Shares    Value

Financials (continued)

Citigroup, Inc.(a)(b)

   530,055    $20,968,976
     

 

      54,289,477
     

 

Insurance 3.35%

American International Group, Inc.(a)(b)(d)

   659,340    23,274,702
     

 

Mortgage-Backed Securities Real Estate Investment Trusts 0.54%

American Capital Mortgage Investment Corp.(a)

   79,053    1,863,279

Dynex Capital, Inc.(a)

   197,453    1,863,956
     

 

      3,727,235
     

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts 1.98%

American Residential Properties, Inc.(a)(c)(d)(e)

   145,000    2,900,000

Ascendas Real Estate Investment Trust

   3,597,000    6,978,749

Ascott Residence Trust

   1,781,824    1,983,775

Select Income REIT(a)(c)

   77,000    1,907,290
     

 

      13,769,814
     

 

Real Estate Management & Development 0.35%

BHG S.A. - Brazil Hospitality Group(d)

   111,949    1,052,512

Sonae Sierra Brasil S.A.

   89,108    1,403,533
     

 

      2,456,045
     

 

TOTAL FINANCIALS

   188,478,165
     

 

Health Care 10.04%

     

Aetna, Inc.(a)(b)

   142,462    6,595,991

Allergan, Inc.(a)

   63,500    5,824,855

Amarin Corp. PLC -
ADR
(a)(b)(d)

   199,500    1,613,955

Catamaran Corp.(a)(d)

   61,400    2,892,554

Community Health Systems, Inc.(a)(b)

   350,700    10,780,518

Forest Laboratories,
Inc.
(a)(b)(d)

   193,000    6,816,760

HCA Holdings, Inc.(a)(b)

   296,947    8,958,891

Health Management Associates, Inc. - Class A(a)(b)(d)

   1,239,783    11,554,778

Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC(a)(d)

   58,800    3,128,160

LifePoint Hospitals,
Inc.
(a)(d)

   167,899    6,338,187

Sanofi - ADR(a)

   38,269    1,813,185

WellPoint, Inc.(a)

   57,887    3,526,476
     

 

        69,844,310
     

 

Industrials 10.17%

     

Air China, Ltd.

   3,708,695    3,134,102

    

 


      Shares    Value

Industrials (continued)

Brenntag AG

   32,697    $4,291,265

Cia de Locacao das Americas(c)

   871,500    5,188,564

Covanta Holding Corp.(a)

   161,200    2,969,304

Delta Air Lines, Inc.(a)(b)(d)

   676,807    8,033,699

FANUC Corp.

   10,800    1,984,602

Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.(d)

   55,000    2,348,935

Owens Corning(a)(b)(d)

   207,340    7,669,507

Sensata Technologies Holding NV(a)(b)(d)

   136,920    4,447,162

TransDigm Group,
Inc.
(a)(b)

   75,162    10,249,090

United Continental Holdings, Inc.(a)(b)(d)

   300,969    7,036,655

US Airways Group,
Inc.
(a)(b)(d)

   521,785    7,044,098

WABCO Holdings,
Inc.
(a)(d)

   96,460    6,288,227
     

 

        70,685,210
     

 

Information Technology 13.21%

Advantest Corp.

   62,005    964,769

Broadcom Corp. -
Class A
(a)

   47,002    1,560,936

Canon, Inc.

   52,800    2,035,575

Check Point Software Technologies, Ltd.(a)(d)

   20,911    996,200

eBay, Inc.(a)(d)

   68,200    3,479,564

EMC Corp.(a)(b)(d)

   299,635    7,580,765

Equinix, Inc.(a)(b)(d)

   16,743    3,452,407

FleetCor Technologies, Inc.(d)

   13,000    697,450

Google, Inc. -
Class A
(a)(b)(d)

   46,007    32,635,986

Lenovo Group, Ltd.

