Per Unit		Total
Public offering price(1)		$10.000		$
Underwriting discount(1)		$  0.225		$
Proceeds, before expenses, to BNS		$  9.775		$

 

(1)

For any purchase of 500,000 units or more in a single transaction by an individual investor or in combined transactions with the investor's household in this offering, the public offering price and the underwriting discount will be $9.950 per unit and $0.175 per unit, respectively. See “Supplement to the Plan of Distribution” below.

The notes:

Are Not FDIC Insured

Are Not Bank Guaranteed

May Lose Value

Summary

 

 

The terms and risks of the notes are contained in this term sheet and in the following:

◾	Product prospectus supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1 dated December 26, 2018: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/9631/000091412118002477/bn50676782-424b2.htm

 

Investor Considerations

We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.

 

Hypothetical Payout Profile and Examples of Payments at Maturity

The graph below is based on hypothetical numbers and values.

 

 

Example 1

The Ending Value is 75.00, or 75.00% of the Starting Value:

Starting Value:	100.00
Threshold Value:	85.00
Ending Value:	75.00

Redemption Amount per unit

 

Starting Value:	100.00
Ending Value:	150.00

Risk Factors

There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security.  An investment in the notes involves significant risks, including those listed below. You should carefully review the more detailed explanation of risks relating to the notes in the “Risk Factors” sections beginning on page PS-6 of product prospectus supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1, page S-2 of the prospectus supplement, and page 5 of the prospectus identified above. We also urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.

◾	Depending on the performance of the Basket as measured shortly before the maturity date, your investment may result in a loss; there is no guaranteed return of principal.

 

◾	Your return on the notes may be less than the yield you could earn by owning a conventional fixed or floating rate debt security of comparable maturity.

 

◾	Your investment return may be less than a comparable investment directly in the stocks included in the Basket Components.

◾

Our initial estimated value of the notes will be lower than the public offering price of the notes. Our initial estimated value of the notes is only an estimate. The public offering price of the notes will exceed our initial estimated value because it includes costs associated with selling and structuring the notes, as well as hedging our obligations under the notes with a third party, which may include MLPF&S or one of its affiliates. These costs include the underwriting discount and an expected hedging related charge, as further described in “Structuring the Notes” on page TS-26.

 

◾

Our initial estimated value of the notes does not represent future values of the notes and may differ from others’ estimates. Our initial estimated value of the notes is determined by reference to our internal pricing models when the terms of the notes are set.  These pricing models consider certain factors, such as our internal funding rate on the pricing date, the expected term of the notes, market conditions and other relevant factors existing at that time, and our assumptions about market parameters, which can include volatility, dividend rates, interest rates and other factors.  Different pricing models and assumptions could provide valuations for the notes that are different from our initial estimated value. In addition, market conditions and other relevant factors in the future may change, and any of our assumptions may prove to be incorrect. On future dates, the market value of the notes could change significantly based on, among other things, the performance of the Basket, changes in market conditions, our creditworthiness, interest rate movements and other relevant factors.  These factors, together with various credit, market and economic factors over the term of the notes, are expected to reduce the price at which you may be able to sell the notes in any secondary market and will affect the value of the notes in complex and unpredictable ways. Our initial estimated value does not represent a minimum price at which we or any agents would be willing to buy your notes in any secondary market (if any exists) at any time.

 

◾

Our initial estimated value is not determined by reference to credit spreads or the borrowing rate we would pay for our conventional fixed-rate debt securities. The internal funding rate used in the determination of our initial estimated value of the notes generally represents a discount from the credit spreads for our conventional fixed-rate debt securities and the borrowing rate we would pay for our conventional fixed-rate debt securities. If we were to use the interest rate implied by the credit spreads for our conventional fixed-rate debt securities, or the borrowing rate we would pay for our conventional fixed-rate debt securities, we would expect the economic terms of the notes to be more favorable to you. Consequently, our use of an internal funding rate for the notes would have an adverse effect on the economic terms of the notes, the initial estimated value of the notes on the pricing date, and the price at which you may be able to sell the notes in any secondary market.

 

◾	A trading market is not expected to develop for the notes. Neither we nor MLPF&S is obligated to make a market for, or to repurchase, the notes. There is no assurance that any party will be willing to purchase your notes at any price in any secondary market.

 

◾

Our business, hedging and trading activities, and those of MLPF&S and our respective affiliates (including trades in shares of companies included in the Basket Components), and any hedging and trading activities we, MLPF&S or our respective affiliates engage in for our clients’ accounts, may affect the market value and return of the notes and may create conflicts of interest with you.

 

 

 

 

◾	While we, MLPF&S or our respective affiliates may from time to time own securities of companies included in the Basket Components, we, MLPF&S and our respective affiliates do not control any company included in the Basket Components, and have not verified any disclosure made by any other company.

 

◾

Your return on the notes may be affected by factors affecting the international securities markets, specifically changes in the countries represented by the Basket Components. In addition, you will not obtain the benefit of any increase in the value of the currencies in which the securities in the Basket Components trade against the U.S. dollar which you would have received if you had owned the securities in the Basket Components during the term of your notes, although the value of the Basket may be adversely affected by general exchange rate movements in the market.

Other Terms of the Notes

Market Measure Business Day

The following definition shall supersede and replace the definition of a “Market Measure Business Day” set forth in product prospectus supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1:

A “Market Measure Business Day” means a day on which:

(A)

each of the Eurex (as to the EURO STOXX 50® Index), the London Stock Exchange (as to the FTSE® 100 Index), the Tokyo Stock Exchange (as to the Nikkei Stock Average Index), the SIX Swiss Exchange (as to the Swiss Market Index®), the Australian Stock Exchange (as to the S&P/ASX 200 Index) and the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (as to the Hang Seng® Index) (or any successor to the foregoing exchanges) are open for trading; and

 

(B)	the Basket Components or any successors thereto are calculated and published.

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The Basket

The Basket is designed to allow investors to participate in the percentage changes in the levels of the Basket Components from the Starting Value to the Ending Value of the Basket. The Basket Components are described in the section “The Basket Components” below. Each Basket Component will be assigned an initial weight on the pricing date, as set forth in the table below.

