Risk Factors and Important Legal Information

What are the main risks?

Key considerations related to the Index

  • The Index is rules-based and cannot be invested into directly.
  • There is no assurance that the strategy on which the Index is based will be successful or that the Index will rise in value or outperform any strategy referencing the underlying fund.
  • Investors in products linked to the Index should review the relevant fund offering documents, including the description of risk factors contained therein, prior to making an investment decision regarding the Index.
  • The Index has a limited operating history and may perform in unanticipated ways. Past performance is no indication or guarantee of future performance. The return results provided herein are illustrative only and were derived by means of a retroactive application of a back-casted model designed with the benefit of hindsight. These back-casted, hypothetical, historical annualized Index returns have inherent limitations. No representation is made that in the future the Index will have the returns shown. Alternative modeling techniques or assumptions might produce significantly different results and may prove to be more appropriate. Actual annualized returns may vary materially from this analysis.
  • The Index involves risks associated with debt funds i.e. the funds invest in bonds which will mean there is exposure to currency fluctuations, credit spreads, interest rate movements and possible political events.
  • The aggregate weights may be higher or lower than 100%. Weights higher than 100% may increase risk and magnify gains or losses. Weights less than 100% may underperform a fully invested strategy in some circumstances.
  • The Index is an excess return index (it reflects the return of components net of the cost of funding a hypothetical investment in them).
  • Although the Index employs a mechanism designed to limit its volatility, no assurance can be given that it will achieve its target. The actual realized volatility may be greater or less than the Index's volatility target, which may impact negatively the performance of the Index, and the effect of the volatility-limiting mechanism may be to reduce the performance of the Index in rising markets.
  • The 3-month USD LIBOR rate is currently used in the construction of the Index. In the context of LIBOR being decommissioned, the Index Sponsor may in the future, in good faith, amend the Index Rules, potentially including the substitution of a replacement rate, as determined by the Index Sponsor.
  • Credit Suisse is the Index's Sponsor and it (or affiliates) plays a variety of roles in connection the Index, including acting as calculation agent and overseeing the rulebook that governs the operations of the Index. In addition, Credit Suisse would be expected to hedge any financial instruments and obligations linked to the Index. In such roles the economic interests of Credit Suisse and its affiliates are potentially adverse to the interests of a purchaser of any such instrument or obligation linked to the Index.

Attributions and Disclaimers with Respect to Credit Suisse

This disclaimer extends to Credit Suisse International ("CS"), its affiliates or designates in any of its capacities. CS is the sponsor of the Index (the "Index Sponsor"). The Index Sponsor also acts as the administrator of the Index for the purposes of the Benchmark Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/1011) (the "BMR") (the "Index Administrator"). The Index Rules and the Index Description are published by CS or its affiliates. CS is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority ("PRA") and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") and the PRA. Notwithstanding that CS is so regulated, the rules of neither the FCA nor the PRA are incorporated into this document.

The Index Administrator and Index Calculation Agent are part of the same group. CS or its affiliates may also offer securities or other financial products ("Investment Products") the return of which is linked to the performance of the Index. CS or its affiliates may, therefore, in each of its capacities face a conflict in its obligations carrying out such role with investors in the Investment Products.

In addition, the Index Rules and the Index Description are not to be used or considered as an offer or solicitation to buy or subscribe for such Investment Products nor are they to be considered to be or to contain any advice or a recommendation with respect to such products. Before making an investment decision in relation to such products one should refer to the prospectus or other disclosure document relating to such products.

The Index Rules and the Index Description are published for information purposes only and CS and its affiliates expressly disclaim (to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and regulation except for where loss caused by the Fault of CS or its affiliates) all warranties (express, statutory or implied) regarding this document and the Index, including but not limited to all warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose of use and all warranties arising from course of performance, course of dealing or usage of trade and their equivalents under applicable laws of any jurisdiction unless losses result from the breach of such warranties where such losses are caused by the Fault of CS or its affiliates. "Fault" means negligence, fraud or wilful default.

CS is described as Index Administrator, Index Sponsor and Index Calculation Agent under the Index Rules.

CS may transfer or delegate to another entity, at its discretion and in compliance with applicable law and regulation, some or all of the functions and calculations associated with the role of Index Administrator, Index Sponsor and Index Calculation Agent respectively under the Index Rules.

CS as Index Administrator is the final authority on the Index and the interpretation and application of the Index Rules.

CS as Index Administrator may supplement, amend (in whole or in part), revise or terminate these Index Rules in compliance with applicable law and regulation at any time. The Index Rules may change without prior notice.