   3,179,040    2,879,279

Mastercard, Inc. -
Class A
(a)(b)

   11,419    5,609,926

Micron Technology,
Inc.
(a)(b)(d)

   1,593,970    10,121,709

Motorola Solutions,
Inc.
(a)(b)

   117,544    6,544,850

NetApp, Inc.(a)(d)

   88,000    2,952,400

QUALCOMM, Inc.(a)(b)

   42,849    2,657,495

Telecity Group PLC

   185,035    2,364,074

Teradyne, Inc.(a)(d)

   475    8,023

ViaSat, Inc.(a)(b)(d)

   88,339    3,436,387

Visa, Inc. - Class A(a)

   12,541    1,900,965
     

 

      91,878,760
     

 

Materials 2.17%

     

Graphic Packaging Holding Co.(a)(d)

   471,500    3,045,890

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.(a)(b)

   58,237    5,490,584

WR Grace & Co.(a)(b)(d)

   97,400    6,548,202
     

 

      15,084,676
     

 

    

 


      Shares    Value

Telecommunication Services 2.81%

China Mobile, Ltd.

   347,500    $4,046,250

China Telecom Corp., Ltd. - Class H

   2,292,000    1,274,508

DiGi.Com Bhd

   1,450,000    2,508,339

Maxis Bhd

   3,314,700    7,208,226

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.

   40,195    2,476,550

Telekom Malaysia Bhd

   1,033,200    2,040,722
     

 

      19,554,595
     

 

Utilities 5.36%

     

Ameren Corp.(a)(b)

   116,783    3,587,574

China Resources Power Holdings Co., Ltd.

   1,202,000    3,067,478

CMS Energy Corp.(a)(b)

   102,900    2,508,702

Exelon Corp.(a)

   200,100    5,950,974

FirstEnergy Corp.(a)(b)

   62,566    2,612,756

National Fuel Gas
Co.
(a)

   67,900    3,441,851

National Grid
PLC - ADR
(a)(b)

   135,111    7,760,776

NiSource, Inc.(a)(b)

   95,373    2,373,834

OGE Energy Corp.(a)(b)

   106,130    5,976,180
     

 

        37,280,125
     

 

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS

(Cost $739,925,891)

   788,892,485
     

 

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 1.06%

  

ChinaAMC ETF Series - ChinaAMC CSI 300 Index ETF CNY RQFII(d)

   136,411    553,504

CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF CNY
RQFII
(d)

   502,968    694,344

SPDR® Gold
Shares
(a)(d)

   37,814    6,126,246
     

 

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS (Cost $7,376,058)    7,374,094
     

 

PREFERRED STOCKS 0.46%

  

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.,
5.875%
(a)

   67,800    3,200,838
     

 

TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS

(Cost $3,394,238)

   3,200,838
     

 

Description and

Maturity Date

   Principal
Amount
   Value

CORPORATE BONDS 1.54%

  

Block Financial LLC 11/01/2022, 5.500% (a)

   $4,040,000    4,159,911

    

 


Description and

Maturity Date

 

Principal
Amount

 

Value

CORPORATE BONDS (continued)

Provident Bank of Maryland
05/01/2018, 9.500% 
(a)

  $4,000,000   $4,131,704

TAM Capital 2, Inc.
01/29/2020, 9.500% 
(a)(f)

  2,205,000   2,432,556
   

 

TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS

(Cost $10,399,102)

  10,724,171
   

 

GOVERNMENT & AGENCY OBLIGATIONS 20.70%

U.S. Treasury Bonds
11/15/2028, 5.250% 
(a)

  4,650,000   6,413,369

02/15/2031, 5.375% (a)(d)

  7,850,000   11,180,119

U.S. Treasury Notes

   

02/15/2018, 3.500% (a)

  9,230,000   10,506,334

05/15/2018, 3.875%

  10,000,000   11,617,190

01/31/2019, 1.250% (a)

  10,230,000   10,409,823

11/15/2019, 3.375% (a)

  31,395,000   36,062,557

05/15/2020, 3.500% (a)

  11,000,000   12,764,301

08/15/2020, 2.625% (a)

  23,065,000   25,303,020

11/15/2021, 2.000% (a)

  18,935,000   19,634,705
   

 

TOTAL GOVERNMENT & AGENCY

OBLIGATIONS

(Cost $144,915,404)

  143,891,418
   

 

   

Number of
Contracts

 