For more information on the calculation of the value of the Basket, please see the section entitled “Description of the LIRNs—Basket Market Measures” beginning on page PS-21 of product prospectus supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1.

If March 22, 2019 were the pricing date, for each Basket Component, the Initial Component Weight, the closing level, the hypothetical Component Ratio and the initial contribution to the Basket value would be as follows:

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While actual historical information on the Basket will not exist before the pricing date, the following graph sets forth the hypothetical historical performance of the Basket from January 1, 2008 through March 22, 2019.  The graph is based upon actual daily historical levels of the Basket Components, hypothetical Component Ratios based on the closing levels of the Basket Components as of December 31, 2007, and a Basket value of 100.00 as of that date. This hypothetical historical data on the Basket is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the Basket or what the value of the notes may be. Any hypothetical historical upward or downward trend in the value of the Basket during any period set forth below is not an indication that the value of the Basket is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes.

Hypothetical Historical Performance of the Basket

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The Basket Components

All disclosures contained in this term sheet regarding the Basket Components, including, without limitation, their make-up, method of calculation, and changes in their components, have been derived from publicly available sources. The information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by each of STOXX Limited (“STOXX”) with respect to the EURO STOXX 50^® Index (the “SX5E”), FTSE International Limited (“FTSE”) with respect to the FTSE^® 100 Index (the “UKX”), Nikkei Inc. (“Nikkei”) with respect to the Nikkei 225 Index (the “NKY”), S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P”), a division of S&P Global, with respect to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (the “AS51”), the Geneva, Zurich, SIX Group Ltd., certain of its subsidiaries, and the Management Committee of the SIX Swiss Exchange (the “SIX Exchange”), with respect to the Swiss Market Index^® (the “SMI”), and Hang Seng Indexes Company Limited (“HSIL”) with respect to the Hang Seng^® Index (the “HSI”) (STOXX, FTSE, Nikkei, S&P, Six Exchange and HSIL together, the “Index sponsors”). The Index sponsors have no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue or suspend the publication of any Basket Component at any time. The consequences of any Index sponsor discontinuing publication of a Basket Component are discussed in the section entitled “Description of LIRNs—Discontinuance of an Index" beginning on page PS-20 of product prospectus supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1. None of us, the calculation agent, or MLPF&S accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance or publication of any Basket Component or any successor index.

The EURO STOXX 50^® Index

The SX5E is a capitalization-weighted index of 50 European blue-chip stocks in 11 Eurozone countries. Publication of the SX5E began on February 26, 1998, based on an initial index value of 1,000 at December 31, 1991. The level of the SX5E is disseminated on, and additional information about the SX5E is published on, the STOXX website. Information contained in the STOXX website is not incorporated by reference in, and should not be considered a part of, this term sheet.

Index Composition and Maintenance

For each of the 19 EURO STOXX regional supersector indices, the stocks are ranked in terms of free-float market capitalization. The largest stocks are added to the selection list until the coverage is close to, but still less than, 60% of the free-float market capitalization of the corresponding supersector index. If the next highest-ranked stock brings the coverage closer to 60% in absolute terms, then it is also added to the selection list. All current stocks in the SX5E are then added to the selection list. All of the stocks on the selection list are then ranked in terms of free-float market capitalization to produce the final index selection list. The largest 40 stocks on the selection list are selected; the remaining 10 stocks are selected from the largest remaining current stocks ranked between 41 and 60; if the number of stocks selected is still below 50, then the largest remaining stocks are selected until there are 50 stocks. In exceptional cases, STOXX’s management board can add stocks to and remove them from the selection list.

The SX5E components are subject to a capped maximum index weight of 10%, which is applied on a quarterly basis.

The composition of the SX5E is reviewed annually, based on the closing stock data on the last trading day in August. Changes in the composition of the SX5E are made to ensure that the SX5E includes the 50 market sector leaders from within the SX5E.

The SX5E is subject to a “fast exit rule.” The SX5E components are monitored for any changes based on the monthly selection list ranking. A stock is deleted from the SX5E if: (a) it ranks 75 or below on the monthly selection list and (b) it ranked 75 or below on the selection list of the previous month. The highest-ranked stock that is not an SX5E component will replace it. Changes will be implemented on the close of the fifth trading day of the month, and are effective the next trading day.

The SX5E is also subject to a “fast entry rule.” All stocks on the latest selection lists and initial public offering (IPO) stocks are reviewed for a fast-track addition on a quarterly basis. A stock is added, if (a) it qualifies for the latest STOXX blue-chip selection list generated at the end of February, May, August or November and (b) it ranks within the “lower buffer” (ranks 1-25) on this selection list.

The SX5E is also reviewed on an ongoing basis. Corporate actions (including initial public offerings, mergers and takeovers, spin-offs, delistings, and bankruptcy) that affect the SX5E composition are immediately reviewed. Any changes are announced, implemented, and effective in line with the type of corporate action and the magnitude of the effect.

Index Calculation

The SX5E is calculated with the “Laspeyres formula,” which measures the aggregate price changes in the component stocks against a fixed base quantity weight. The formula for calculating the SX5E value can be expressed as follows:

Index  =

free float market capitalization of the Index at the time divisor of the Index at the time

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The SX5E is calculated using a divisor that helps to maintain the continuity of the SX5E’s value so that corporate actions do not artificially increase or decrease the level of the SX5E.The divisor of the SX5E is adjusted to maintain the continuity of the SX5E’s values across changes due to corporate actions, such as cash dividends, rights offerings, stock dividends from treasury shares, repurchases of shares and self-tender, and spin-offs.

Historical Performance of the EURO STOXX 50^® Index

This historical data on the SX5E is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the SX5E or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the SX5E during any period set forth above is not an indication that the level of the SX5E is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes.

Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels of the SX5E.

License Agreement

BNS has entered into a non-exclusive license agreement with STOXX, which grants BNS a license in exchange for a fee to use the SX5E in connection with the issuance of certain securities, including the notes.

STOXX, Deutsche Börse Group and their licensors, research partners or data providers have no relationship to BNS, other than the licensing of the SX5E and the related trademarks for use in connection with the notes.