CS will apply the Rules in its discretion exercised in good faith and a commercially reasonable manner and (where there is a corresponding applicable regulatory obligation) shall act independently and honestly in its capacity as the Index Administrator and take into account whether fair treatment is achieved by any such exercise of discretion in accordance with its applicable regulatory obligations, and in doing so may rely upon other sources of market information.

Neither CS as Index Administrator nor CS as Index Calculation Agent warrants or guarantees the accuracy or timeliness of calculations of Index values or the availability of an Index value on any particular date or at any particular time.

Neither CS nor any of its affiliates (including their respective officers, employees and delegates) shall be under any liability to any party on account of any loss suffered by such party (however such loss may have been incurred) in connection with anything done, determined, interpreted, amended or selected (or omitted to be done, determined or selected) by it in connection with the Index and the Index Rules, unless such loss is caused by CS or any of its affiliates' Fault. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing and unless caused by CS or any of its affiliates' Fault, neither CS nor any of its affiliates shall be liable for any loss suffered by any party as a result of any determination, calculation, interpretation, amendment or selection it makes (or fails to make) in relation to the construction or the valuation of the Index and the application of the Index Rules and, once made, neither CS nor any of its affiliates shall be under any obligation to revise any calculation, determination, amendment, interpretation and selection made by it for any reason. Neither CS nor any of its affiliates makes any warranty or representation whatsoever, express or implied, as to the results to be obtained from the use of the Index, or as to the performance and/or the value thereof at any time (past, present or future).

The strategy underlying the Index (the "Index Strategy") is a proprietary strategy of the Index Administrator. The Index Strategy is subject to change at any time by the Index Administrator or otherwise as required by applicable law and regulations. Neither CS nor its affiliates shall be under any liability to any party on account of any loss suffered by such party, unless such loss is caused by CS or any of its affiliates' Fault in connection with any change in any such strategy, or determination or omission in respect of such strategy.

Neither CS nor any of its affiliates is under any obligation to monitor whether or not an Index Disruption Event has occurred and shall not be liable for any losses unless caused by CS or any of its affiliates' Fault resulting from (i) any determination that an Index Disruption Event has occurred or has not occurred, (ii) the timing relating to the determination that an Index Disruption Event has occurred or (iii) any actions taken or not taken by CS or any of its affiliates as a result of such determination.

Unless otherwise specified, CS shall make all calculations, determinations, amendments, interpretations and selections in respect of the Index. Neither CS nor any of its affiliates (including their respective officers, employees

and delegates) shall have any responsibility for good faith errors or omissions in its calculations, determinations, amendments, interpretations and selections as provided in the Rules unless caused by CS or any of its affiliates' Fault. The calculations, determinations, amendments, interpretations and selections of CS shall be made by it in accordance with the Index Rules, acting in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner and (where there is a corresponding applicable regulatory obligation) shall take into account whether fair treatment is achieved by any such calculation, determination, amendment, interpretation and selections in accordance with its applicable regulatory obligations (having regard in each case to the criteria stipulated herein and (where relevant) on the basis of information provided to or obtained by employees or officers of CS responsible for making the relevant calculations, determinations, amendments, interpretations and selections). For the avoidance of doubt, any calculations or determinations made by CS under the Index Rules on an estimated basis may not be revised following the making of such calculation or determination.

No person may reproduce or disseminate the Index Rules, any Index Value and any other information contained in this document without the prior written consent of CS or its affiliates (where applicable). The Index Rules are not intended for distribution to, or use by any person in a jurisdiction where such distribution or use is prohibited by law or regulation. No one other than CS or its affiliates (where applicable) is permitted to use the Index Rules or any Index Value in connection with the writing, trading, marketing, or promotion of any financial instruments or products or to create any indices.

These disclaimers are subject to mandatory provisions of applicable law and regulation which apply to the Index Administrator or the Index Calculation Agent and nothing in these disclaimers shall exclude or limit liability to the extent such exclusion or limitation is not permitted by such law or regulation. Save for the foregoing these disclaimers shall apply to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and regulation.

The Index Administrator may make any change or modification to the Index and/or the Index Rules which may be necessary or desirable for the purposes of ensuring compliance by the Index Administrator with its obligations under the BMR and any successor or additional benchmarks legislation or regulation applicable in the United Kingdom.

The Index Rules shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law.

"Credit Suisse", the Credit Suisse logo and "Credit Suisse China 12% 2-Factor Risk Control (ER) Index" are trademarks or service marks or registered trademarks or registered service marks of Credit Suisse Group AG or one of its affiliates.