Value

PURCHASED OPTIONS 0.08%

CALL OPTIONS PURCHASED 0.08%

Cameron International Corp., Expires January,
2013, Exercise Price $57.50

  1,000   100,000

Ensco PLC, Expires January, 2013, Exercise Price $55.00

  1,000   455,000

Market Vectors Oil Service ETF, Expires January, 2013, Exercise Price $53.33

  2,514   6,285

Microsoft Corp., Expires January, 2013, Exercise Price $30.00

  1,792   4,480

Noble Corp., Expires January, 2013, Exercise Price $40.00

  1,000   6,500

Transocean, Ltd., Expires January, 2013, Exercise Price $50.00

  1,000   8,000
   

 

TOTAL CALL OPTIONS PURCHASED

(Cost $3,830,076)

  580,265
 

 

 


     Shares/
Principal
Amount
    Value  

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS 18.53%

  

 

Money Market Fund

  

 

Dreyfus Treasury Prime Money Market Fund (0.000% 7-day yield)(g)

     72,878,769      $ 72,878,769   
    

 

 

 

U.S. Treasury Bills

  

 

U.S. Treasury Bills Discount Notes

    

02/07/2013,

0.021%(a)(h)

   $ 20,000,000        19,996,485   

04/04/2013,

0.053%(a)(h)

     13,000,000        12,997,841   

06/20/2013,

0.113%(h)

     11,000,000        10,994,577   

10/17/2013,

0.125%(a)(h)

     12,000,000        11,987,532   
    

 

 

 
       55,976,435   
    

 

 

 

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

(Cost $128,850,773)

  

  

    128,855,204   
    

 

 

 

Total Investments - 155.82%

(Cost $1,038,691,542)

  

  

    1,083,518,475   

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets - (55.82%)

   

    (388,167,799
    

 

 

 

NET ASSETS - 100.00%

  

  $ 695,350,676   
    

 

 

 

SCHEDULE OF
SECURITIES
SOLD SHORT (d)

   Shares     Value  

COMMON STOCK

  

 

ASML Holding NV

     (25,869   $ (1,666,222

Banco Santander S.A.

     (896,266     (7,216,503

BNP Paribas S.A.

     (77,668     (4,365,749

Caterpillar, Inc.

     (51,603     (4,622,597

Core Laboratories NV

     (22,300     (2,437,613

Credit Agricole S.A.

     (454,366     (3,648,842

Delek US Holdings, Inc.

     (58,935     (1,492,234

Deutsche Bank AG

     (146,218     (6,475,995

Fiat SpA

     (287,646     (1,438,989

Intesa Sanpaolo SpA

     (1,666,636     (2,859,856

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. - ADR

     (777,747     (15,142,734

Rio Tinto PLC - ADR

     (113,854     (6,613,779

Sandvik AB

     (591,007     (9,406,092

Societe Generale S.A.

     (84,545     (3,162,626

Vale S.A. - ADR

     (110,049     (2,306,627

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

     (69,900     (4,769,277
    

 

 

 
       (77,625,735
    

 

 

 

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

  

 

iShares® FTSE China 25 Index Fund

     (92,100     (3,728,208

Powershares QQQ Trust Series 1

     (455,061     (29,629,022

SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust

     (252,100     (35,929,292

United States Natural Gas Fund LP

     (437,300     (8,264,970

    

 


SCHEDULE OF
SECURITIES SOLD
SHORT (d) (continued)
   Shares    Value

United States Oil Fund LP

   (235,430)    $(7,853,945)
     

 

      (85,405,437)
     

 

TOTAL SECURITIES SOLD SHORT

(Proceeds $155,673,567)

   $(163,031,172)
     

 

 

 

(a) 

Pledged security; a portion or all of the security is pledged as collateral for securities sold short or borrowings as of December 31, 2012. (See Note 1)

 
(b) 

Loaned security; a portion or all of the security is on loan at December 31, 2012.

 
(c) 

Security exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration, normally to qualified institutional buyers. As of December 31, 2012, these securities had a total value of $23,921,159 or 3.44% of net assets.

 
(d) 

Non-income producing security.

 
(e) 

Fair valued security; valued by management in accordance with procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees. As of December 31, 2012, these securities had a total value of $2,932,069 or 0.42% of total net assets.

 
(f) 

Securities were purchased pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, which exempts securities offered and sold outside of the United States from registration. Such securities cannot be sold in the United States without either an effective registration statement filed pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, or pursuant to an exemption from registration. These securities have been deemed liquid under guidelines approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees. As of December 31, 2012, the aggregate market value of those securities was $2,432,556, representing 0.35% of net assets.