STOXX, Deutsche Börse Group and their licensors, research partners or data providers do not:

●	sponsor, endorse, sell or promote the notes;

 

●	recommend that any person invest in the notes or any other financial products;

 

●	have any responsibility or liability for or make any decisions about the timing, amount or pricing of the notes;

 

●	have any responsibility or liability for the administration, management or marketing of the notes; and

 

●	consider the needs of the notes or the owners of the notes in determining, composing or calculating the SX5E or have any obligation to do so.

STOXX, Deutsche Börse Group and their licensors, research partners or data providers give no warranty, and exclude any liability (whether in negligence or otherwise) in connection with the notes or their performance.

STOXX does not assume any contractual relationship with the purchasers of the notes or any third parties.

Specifically,

●	The Sponsor, Deutsche Börse Group and their licensors, research partners or data providers do not make any warranty, express or implied and disclaim any and all warranty about:

 

●	the results to be obtained by the notes, the owner of the notes or any other person in connection with the use of the SX5E and the data included in the SX5E;

●	the accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of the SX5E or its data;

 

●	the merchantability and the fitness for a particular purpose or use of the SX5E or its data; and

 

●	the performance of the notes generally.

 

●	STOXX, Deutsche Börse Group and their licensors, research partners or data providers give no warranty and exclude any liability, for any errors, omissions or interruptions in the SX5E or its data; and

 

●

under no circumstances will Deutsche Börse Group and their licensors, research partners or data providers be liable (whether in negligence or otherwise) for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special or consequential damages or losses, arising as a result of such errors, omissions or interruptions in the SX5E or its data or generally in relation to the notes, even in circumstances where the Sponsor Deutsche Börse Group and their licensors, research partners or data providers are aware that such loss or damage may occur.

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The FTSE^® 100 Index

The UKX is a market-capitalization weighted index calculated, published and disseminated by FTSE, an independent company wholly owned by the London Stock Exchange Group (the “LSE”). The UKX is designed to measure the composite performance of the 100 largest UK domiciled blue chip companies that pass screening for size and liquidity traded on the LSE. The UKX was launched on January 3, 1984 and has a base date of December 30, 1983. The UKX is reported by Bloomberg under the ticker symbol “UKX.”

The UKX is calculated by (i) multiplying the per share price of each stock included in the UKX by the number of outstanding shares and by the free float factor applicable to such stock, (ii) calculating the sum of all these products (such sum referred to hereinafter as the “FTSE Aggregate Market Value”) as of the starting date of the UKX and (iii) dividing the FTSE Aggregate Market Value by a divisor which represents the total issued share capital of the UKX on the base date and which can be adjusted to allow changes in the issued share capital of individual underlying stocks (including the deletion and addition of stocks, the substitution of stocks, stock dividends and stock splits) to be made without distorting the UKX. Because of such capitalization weighting, movements in share prices of companies with relatively larger market capitalization will have a greater effect on the level of the entire UKX than will movements in share prices of companies with relatively smaller market capitalization.

The 100 stocks included in the UKX (the “FTSE 100 Index Underlying Stocks”) were selected from a reference group of stocks trading on the LSE which were selected by excluding certain stocks that have low liquidity based on public float, accuracy and reliability of prices, size and number of trading days. The FTSE 100 Index Underlying Stocks were selected from this reference group by selecting 100 stocks with the largest market value. A list of the issuers of the FTSE 100 Index Underlying Stocks is available from FTSE. The UKX is reviewed quarterly by the FTSE Europe/Middle East/Africa Regional Committee (the “Committee”) in order to maintain continuity in the level. The FTSE 100 Index Underlying Stocks may be replaced, if necessary, in accordance with deletion/addition rules which provide generally for the removal and replacement of a stock from the UKX if such stock is delisted or its issuer is subject to a takeover offer that has been declared unconditional or it has ceased to be a viable component of the UKX. To maintain continuity, a stock will be added at the quarterly review if it has risen to 90th place or above and a stock will be deleted if at the quarterly review it has fallen to 111th place or below, in each case ranked on the basis of market value.

Historical Performance of the FTSE^® 100 Index

This historical data on the UKX is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the UKX or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the UKX during any period set forth above is not an indication that the level of the UKX is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes.

Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels of the UKX.

License Agreement

BNS has entered into a non-exclusive license agreement with FTSE, whereby BNS and its affiliates and subsidiary companies and certain of its affiliates, in exchange for a fee, will be permitted to use the UKX, which is owned and published by FTSE, in connection with certain products, including the notes.

Neither FTSE nor the LSE makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the notes or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in structured products generally or in the notes particularly, or the ability of the UKX to track general stock market performance. FTSE and the LSE’s only relationship with BNS is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of FTSE, respectively, without regard to us or the notes. FTSE and the LSE have no obligation to take the needs of us or the holders of the notes into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the UKX Neither FTSE nor the LSE is responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing, price or quantity of the notes to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the amount due at maturity of the notes. Neither FTSE nor the LSE has any obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the notes.

The notes are not in any way sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by FTSE or the LSE, and neither FTSE nor the LSE makes any claim, prediction, warranty or representation whatsoever, expressly or impliedly, either as to the results to be obtained from the use of the UKX and/or the figure at which the said component stands at any particular time on any particular day or otherwise, or the suitability of the UKX for the purpose to which it is being put in connection with the notes. The UKX is compiled and calculated by FTSE. However, neither FTSE nor the LSE shall be liable (whether in negligence or otherwise) to any person for any error in the UKX and neither FTSE nor the LSE shall be under any obligation to advise any person of any error therein.

“FTSE^®,” “FTSE^TM,” “FT-SE^®” and “Footsie^®” are trade marks of the London Stock Exchange Group companies and are used by FTSE International Limited under license. “All-World,” “All-Share” and “All-Small” are trade marks of FTSE International Limited.

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The Nikkei Stock Average Index

The NKY is a stock index that measures the composite price performance of selected Japanese stocks. The NKY is based on 225 underlying stocks (the “Nikkei Underlying Stocks”) trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (“TSE”), representing a broad cross-section of Japanese industries. All 225 Nikkei Underlying Stocks are stocks listed in the First Section of the TSE. Stocks listed in the First Section of the TSE are among the most actively traded stocks on the TSE. Nikkei’s rules require that the 75 most liquid issues (one-third of the component count of the NKY) be included in the NKY. Nikkei first calculated and published the NKY in 1970; prior to 1970, the TSE calculated the NKY. The NKY is reported by Bloomberg under the ticker symbol “NKY.”

