● THE INDEX MAY NOT APPROXIMATE ITS TARGET VOLATILITY —
No assurance can be given that the Index will maintain an annualized realized volatility that approximates its target volatility of
35%. The Index’s target volatility is a level of implied volatility and therefore the actual realized volatility of the Index may be greater
or less than the target volatility. On each monthly Index rebalance day, the Index’s exposure to the Futures Contracts is set equal
to (a) the 35% implied volatility target divided by (b) the one-month implied volatility of the Futures Contracts, subject to a maximum
exposure of 500%. However, there is no guarantee that the methodology used by the Index to determine the implied volatility of the
Futures Contracts will be representative of the realized volatility of the Futures Contracts. In addition, the volatility of the Futures
Contracts on any day may change quickly and unexpectedly and realized volatility may differ significantly from implied volatility. In
general, over time, the realized volatility of the Futures Contracts has tended to be lower than its implied volatility; however, at any
time the realized volatility may exceed its implied volatility, particularly during periods of market volatility. Accordingly, the actual
annualized realized volatility of the Index may be greater than or less than the target volatility, which may adversely affect the level
of the Index and the value of the notes.
● THE INDEX IS SUBJECT TO RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF SIGNIFICANT LEVERAGE —
On a monthly Index rebalance day, the Index will employ leverage to increase the exposure of the Index to the Futures Contracts if
the implied volatility of the Futures Contracts is below 35%, subject to a maximum exposure of 500%. Under normal market
conditions in the past, the Futures Contracts have tended to exhibit an implied volatility below 35%. Accordingly, the Index has
generally employed leverage in the past, except during periods of elevated volatility. When leverage is employed, any movements
in the prices of the Futures Contracts will result in greater changes in the level of the Index than if leverage were not used. In
particular, the use of leverage will magnify any negative performance of the Futures Contracts, which, in turn, would negatively
affect the performance of the Index. Because the Index’s leverage is adjusted only on a monthly basis, in situations where a
significant increase in volatility is accompanied by a significant decline in the value of the Futures Contracts, the level of the Index
may decline significantly before the following Index rebalance day when the Index’s exposure to the Futures Contracts would be
reduced.
● THE INDEX MAY BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY A “VOLATILITY DRAG” EFFECT —
If the Index is not consistently successful in increasing exposure to the Futures Contracts in advance of increases in the value of
the Futures Contracts and reducing exposure to Futures Contracts in advance of declines in the value of the Futures Contracts,
then the Index is also expected to be subject to a “volatility drag” effect, which will exacerbate the decline that results from having
highly leveraged exposure to the declines in the value of the Futures Contracts. The decay effect would result from the fact that the
Index resets the leveraged exposure to the Futures Contracts on a monthly basis and would manifest any time the price of the
Futures Contracts moves in one direction prior to a reset and another following the reset. The decay effect would result because
resetting leverage after an increase but in advance of a decline would cause the Index to have increased exposure to that decline,
and resetting leverage following a decline but in advance of an increase would cause the Index to have decreased exposure to that
increase. The more this fact pattern repeats, the lower the performance of the Index would be relative to the performance of the
Futures Contracts.
● THE INDEX MAY BE SIGNIFICANTLY UNINVESTED —
On a monthly Index rebalance day, the Index’s exposure to the Futures Contracts will be less than 100% when the implied volatility
of the Futures Contracts is above 35%. If the Index’s exposure to the Futures Contracts is less than 100%, the Index will not be
fully invested, and any uninvested portion will earn no return. The Index may be significantly uninvested on any given day, and will
realize only a portion of any gains due to appreciation of the Futures Contracts on any such day. The 6.0% per annum deduction is
deducted daily, even when the Index is not fully invested.
● THE NOTES ARE SUBJECT TO RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH GOLD —
Market prices of the Futures Contracts tend to be highly volatile and may fluctuate rapidly based on numerous factors, including the
factors that affect the price of gold as described below. The price of gold is primarily affected by the global demand for and supply
of gold. The market for gold bullion is global, and gold prices are subject to volatile price movements over short periods of time and
are affected by numerous factors, including macroeconomic factors, such as the structure of and confidence in the global monetary
system, expectations regarding the future rate of inflation, the relative strength of, and confidence in, the U.S. dollar (the currency
in which the price of gold is usually quoted), interest rates, gold borrowing and lending rates and global or regional economic,
financial, political, regulatory, judicial or other events. Gold prices may be affected by industry factors, such as industrial and
jewelry demand as well as lending, sales and purchases of gold by the official sector, including central banks and other
governmental agencies and multilateral institutions that hold gold. Additionally, gold prices may be affected by levels of gold
production, production costs and short-term changes in supply and demand due to trading activities in the gold market. From time
to time, above-ground inventories of gold may also influence the market. It is not possible to predict the aggregate effect of all or
any combination of these factors. The price of gold has recently been, and may continue to be, extremely volatile.
● THERE ARE RISKS RELATING TO COMMODITIES TRADING ON THE LBMA —
Market prices of the Futures Contracts may fluctuate rapidly based on the price of gold. The price of gold is determined by the
LBMA or an independent service provider appointed by the LBMA. The LBMA is a self-regulatory association of bullion market
participants. Although all market-making members of the LBMA are supervised by the Bank of England and are required to satisfy
a capital adequacy test, the LBMA itself is not a regulated entity. If the LBMA should cease operations, or if bullion trading should
become subject to a value added tax or other tax or any other form of regulation currently not in place, the role of the LBMA gold
price as a global benchmark for the value of gold may be adversely affected. The LBMA is a principals’ market, which operates in a
manner more closely analogous to an over-the-counter physical commodity market than regulated futures markets, and certain
features of U.S. futures contracts are not present in the context of LBMA trading. For example, there are no daily price limits on the
LBMA which would otherwise restrict fluctuations in the prices of LBMA contracts. In a declining market, it is possible that prices
would continue to decline without limitation within a trading day or over a period of trading days. The LBMA may alter, discontinue
or suspend calculation or dissemination of the LBMA gold price, which could adversely affect the value of the notes. The LBMA, or
an independent service provider appointed by the LBMA, will have no obligation to consider your interests in calculating or revising
the LBMA gold price.