 
(g) 

Less than 0.0005%.

(h) 

Rate shown represents the bond equivalent yield to maturity at date of purchase.

Abbreviations:

AB - Aktiebolag is the Swedish equivalent of the term corporation

ADR - American Depositary Receipt

AG - Aktiengesellschaft is a German term that refers to a corporation that is limited by shares, i.e., owned by shareholders

Bhd - Berhad (in Malaysia, a form of a public company)

CSI - China Securities Index Company Limited

CSOP - China Southern Asset Management

ETF - Exchange Traded Fund

LLC - Limited Liability Corporation

LP - Limited Partnership

Ltd. - Limited

NV - Naamloze Vennootschap (Dutch: Limited Liability Company)

PLC - Public Limited Liability

REIT - Real Estate Investment Trust

RQFII - Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors

S.A. - Generally designates corporations in various countries, mostly those employing the civil law

SpA - Societa` Per Azioni is an Italian shared company

SAB de CV - Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable (Spanish Variable Capital Company)

SPDR - Standard & Poor’s Depositary Receipt

S&P - Standard & Poor’s

TOTAL RETURN SWAP CONTRACTS

Counter Party   

Reference

Entry/Obligation

   Shares    Notional
Amount
   Floating Rate Paid
by the Fund
   Floating Rate
Index
   Termination
Date
   Net Unrealized
Loss
 

Morgan

Stanley

   Bharti Infratel, Ltd.    1,602,940    6,471,229    30 Bps + 1D FEDEF    1D FEDEF    12/24/2014    $ (804,329


INCOME TAX INFORMATION

 

Net unrealized appreciation/depreciation of investments based on federal tax costs were as follows:

  

     As of December 31, 2012   

Gross appreciation (excess of value over tax cost)

   $ 58,448,168   

Gross depreciation (excess of tax cost over value)

     (21,004,558

Net unrealized appreciation

   $ 37,443,610   
  

 

 

 

Cost of investments for income tax purposes

   $ 1,046,074,865   
  

 

 

 

See Notes to Quarterly Schedule of Investments.


CLOUGH GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND

NOTES TO QUARTERLY STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS

DECEMBER 31, 2012 (UNAUDITED)

1. ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING AND OPERATING POLICIES

 

Clough Global Opportunities Fund (the “Fund”) is a closed-end management investment company that was organized under the laws of the state of Delaware by an Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 16, 2006. The Fund is a non-diversified series with an investment objective to provide a high level of total return. Each Declaration of Trust provides that the Trustees may authorize separate classes of shares of beneficial interest.

The net asset value per share of the Fund is determined no less frequently than daily, on each day that the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) is open for trading, as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time). Trading may take place in foreign issues held by the Fund at times when the Fund is not open for business. As a result, the Fund’s net asset value may change at times when it is not possible to purchase or sell shares of the Fund.

Investment Valuation: Securities held by the Fund for which exchange quotations are readily available are valued at the last sale price, or if no sale price or if traded on the over-the-counter market, at the mean of the bid and asked prices on such day. Most securities listed on a foreign exchange are valued at the last sale price at the close of the exchange on which the security is primarily traded. In certain countries market maker prices are used since they are the most representative of the daily trading activity. Market maker prices are usually the mean between the bid and ask prices. Certain markets are not closed at the time that the Fund prices its portfolio securities. In these situations, snapshot prices are provided by the individual pricing services or other alternate sources at the close of the NYSE as appropriate. Securities not traded on a particular day are valued at the mean between the last reported bid and the asked quotes, or the last sale price when appropriate; otherwise fair value will be determined by the board-appointed fair valuation committee. Debt securities for which the over-the-counter market is the primary market are normally valued on the basis of prices furnished by one or more pricing services or dealers at the mean between the latest available bid and asked prices. As authorized by the Trustees, debt securities (other than short-term obligations) may be valued on the basis of valuations furnished by a pricing service which determines valuations based upon market transactions for normal, institutional-size trading units of securities or a matrix method which considers yield or price of comparable bonds provided by a pricing service. Short-term obligations maturing within 60 days are valued at amortized cost, which approximates value, unless the Trustees determine that under particular circumstances such method does not result in fair value. Over-the-counter options are valued at the mean between bid and asked prices provided by dealers. Financial futures contracts listed on commodity exchanges and exchange-traded options are valued at closing settlement prices.