The 225 companies included in the NKY are divided into six sector categories: Technology, Financials, Consumer Goods, Materials, Capital Goods/Others and Transportation and Utilities. These six sector categories are further divided into 36 industrial classifications as follows:

◾ Technology — Pharmaceuticals, Electrical Machinery, Automobiles, Precision Machinery, Telecommunications;

◾ Financials — Banks, Miscellaneous Finance, Securities, Insurance;

◾ Consumer Goods — Marine Products, Food, Retail, Services;

◾ Materials — Mining, Textiles, Paper and Pulp, Chemicals, Oil, Rubber, Ceramics, Steel, Nonferrous Metals, Trading Houses;

◾ Capital Goods/Others — Construction, Machinery, Shipbuilding, Transportation Equipment, Miscellaneous Manufacturing, Real Estate; and

◾ Transportation and Utilities — Railroads and Buses, Trucking, Shipping, Airlines, Warehousing, Electric Power, Gas.

Calculation of the NKY

The NKY is a modified, price-weighted index (i.e., a Nikkei Underlying Stock’s weight in the NKY is based on its price per share rather than the total market capitalization of the issuer) which is calculated by (i) multiplying the per share price of each Nikkei Underlying Stock by the corresponding weighting factor for such Nikkei Underlying Stock (a “Weight Factor”), (ii) calculating the sum of all these products and (iii) dividing such sum by a divisor (the “Divisor”). The Divisor was initially set at 225 for the date of May 16, 1949 (the date on which the TSE was reopened after World War II) using historical numbers from that date. The Divisor is subject to periodic adjustments as set forth below. Each Weight Factor is computed by dividing ¥50 by the presumed par value of the relevant Nikkei Underlying Stock, so that the share price of each Nikkei Underlying Stock when multiplied by its Weight Factor corresponds to a share price based on a uniform par value of ¥50. The stock prices used in the calculation of the NKY are those reported by a primary market for the Nikkei Underlying Stocks (currently the TSE). The level of the NKY is calculated once every 15 seconds during TSE trading hours.

In order to maintain continuity in the NKY in the event of certain changes due to non-market factors affecting the Nikkei Underlying Stocks, such as the addition or deletion of stocks, substitution of stocks, stock splits or distributions of assets to stockholders, the Divisor used in calculating the NKY is adjusted in a manner designed to prevent any instantaneous change or discontinuity in the level of the NKY. Thereafter, the Divisor remains at the new value until a further adjustment is necessary as the result of another change. As a result of such change affecting any Nikkei Underlying Stock, the Divisor is adjusted in such a way that the sum of all share prices immediately after the change multiplied by the applicable Weight Factor and divided by the new Divisor (i.e., the level of the NKY immediately after such change) will equal the level of the NKY immediately prior to the change.

Standards for Listing and Maintenance

A Nikkei Underlying Stock may be deleted or added by Nikkei. Any stock becoming ineligible for listing in the First Section of the TSE due to any of the following reasons will be deleted from the Nikkei Underlying Stocks: (i) bankruptcy of the issuer, (ii) merger of the issuer with, or acquisition of the issuer by, another company, (iii) delisting of such stock, (iv) transfer of such stock to the “Seiri-Meigara” because of excess debt of the issuer or because of any other reason or (v) transfer of such stock to the Second Section. In addition, a component stock transferred to the “Kanri-Meigara” (posts for stocks under supervision) becomes a candidate for deletion. Nikkei Underlying Stocks with relatively low liquidity, based on trading value and rate of price fluctuation over the past five years, may be deleted by Nikkei. Upon deletion of a stock from the Nikkei Underlying Stocks, Nikkei will select a replacement for such deleted Nikkei Underlying Stock in accordance with certain criteria. In an exceptional case, a newly listed stock in the First Section of the TSE that is recognized by Nikkei to be representative of a market may be added to the Nikkei Underlying Stocks. In such a case, an existing Nikkei Underlying Stock with low trading volume and deemed not to be representative of a market will be deleted by Nikkei.

A list of the issuers of the Nikkei Underlying Stocks constituting the NKY is published by Nikkei. Nikkei may delete, add or substitute any stock underlying the NKY.

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Historical Performance of the Nikkei Stock Average Index

This historical data on the NKY is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the NKY or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the NKY during any period set forth above is not an indication that the level of the NKY is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes.

Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels of the NKY.

License Agreement

BNS will enter into an agreement with Nikkei providing us with a non-exclusive license with the right to use the NKY in exchange for a fee.  The NKY is the intellectual property of Nikkei. “Nikkei,” “Nikkei Stock Average,” “Nikkei Average,” and “Nikkei 225” are the service marks of Nikkei. Nikkei reserves all the rights, including copyright, to the NKY.

The notes are not in any way sponsored, endorsed or promoted by Nikkei. Nikkei does not make any warranty or representation whatsoever, express or implied, either as to the results to be obtained as to the use of the NKY or the figure as which the NKY stands at any particular day or otherwise. The NKY is compiled and calculated solely by Nikkei. However, Nikkei shall not be liable to any person for any error in the NKY and Nikkei shall not be under any obligation to advise any person, including a purchaser or seller of the notes, of any error therein.

In addition, Nikkei gives no assurance regarding any modification or change in any methodology used in calculating the NKY and is under no obligation to continue the calculation, publication and dissemination of the NKY.

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The Swiss Market Index^®

The Swiss Market Index^® (Bloomberg ticker “SMI”):

◾	was first launched with a base level of 1,500 as of June 30, 1988; and

 

◾	is sponsored, calculated, published and disseminated by the SIX Exchange.

The SMI is a price return float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of the 20 largest stocks traded on the Swiss Stock Exchange. The Management Committee of SIX Swiss Exchange is supported by an Index Commission (advisory board) in all index-related matters, notably in connection with changes to the SMI rules and adjustments, additions and exclusions outside of the established review and acceptance period. The Index Commission meets at least twice annually.