If the price of a security is unavailable in accordance with the aforementioned pricing procedures, or the price of a security is unreliable, e.g., due to the occurrence of a significant event, the security may be valued at its fair value determined by management pursuant to procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. For this purpose, fair value is the price that the Fund reasonably expects to receive on a current sale of the security. Due to the number of variables affecting the price of a security, however; it is possible that the fair value of a security may not accurately reflect the price that a Fund could actually receive on a sale of the security. As of December 31, 2012, securities which have been fair valued represented 0.42% of net assets of the Fund.

A three-tier hierarchy has been established to classify fair value measurements for disclosure purposes. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk. Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability that are developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability that are developed based on the best information available.

Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments as of the reporting period end. These inputs are categorized in the following hierarchy under applicable financial accounting standards:

 

Level 1 –

Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access at the measurement date;

Level 2 –

Quoted prices which are not active, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable (either directly or indirectly) for substantially the full term of the asset or liability; and

Level 3 – Significant unobservable prices or inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments) where there is little or no market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date.


The following is a summary of the inputs used as of December 31, 2012 in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at value. The Fund recognizes transfers between the levels as of the beginning of the annual period in which the transfer occurred. There were no significant transfers between Levels 1 and 2 during the period ended December 31, 2012:

Clough Global Opportunities Fund

 

Investments in Securities at Value*    Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Assets

           

Common Stocks

           

Consumer Discretionary

   $ 141,702,642       $       $       $ 141,702,642   

Consumer Staples

     42,240,930                         42,240,930   

Energy

     109,038,530                         109,038,530   

Energy Infrastructure & Capital Equipment

     3,104,542                         3,104,542   

Financials

     185,546,096         2,900,000         32,069         188,478,165   

Health Care

     69,844,310                         69,844,310   

Industrials

     70,685,210                         70,685,210   

Information Technology

     91,878,760                         91,878,760   

Materials

     15,084,676                         15,084,676   

Telecommunication Services

     19,554,595                         19,554,595   

Utilities

     37,280,125                         37,280,125   

Exchange Traded Funds

     7,374,094                         7,374,094   

Preferred Stocks

     3,200,838                         3,200,838   

Corporate Bonds

             10,724,171                 10,724,171   

Government & Agency Obligations

     143,891,418                         143,891,418   

Purchased Options

     580,265                         580,265   

Short-Term Investments

     128,855,204                         128,855,204   

TOTAL

   $   1,069,862,235       $   13,624,171       $   32,069       $   1,083,518,475   
                                     

Other Financial Instruments

                                   

Liabilities

           

Securities Sold Short

   $ (163,031,172)       $       $       $ (163,031,172)   

Total Return Swap Contracts**

             (804,329)                 (804,329)   

TOTAL

   $ (163,031,172)       $ (804,329)       $       $ (163,835,501)   
                                     

*For detailed industry descriptions, see the accompanying Statement of Investments.

**Swap contracts are reported at their unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) at measurement date, which represents the change in the contract’s value from trade date.

The following is a reconciliation of assets in which significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) were used in determining fair value:

 

         Investments in    
Securities
 
Clough Global Opportunities Fund        Common Stock      

 

 

Balance as of March 31, 2012

   $ 69,869   

Accrued discount/ premium

     -     

Realized (Loss)

     (251,107)   

Change in Unrealized Appreciation

     251,495   

Purchases

     -     

Sales Proceeds

     (38,188)   

Transfer into Level 3

     -     

Transfer out of Level 3

     -     
  

 

 

 

Balance as of December 31, 2012

   $ 32,069   
  

 

 

 

Net change in unrealized appreciation attributable to Level 3 investments still held at December 31, 2012

   $ 251,495   

Foreign Securities: The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in foreign securities. In the event that the Fund executes a foreign security transaction, the Fund will generally enter into a forward foreign currency contract to settle the foreign security transaction. Foreign securities may carry more risk than U.S. securities, such as political, market and currency risks.


The accounting records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. Prices of securities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the closing rates of exchange at period end. Amounts related to the purchase and sale of foreign securities and investment income are translated at the rates of exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions.

A foreign currency contract is a commitment to purchase or sell a foreign currency at a future date, at a negotiated rate. The Fund may enter into foreign currency contracts to settle specific purchases or sales of securities denominated in a foreign currency and for protection from adverse exchange rate fluctuation. Risks to the Fund include the potential inability of the counterparty to meet the terms of the contract.

The net U.S. dollar value of foreign currency underlying all contractual commitments held by the Fund and the resulting unrealized appreciation or depreciation are determined using prevailing forward foreign currency exchange rates. These spot contracts are used by the broker to settle investments denominated in foreign currencies.

As of December 31, 2012, the Fund had the following open spot foreign currency contracts:

Spot Foreign Exchange Contracts

 

    Foreign                   Unrealized  
        Buy/Sell   Currency Type   Cost USD     Market Value USD     Settlement Date   Appreciation/(Depreciation)  

 

 

      Clough Global Opportunities Fund

         

                Sell

  HKD   $     (102,104)      $ (102,118)      01/02/2013   $ (14)       

                Sell

  MYR     (86,588)        (86,716)      01/02/2013     (128)       

 

 
    $     (188,692)      $ (188,834)        $ (142)       

 

 

Short Sales: The Fund may sell a security it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the fair value of that security. When the Fund sells a security short, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale. A gain, limited to the price at which the Fund sold the security short, or a loss, unlimited in size, will be recognized upon the termination of the short sale.

Derivatives Instruments and Hedging Activities: The following discloses the Fund’s use of derivative instruments and hedging activities.

The Fund’s investment objectives not only permit the Fund to purchase investment securities, they also allow the Fund to enter into various types of derivative contracts, including, but not limited to, purchased and written options, swaps, and warrants. In doing so, the Fund will employ strategies in differing combinations to permit it to increase, decrease, or change the level or types of exposure to market factors. Central to those strategies are features inherent to derivatives that make them more attractive for this purpose than equity securities; they require little or no initial cash investment, they can focus exposure on only certain selected risk factors, and they may not require the ultimate receipt or delivery of the underlying security (or securities) to the contract. This may allow the Fund to pursue its objective more quickly and efficiently than if it was to make direct purchases or sales of securities capable of effecting a similar response to market factors.

Market Risk Factors: In pursuit of its investment objective, the Fund may seek to use derivatives to increase or decrease its exposure to the following market risk factors:

Equity Risk: Equity risk relates to the change in value of equity securities as they relate to increases or decreases in the general market.

Risk of Investing in Derivatives: The Fund’s use of derivatives can result in losses due to unanticipated changes in the market risk factors and the overall market. In instances where the Fund is using derivatives to decrease or hedge exposures to market risk factors for securities held by the Fund, there are also risks that those derivatives may not perform as expected, resulting in losses for the combined or hedged positions.

Derivatives may have little or no initial cash investment relative to their market value exposure and therefore can produce significant gains or losses in excess of their cost. This use of embedded leverage allows the Fund to increase its market value exposure relative to its net assets and can substantially increase the volatility of the Fund’s performance.

Additional associated risks from investing in derivatives also exist and potentially could have significant effects on the valuation of the derivative and the Fund. Typically, the associated risks are not the risks that the Fund is attempting to increase or decrease exposure to, per its investment objective, but are the additional risks from investing in derivatives.

Examples of these associated risks are liquidity risk, which is the risk that the Fund will not be able to sell the derivative in the open market in a timely manner, and counterparty credit risk, which is the risk that the counterparty will not fulfill its obligation to the Fund. Associated risks can be different for each type of derivative and are discussed by each derivative type in the notes that follow.

Option Writing/Purchasing: The Fund may purchase or write (sell) put and call options. One of the risks associated with purchasing an option among others, is that the Fund pays a premium whether or not the option is exercised. Additionally, the Fund bears the risk of loss of premium and change in market value should the counterparty not perform under the contract. The cost of securities acquired through the exercise of call options is increased by premiums paid. The proceeds from securities sold through the exercise of put options are decreased by the premiums paid. The Fund is obligated to pay interest to the broker for any debit balance of the margin account relating to options.