Index Composition and Selection Criteria

The SMI is comprised of the 20 highest ranked stocks traded on the Swiss Stock Exchange that have a free float of 20% or more and that are not investment companies. The equity universe is largely Swiss domestic companies; however, in some cases, foreign issuers with a primary listing on the Swiss Stock Exchange or investment companies that do not hold any shares of any other eligible company and that have a primary listing on the Swiss Stock Exchange may be included.

The ranking of each security is determined by a combination of the following criteria:

◾	average free-float market capitalization (compared to the capitalization of the entire Swiss Stock Exchange index family), and

 

◾	cumulative on order book turnover (compared to the total turnover of the Swiss Stock Exchange index family).

Each of these two factors is assigned a 50% weighting in ranking the stocks eligible for the SMI.

The SMI is reconstituted annually after prior notice of at least two months on the third Friday in September after the close of trading.

The reconstitution is based on data from the previous July 1 through June 30. Provisional interim selection (ranking) lists are also published following the end of the third, fourth and first financial quarters.

In order to reduce turnover, an index constituent will not be replaced unless it is ranked below 23 or, if it is ranked 21 or 22, if another share ranks 18 or higher. If a company has primary listings on several exchanges and less than 50% of that company’s total turnover is generated on the Swiss Stock Exchange, it will not be included in the SMI unless it ranks at least 18 or better on the selection list on the basis of its turnover alone (i.e., without considering its free float).

Maintenance of the SMI

Shares held deemed to be in firm hands are shareholdings that have been acquired by one person or a group of persons in companies domiciled in Switzerland and which, upon exceeding 5%, have been reported to the SIX Exchange. Shares of persons and groups of persons who are subject to a shareholder agreement which is binding for more than 5% of the listed shares or who, according to publicly known facts, have a long-term interest in a company, are also deemed to be in firm hands.

For the calculation of the number of shares in firm hands, the SIX Exchange may also use other sources than the reports submitted to it. In particular, the SIX Exchange may use data gained from issuer surveys that it conducts itself.

In general, shares held by custodian nominees, trustee companies, investment funds, pension funds and investment companies are deemed free-floating regardless whether a report has been made to the SIX Exchange. The SIX Exchange classifies at its own discretion persons and groups of persons who, because of their area of activity or the absence of important information, cannot be clearly assigned.

The free-float rule applies only to bearer shares and registered shares. Capital issued in the form of participation certificates and bonus certificates is taken into full account in calculating the SMI because it does not confer voting rights.

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SIX Swiss Exchange and its Licensors do not:

●	Sponsor, endorse, sell or promote the notes.

 

●	Recommend that any person invest in the notes or any other securities.

 

●	Have any responsibility or liability for or make any decisions about the timing, amount or pricing of the notes.

 

●	Have any responsibility or liability for the administration, management or marketing of the notes.

 

●	Consider the needs of the notes or the owners of the notes in determining, composing or calculating the SMI or have any obligation to do so.

SIX Swiss Exchange and its Licensors give no warranty, and exclude any liability (whether in negligence or otherwise), in connection with the notes or their performance.

SIX Swiss Exchange does not assume any contractual relationship with the purchasers of the notes or any other third parties.

Specifically,

●	SIX Swiss Exchange and its Licensors do not give any warranty, express or implied, and exclude any liability for:

 

o	The results to be obtained by the notes; the owner of the notes or any other person in connection with the use of the SMI and the data included in the SMI.

 

o	The accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of the SMI and its data.

 

o	The merchantability and the fitness for a particular purpose or use of the SMI and its data.

 

o	The performance of the notes generally.

 

●	SIX Swiss Exchange and its Licensors give no warranty, and exclude any liability, for any errors, omissions or interruptions in the SMI or its data.

 

●

Under no circumstances will SIX Swiss Exchange or its Licensors be liable (whether in negligence or otherwise) for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special or consequential damages or losses arising as a result of such errors, omissions or interruptions in the SMI or its data or generally in relation to the notes, even in circumstances where SIX Swiss Exchange or its Licensors are aware that such loss or damage may occur.

The licensing agreement between BNS and SIX Swiss Exchange is solely for their benefit and not for the benefit of the owners of the notes or any other third parties.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (Bloomberg ticker “AS51”):

◾	was first launched in 1979 by the Australian Securities Exchange and was acquired and re-launched by its current Index sponsor on April 3, 2000; and

 

◾	is sponsored, calculated, published and disseminated by S&P.

The AS51 includes 200 companies and covers approximately 80% of the Australian equity market by market capitalization. As discussed below, the AS51 is not limited solely to companies having their primary operations or headquarters in Australia or to companies having their primary listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (the “ASX”). All ordinary and preferred shares (if such preferred shares are not of a fixed income nature) listed on the ASX, including secondary listings, are eligible for the AS51. Hybrid stocks, bonds, warrants, preferred stock that provides a guaranteed fixed return and listed investment companies are not eligible for inclusion.

The AS51 is intended to provide exposure to the largest 200 eligible securities that are listed on the ASX by float-adjusted market capitalization.  Constituent companies for the AS51 are chosen based on market capitalization, public float and liquidity. All index-eligible securities that have their primary or secondary listing on the ASX are included in the initial selection of stocks from which the 200 index stocks may be selected.

The float-adjusted market capitalization of companies is determined based on the daily average market capitalization over the last six months. The security’s price history over the last six months, the latest available shares on issue and the investable weight factor (the “IWF”), are the factors relevant to the calculation of daily average market capitalization. The IWF is a variable that is primarily used to determine the available float of a security for ASX listed securities.

Number of Shares

When considering the index eligibility of securities for inclusion or promotion into S&P/ASX indices, the number of index securities under consideration is based upon the latest available ASX quoted securities. For domestic securities (companies incorporated in Australia and traded on the ASX, companies incorporated overseas but exclusively listed on the ASX and companies incorporated overseas and traded on other markets but most of its trading activity is on the ASX), this figure is purely based upon the latest available data from the ASX.

Foreign-domiciled securities may quote the total number of securities on the ASX that is representative of their global equity capital; whereas other foreign-domiciled securities may quote securities on the ASX on a partial basis that represents their Australian equity capital. In order to overcome this inconsistency, S&P will quote the number of index securities that are represented by CHESS Depositary Interests (“CDIs”) for a foreign entity. When CDIs are not issued, S&P will use the total securities held on the Australian register (CHESS and, where supplied, the issuer sponsored register). This quoted number for a foreign entity is representative of the Australian equity capital, thereby allowing the AS51 to be increasingly reflective of the Australian market.

The number of CDIs or shares of a foreign entity quoted on the ASX can experience more volatility than is typically the case for ordinary shares on issue. Therefore, an average number on issue will be applied over a six-month period.

Where CDI information is not supplied to the ASX by the company or the company’s share register, estimates for Australian equity capital will be drawn from CHESS data and, ultimately, registry-sourced data.

IWF

The IWF represents the float-adjusted portion of a stock’s equity capital. Therefore any strategic holdings that are classified as either corporate, private or government holdings reduce the IWF which, in turn, results in a reduction in the float-adjusted market capital.

The IWF ranges between 0 and 1, is calculated as 1 – Sum of the % held by strategic shareholders who possess 5% or more of issued shares, and is an adjustment factor that accounts for the publicly available shares of a company. A company must have a minimum IWF of 0.3 to be eligible for index inclusion.

S&P Dow Jones Indices identifies the following shareholders whose holdings are considered to be control blocks and are subject to float adjustment:

1.	Government and government agencies;

 

2.	Controlling and strategic shareholders/partners;

 

3.	Any other entities or individuals which hold more than 5%, excluding insurance companies, securities companies and investment funds; and

 

4.	Other restricted portions such as treasury stocks.

Liquidity Test

Only stocks that are regularly traded are eligible for inclusion. Eligible stocks are considered for index inclusion based on their stock median liquidity (median daily value traded divided by its average float-adjusted market capitalization for the last six months relative to the market capitalization weighted average of the stock median liquidities of the 500 constituents of the All Ordinaries index, another member of the S&P/ASX index family).

 

Index Maintenance

S&P rebalances constituents quarterly to ensure adequate market capitalization and liquidity using the previous six months’ data to determine index eligibility. Quarterly review changes take effect the third Friday of March, June, September and December. Eligible stocks are considered for index inclusion based on their float-adjusted market capitalization rank relative to the stated quota of 200 securities. For example, a stock that is currently in the S&P/ASX 300 and is ranked at 175, based on float-adjusted market capitalization, within the universe of eligible securities may be considered for inclusion into the AS51, provided that liquidity hurdles are met.

In order to limit the level of index turnover, eligible securities will only be considered for index inclusion once another stock is excluded due to a sufficiently low rank and/or liquidity, based on the float-adjusted market capitalization. Potential index inclusions and exclusions need to satisfy buffer requirements in terms of the rank of the stock relative to a given index. The buffers are established to limit the level of index turnover that may take place at each quarterly rebalancing.

Between rebalancing dates, an index addition is generally made only if a vacancy is created by an index deletion. Index additions are made according to float-adjusted market capitalization and liquidity. An initial public offering is added to the AS51 only when an appropriate vacancy occurs and is subject to proven liquidity for at least two months. An exception may be made for extraordinary large offerings where sizeable trading volumes justify index inclusion.

Deletions can occur between index rebalancing dates due to acquisitions, mergers and spin-offs or due to suspension or bankruptcies. The decision to remove a stock from the AS51 will be made once there is sufficient evidence that the transaction will be completed. Stocks that are removed due to mergers and acquisitions are removed from the AS51 at the cash offer price for cash-only offers. Otherwise, the best available price in the market is used.

Share numbers for all index constituents are updated quarterly and are rounded to the nearest thousand. The update to the number of issued shares will be considered if the change is at least 5% of the float adjusted shares or $100 million in value.

Share updates for foreign-domiciled securities will take place annually at the March rebalancing. The update to the number of index shares will only take place when the six-month average of CDIs or the Total Securities held in the Australian branch of issuer sponsored register (where supplied) and in CHESS, as of the March rebalancing, differs from the current index shares by either 5% or a market-cap dollar amount greater than A$ 100 million. Where CDI information is not supplied to the ASX by the company or the company’s share register, estimates for Australian equity capital will be drawn from CHESS data and, ultimately, registry-sourced data.

Intra-quarter share changes are implemented at the effective date or as soon as reliable information is available; however, they will only take place in the following circumstances:

◾	changes in a company’s float-adjusted shares of 5% or more due to market-wide shares issuance;

 

◾	rights issues, bonus issues and other major corporate actions; and

 

◾	share issues resulting from index companies merging and major off-market buy-backs.

Share changes due to mergers or acquisitions are implemented when the transaction occurs, even if both of the companies are not in the same index and regardless of the size of the change.

IWFs are reviewed annually as part of the September quarterly review. However, any event that alters the float of a security in excess of 5% will be implemented as soon as practicable by an adjustment to the IWF.

The function of the IWF is also to manage the index weight of foreign-domiciled securities that quote shares on the basis of CDIs. Due to the volatility that is displayed by CDIs, unusually large changes in the number of CDIs on issue could result. Where this is the case, the IWF may be used to limit the effect of unusually large changes in the average number of CDIs (and, thereby, limit the potential to manipulate this figure). Where the Australian Index Committee sees fit to apply the IWF in this manner, the rationale for the decision will be announced to the market. This will be reviewed annually at the March-quarter index rebalancing date.

Index Calculation

The AS51 is calculated using a base-weighted aggregate methodology. The value of the AS51 on any day for which an index value is published is determined by a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate of the price of each stock in the AS51 times the number of shares of such stock included in the AS51 times that stock’s IWF, and the denominator of which is the divisor, which is described more fully below.

In order to prevent the value of the AS51 from changing due to corporate actions, all corporate actions may require S&P to make an index or divisor adjustment, as described in S&P’s rules. This helps maintain the value of the AS51 and ensures that the movement of the AS51 does not reflect the corporate actions of the individual companies that comprise the AS51.