When the Fund writes an option, an amount equal to the premium received by the Fund is recorded as a liability and is subsequently adjusted to the current value of the option written. Premiums received from writing options that expire unexercised are treated by the Fund on the expiration date as realized gains. The difference between the premium received and the amount paid on effecting a closing purchase transaction, including brokerage commissions, is recorded as a realized gain or loss. If a call option is exercised, the premium is added to the proceeds from the sale of the underlying security or currency in determining whether the Fund has realized a gain or loss. If a put option is exercised, the premium reduces the cost basis of the securities purchased by the Fund. The Fund, as writer of an option, bears the market risk of an unfavorable change in the price of the security underlying the written option.

Written option activity for the nine months ended December 31, 2012 was as follows:

 

CLOUGH GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND:   

 

 

 
         Written Call Options              Written Put Options      

 

 
     Contracts      Premiums      Contracts          Premiums      

 

 

Outstanding, March 31, 2012

     4,601           $ 601,577         –           $ –       

Positions opened

     14,956             919,490         5,800             6,814,322       

Exercised

     (101)             (177,450)         –             –       

Expired

     (3,500)             (355,181)         (1,000)             (1,907,971)       

Closed

     (15,956)             (988,436)         (4,800)             (4,906,351)       

Split

     –                     –             –       

 

 

Outstanding, December 31, 2012

     –           $         –           $ –       

 

 

Market Value, December 31, 2012

      $          $ –       

 

 

Swaps: During the period the Fund engaged in total return swaps. A swap is an agreement that obligates two parties to exchange a series of cash flows at specified intervals based upon or calculated by reference to changes in specified prices or rates for a specified amount of an underlying asset. The Fund may utilize swap agreements as a means to gain exposure to certain assets and/or to “hedge” or protect the Fund from adverse movements in securities prices or interest rates. The Fund is subject to equity risk and interest rate risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objective through investments in swap contracts. Swap agreements entail the risk that a party will default on its payment obligation to the Fund. If the other party to a swap defaults, the Fund would risk the loss of the net amount of the payments that it contractually is entitled to receive. If the Fund utilizes a swap at the wrong time or judges market conditions incorrectly, the swap may result in a loss to the Fund and reduce the Fund’s total return. Swap agreements traditionally were privately negotiated and entered into in the over-the-counter market. However, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) of 2010 now permits certain swap agreements to be cleared through a clearinghouse and traded on an exchange or swap execution facility. New regulations under the Dodd-Frank Act could, among other things, increase the cost of such transactions.

Total return swaps involve an exchange by two parties in which one party makes payments based on a set rate, either fixed or variable, while the other party makes payments based on the return of an underlying asset, which includes both the income it generates and any capital gains over the payment period. The Fund’s maximum risk of loss from counterparty risk or credit risk is the discounted value of the payments to be received from/paid to the counterparty over the contract’s remaining life, to the extent that the amount is positive. The risk is mitigated by having a netting arrangement between the Fund and the counterparty and by the posting of collateral to the Fund to cover the Fund’s exposure to the counterparty.

Warrants: The Fund may purchase or otherwise receive warrants or rights. Warrants and rights generally give the holder the right to receive, upon exercise, a security of the issuer at a set price. Funds typically use warrants and rights in a manner similar to their use of purchased options on securities, as described in options above. Risks associated with the use of warrants and rights are generally similar to risks associated with the use of purchased options. However, warrants and rights often do not have standardized terms, and may have longer maturities and may be less liquid than exchange-traded options. In addition, the terms of warrants or rights may limit the Fund’s ability to exercise the warrants or rights at such times and in such quantities as the Fund would otherwise wish. The Fund held no rights or warrants at the end of the period.


Item 2 - Controls and Procedures.

 

  (a) The Registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer have evaluated the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) within 90 days of this filing and have concluded that the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective, as of that date.

 

  (b) There was no change in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) during Registrant’s last fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Item 3 – Exhibits.

Separate certifications for the Registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, as required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, are attached as Ex99.CERT.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

  CLOUGH GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND
   

By:

  

/s/ Edmund J. Burke

       Edmund J. Burke
       President (principal executive officer)
   

Date:

   February 28, 2013

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

    By:   

/s/ Edmund J. Burke

       Edmund J. Burke
       President (principal executive officer)
    Date:    February 28, 2013
    By:   

/s/ Jeremy O. May

       Jeremy O. May
       Treasurer (principal financial officer)
    Date:    February 28, 2013