In situations where an exchange is forced to close early due to unforeseen events, such as computer or electric power failures, weather conditions or other events, S&P will calculate the closing price of the indices based on (1) the closing prices published by the exchange or (2) if no closing price is available, the last regular trade reported for each security before the exchange closed. If the exchange fails to open due to unforeseen circumstances, S&P treats this closure as a standard market holiday. The AS51 will use the prior day’s closing prices and shifts any corporate actions to the following business day. If all exchanges fail to open or in other extreme circumstances, S&P may determine not to publish the AS51 for that day.

S&P reserves the right to recalculate the AS51 under certain limited circumstances.

 

 

Historical Performance of the S&P/ASX 200 Index

This historical data on the AS51 is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the AS51 or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the AS51 during any period set forth above is not an indication that the level of the AS51 is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes.

Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels of the AS51.

The AS51 is a product of S&P or its affiliates (“SPDJI”) and the Australian Securities Exchange, and has been licensed for use by us in exchange for a fee.  Standard & Poor’s^® and S&P^® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P Financial”); Dow Jones^® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”); and ASX^® is a registered trademark of the Australian Securities Exchange. The trademarks have been licensed to SPDJI and have been sublicensed for certain purposes by us.  The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P Financial, any of their respective affiliates (collectively, “S&P Dow Jones Indices”) or the Australian Securities Exchange.  Neither S&P Dow Jones Indices nor the Australian Securities Exchange make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the notes or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the notes particularly or the ability of the AS51 to track general market performance.  S&P Dow Jones Indices’ and the Australian Securities Exchange’s only relationship to us with respect to the AS51 is the licensing of the AS51 and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its licensors.  The AS51 is determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices or the Australian Securities Exchange without regard to us or the notes.  S&P Dow Jones Indices and the Australian Securities Exchange have no obligation to take our needs or the owners of notes into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the AS51.  S&P Dow Jones Indices and the Australian Securities Exchange are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of the notes or the timing of the issuance or sale of the notes or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the notes are to be converted into cash, surrendered or redeemed, as the case may be.  S&P Dow Jones Indices and the Australian Securities Exchange have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the notes. There is no assurance that investment products based on the AS51 will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. SPDJI is not an investment advisor.  Inclusion of a security within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice.

NEITHER S&P DOW JONES INDICES NOR THIRD PARTY LICENSORS GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE AS51 OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO.  S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND THE AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN.  S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND THE AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY US, OWNERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE AS51 OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO.  WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES OR THE AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE.  THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND US, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.

The Hang Seng^® Index

The HSI is calculated, maintained and published by HSIL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hang Seng Bank, in concert with the HSI Advisory Committee and was first developed, calculated and published on November 24, 1969. The HSI is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted stock market index that is designed to reflect the performance of the Hong Kong stock market.

Only companies with a primary listing on the main board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (“SEHK”) are eligible as constituents of the HSI. Mainland China enterprises that have an H-share listing in Hong Kong will not be eligible for inclusion in the HSI unless the company has no unlisted share capital. In addition, to be eligible for selection, a company: (1) must be among those that constitute the top 90% of the total market value of all primary listed shares on the SEHK (the market value of a company refers to the average of its month-end market capitalizations for the past 12 months); (2) must be among those that constitute the top 90% of the total turnover of all primary listed shares on the SEHK in a sufficient number of measurement sub-periods (turnover is assessed over the last eight quarterly sub-periods: if a company was in the top 90% in any of the most recent four sub-periods, it receives two points; if it was in the top 90% in any of the latter four sub-periods, it receives one point. A company must attain a “score” of eight points to meet the turnover requirement); and (3) should normally have a listing history of 24 months (there are exceptions for companies that have shorter listing histories but large market values and/or high turnover scores). From the many eligible candidates, final selections are based on the following: (1) the market value and turnover rankings of the companies; (2) the representation of the sub‑sectors within the HSI directly reflecting that of the market; and (3) the financial performance of the companies.

Calculation of the HSI

The calculation methodology of the HSI is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighting with a 10% cap on individual stocks. Under this calculation methodology, shares held by any entities (excluding custodians, trustees, mutual funds and investment companies) which control more than 5% of shares are excluded for index calculation:

•	Strategic holdings (governments and affiliated entities or any other entities which hold substantial shares in the company would be considered as non-freefloat unless otherwise proved);

 

•	Directors’ and management holdings (directors, members of the board committee, principal officers or founding members);

 

•	Corporate cross holdings (publicly traded companies or private firms / institutions); and

 

•	Lock-up shares (shareholdings with a publicly disclosed lock-up arrangement).

A free float-adjusted factor representing the proportion of shares that is free floated as a percentage of the issued shares, is rounded up to the nearest multiple of 5% for the calculation of the HSI and is updated quarterly.

A cap of 10% on individual stock weightings is applied. A cap factor is calculated quarterly to coincide with the regular update of the free float-adjusted factor. Additional re-capping is performed upon constituent changes.

The formula for the index calculation is as follows:

Current Index =

where:

	Pt :	current price at day t;
	Pt-1:	closing price at day t-1;
	IS:	number of issued shares;
	FAF:	free float-adjusted factor, which is between 0 and 1; and
	CF:	capping factor, which is between 0 and 1.

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Historical Performance of the Hang Seng^® Index

This historical data on the HSI is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the HSI or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the HSI during any period set forth above is not an indication that the level of the HSI is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes.

Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels of the HSI

License Agreement

BNS or one of its affiliates has agreed to enter into a non-exclusive license agreement with HSIL and Hang Seng Data Services Limited whereby BNS or one of its affiliates, in exchange for a fee, is permitted to use the HSI in connection with certain securities, including the notes. BNS is not affiliated with HSIL; the only relationship between HSIL and BNS is any licensing of the use of HSIL’s indices and trademarks related to them.

THE HSI IS PUBLISHED AND COMPILED BY HANG SENG INDEXES COMPANY LIMITED PURSUANT TO A LICENSE FROM HANG SENG DATA SERVICES LIMITED. THE MARK AND NAME HANG SENG CHINA ENTERPRISES INDEX ARE PROPRIETARY TO HANG SENG DATA SERVICES LIMITED. HANG SENG INDEXES COMPANY LIMITED AND HANG SENG DATA SERVICES LIMITED HAVE AGREED TO THE USE OF, AND REFERENCE TO, THE HSI BY BNS IN CONNECTION WITH THE NOTES, BUT NEITHER HANG SENG INDEXES COMPANY LIMITED NOR HANG SENG DATA SERVICES LIMITED WARRANTS OR REPRESENTS OR GUARANTEES TO ANY BROKER OR HOLDER OF THE NOTES OR ANY OTHER PERSON (I) THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE HSI AND ITS COMPUTATION OR ANY INFORMATION RELATED THERETO; OR (II) THE FITNESS OR SUITABILITY FOR ANY PURPOSE OF THE HSI OR ANY COMPONENT OR DATA COMPRISED IN IT; OR (III) THE RESULTS WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED BY ANY PERSON FROM THE USE OF THE HSI OR ANY COMPONENT OR DATA COMPRISED IN IT FOR ANY PURPOSE, AND NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION OR GUARANTEE OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER RELATING TO THE HSI IS GIVEN OR MAY BE IMPLIED. THE PROCESS AND BASIS OF COMPUTATION AND COMPILATION OF THE HSI AND ANY OF THE RELATED FORMULA OR FORMULAE, CONSTITUENT STOCKS AND FACTORS MAY AT ANY TIME BE CHANGED OR ALTERED BY HANG SENG INDEXES COMPANY LIMITED WITHOUT NOTICE. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY IS ACCEPTED BY HANG SENG INDEXES COMPANY LIMITED OR HANG SENG DATA SERVICES LIMITED (I) IN RESPECT OF THE USE OF AND/OR REFERENCE TO THE HSI BY BNS IN CONNECTION WITH THE NOTES; OR (II) FOR ANY INACCURACIES, OMISSIONS, MISTAKES OR ERRORS OF HANG SENG INDEXES COMPANY LIMITED IN THE COMPUTATION OF THE HSI; OR (III) FOR ANY INACCURACIES, OMISSIONS, MISTAKES, ERRORS OR INCOMPLETENESS OF ANY INFORMATION USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMPUTATION OF THE HSI WHICH IS SUPPLIED BY ANY OTHER PERSON; OR (IV) FOR ANY ECONOMIC OR OTHER LOSS WHICH MAY BE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY SUSTAINED BY ANY BROKER OR HOLDER OF THE PRODUCT OR ANY OTHER PERSON DEALING WITH THE NOTES AS A RESULT OF ANY OF THE AFORESAID, AND NO CLAIMS, ACTIONS OR LEGAL PROCEEDINGS MAY BE BROUGHT AGAINST HANG SENG INDEXES COMPANY LIMITED AND/OR HANG SENG DATA SERVICES LIMITED IN CONNECTION WITH THE NOTES IN ANY MANNER WHATSOEVER BY ANY BROKER, HOLDER OR OTHER PERSON DEALING WITH THE NOTES. ANY BROKER, HOLDER OR OTHER PERSON DEALING WITH THE NOTES DOES SO THEREFORE IN FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THIS DISCLAIMER AND CAN PLACE NO RELIANCE WHATSOEVER ON HANG SENG INDEXES COMPANY LIMITED AND HANG SENG DATA SERVICES LIMITED. FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, THIS DISCLAIMER DOES NOT CREATE ANY CONTRACTUAL OR QUASI-CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ANY BROKER, HOLDER OR OTHER PERSON AND HANG SENG INDEXES COMPANY LIMITED AND/OR HANG SENG DATA SERVICES LIMITED AND MUST NOT BE CONSTRUED TO HAVE CREATED SUCH RELATIONSHIP.

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MLPF&S Reorganization

As discussed above under “Supplement to the Plan of Distribution”, the current business of MLPF&S is being reorganized into two affiliated broker-dealers. Effective on the Transfer Date, BofAS will be the new legal entity for the institutional services that are now provided by MLPF&S. As such, beginning on the Transfer Date, the institutional services currently being provided by MLPF&S, including acting as selling agent for the notes, acting as calculation agent for the notes, acting as principal or agent in secondary market-making transactions for the notes and entering into hedging arrangements with respect to the notes, are expected to be provided by BofAS. Accordingly, references to MLPF&S in this term sheet as such references relate to MLPF&S’s institutional services, such as those described above, should be read as references to BofAS to the extent these services are to be performed on or after the Transfer Date.

 

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Summary of Canadian Federal Income Tax Consequences

An investor should read carefully the description of principal Canadian federal income tax considerations under “Canadian Taxation” in the accompanying prospectus relevant to a holder (as defined on page 20 of the prospectus) owning debt securities, and the description of principal Canadian federal income tax considerations under “Supplemental Discussion of Canadian Federal Income Tax Consequences” in the applicable product prospectus supplement.

Summary of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

No statutory, regulatory, judicial or administrative authority directly discusses how the notes should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your investment in the notes are uncertain. Accordingly, we urge you to consult your tax advisor as to the tax consequences of your investment in the notes (and of having agreed to the required tax treatment of your notes described below) and as to the application of state, local or other tax laws to your investment in your notes and the possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.

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Amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules are not additional taxes and may be refunded or credited against your U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is furnished to the IRS.

Non-U.S. Holders. If you are a non-U.S. holder, subject to Section 871(m) of the Code and FATCA, discussed below, you should generally not be subject to generally applicable information reporting and backup withholding requirements with respect to payments on your notes if you comply with certain certification and identification requirements as to your non-U.S. status including providing us (and/or the applicable withholding agent) a properly executed and fully completed applicable IRS Form W-8. Subject to Section 871(m) of the Code, discussed below, gain from the taxable disposition of a note generally will not be subject to U.S. tax unless (i) such gain is effectively connected with a trade or business conducted by you in the U.S., (ii) you are a non-resident alien individual and are present in the U.S. for 183 days or more during the taxable year of such taxable disposition and certain other conditions are satisfied or (iii) you have certain other present or former connections with the U.S.

Market-Linked Investments Classification

MLPF&S classifies certain market-linked investments (the “Market-Linked Investments”) into categories, each with different investment characteristics. The following description is meant solely for informational purposes and is not intended to represent any particular Enhanced Return Market-Linked Investment or guarantee any performance.

 

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