Royal Bank of Canada Capped GEARS

$• Securities Linked to the EURO STOXX^® Banks Index due on or about March 29, 2019

Capped GEARS (each, a “Security” and collectively, the “Securities”) are unconditional, unsecured and unsubordinated debt securities issued by Royal Bank of Canada with returns linked to the performance of the EURO STOXX^® Banks Index (the “Underlying”). If the Underlying Return (as defined below) is positive, we will repay the principal amount at maturity plus pay a return equal to 3 (the “Upside Gearing”) times the Underlying Return, up to the Maximum Gain. If the Underlying Return is negative, we will pay less than the principal amount at maturity and you will lose 1% of the principal amount of your Securities for every 1% decline in the level of the Underlying, up to a loss of 100% of your investment. Investing in the Securities involves significant risks. The Securities do not pay dividends or interest. You may lose some or all of your principal amount. Any payment on the Securities, including any repayment of principal, is subject to our creditworthiness. If we were to default on our payment obligations, you may not receive any amounts owed to you under the Securities and you could lose your entire investment. The Securities will not be listed on any securities exchange.

NOTICE TO INVESTORS: THE SECURITIES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY RISKIER THAN CONVENTIONAL DEBT INSTRUMENTS. THE ISSUER IS NOT NECESSARILY OBLIGATED TO REPAY THE FULL PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THE SECURITIES AT MATURITY, AND THE SECURITIES HAVE FULL DOWNSIDE MARKET RISK SIMILAR TO THE UNDERLYING. THIS MARKET RISK IS IN ADDITION TO THE CREDIT RISK INHERENT IN PURCHASING OUR DEBT OBLIGATION. YOU SHOULD NOT PURCHASE THE SECURITIES IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND OR ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE SIGNIFICANT RISKS INVOLVED IN INVESTING IN THE SECURITIES. YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE RISKS DESCRIBED UNDER “KEY RISKS” BEGINNING ON PAGE 5 OF THIS FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS AND UNDER ‘‘RISK FACTORS’’ BEGINNING ON PAGE PS-3 OF THE ACCOMPANYING PRODUCT PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT UBS-IND-1 BEFORE PURCHASING ANY SECURITIES. EVENTS RELATING TO ANY OF THOSE RISKS, OR OTHER RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES, COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE MARKET VALUE OF, AND THE RETURN ON, YOUR SECURITIES. YOU COULD LOSE SOME OR ALL OF THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THE SECURITIES.

We are offering Capped GEARS Linked to the EURO STOXX^® Banks Index. The return on the principal amount is subject to, and will not exceed, the predetermined Maximum Gain, which will be determined on the Trade Date. The Securities are offered at a minimum investment of 100 Securities at the Price to Public described below. The indicative Maximum Gain range for the Securities is listed below. The actual Maximum Gain and Initial Underlying Level for the Securities will be determined on the Trade Date.

See “Additional Information About Royal Bank of Canada and the Securities” in this free writing prospectus. The Securities will have the terms specified in the prospectus dated January 8, 2016, the prospectus supplement dated January 8, 2016, product prospectus supplement UBS-IND-1 dated January 5, 2017 and this free writing prospectus.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the Securities or passed upon the accuracy or the adequacy of this free writing prospectus or the accompanying prospectus, prospectus supplement and product prospectus supplement UBS-IND-1. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

⁽¹⁾ All sales of the Securities will be made to certain fee-based advisory accounts for which UBS Financial Services Inc., which we refer to as UBS, is an investment advisor and UBS will act as placement agent. The purchase price will be $10.00 per Security and UBS will forgo any commissions related to these sales. See “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” on page 13 of this free writing prospectus.

The initial estimated value of the Securities as of the date of this document is $9.8464 per $10 in principal amount, which is less than the price to public. The pricing supplement relating to the Securities will set forth our estimate of the initial value of the Securities as of the Trade Date, which will not be more than $0.20 less than this amount. The actual value of the Securities at any time will reflect many factors, cannot be predicted with accuracy, and may be less than this amount. We describe our determination of the initial estimated value under “Key Risks” beginning on page 5, “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” on page 14 and “Structuring the Securities” on page 14 of this free writing prospectus.

The Securities will not constitute deposits insured under the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act or by the United States Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other Canadian or United States government agency or instrumentality.

 

Royal Bank of Canada has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, for the offering to which this free writing prospectus relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and the other documents relating to this offering that Royal Bank of Canada has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Royal Bank of Canada and this offering. You may obtain these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, Royal Bank of Canada, any agent or any dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you the prospectus, the prospectus supplement, product prospectus supplement UBS-IND-1 and this free writing prospectus if you so request by calling toll-free 1-877-688-2301.

You may revoke your offer to purchase the Securities at any time prior to the time at which we accept such offer by notifying the applicable agent. We reserve the right to change the terms of, or reject any offer to purchase, the Securities prior to their issuance. In the event of any changes to the terms of the Securities, we will notify you and you will be asked to accept such changes in connection with your purchase. You may also choose to reject such changes, in which case we may reject your offer to purchase.

You should read this free writing prospectus together with the prospectus dated January 8, 2016, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement dated January 8, 2016, relating to our senior global medium-term notes, Series G, of which these Securities are a part, and the more detailed information contained in product prospectus supplement UBS-IND-1 dated January 5, 2017. This free writing prospectus, together with the documents listed below, contains the terms of the Securities and supersedes all other prior or contemporaneous oral statements as well as any other written materials including preliminary or indicative pricing terms, correspondence, trade ideas, structures for implementation, sample structures, fact sheets, brochures or other educational materials of ours. You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth in “Risk Factors” in the accompanying product prospectus supplement UBS-IND-1, as the Securities involve risks not associated with conventional debt securities.

If the terms discussed in this free writing prospectus differ from those discussed in the product prospectus supplement, the prospectus supplement, or the prospectus, the terms discussed herein will control.

You may access these on the SEC website at www.sec.gov as follows (or if such address has changed, by reviewing our filing for the relevant date on the SEC website):

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Product prospectus supplement UBS-IND-1 dated January 5, 2017: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1000275/000114036117000609/form424b5.htm

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Prospectus supplement dated January 8, 2016: http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1000275/000121465916008811/p14150424b3.htm

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Prospectus dated January 8, 2016: http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1000275/000121465916008810/j18160424b3.htm

As used in this free writing prospectus, “we,” “us” or “our” refers to Royal Bank of Canada.

 

Investor Suitability

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Issuer:	Royal Bank of Canada
Issue Price:	$10 per Security (subject to a minimum purchase of 100 Securities).
Principal Amount:	$10 per Security
Term:2	Approximately fourteen months
Underlying:	EURO STOXX® Banks Index
Upside Gearing:	3
Maximum Gain:	35.00% to 38.00% (to be determined on the Trade Date)
Payment at Maturity (per $10 Security):	If the Underlying Return is positive or zero, we will pay you: $10 + ($10 x the lesser of (i) Upside Gearing x Underlying Return and (ii) Maximum Gain) If the Underlying Return is negative, we will pay you: $10 + ($10 x Underlying Return) In this scenario, you will lose some or all of the principal amount of the Securities in an amount proportionate to the negative Underlying Return.
Underlying Return:	Final Underlying Level – Initial Underlying Level Initial Underlying Level
Initial Underlying Level:	The closing level of the Underlying on the Trade Date.
Final Underlying Level:	The closing level of the Underlying on the Final Valuation Date.

1	Terms used in this free writing prospectus, but not defined herein, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the product prospectus supplement.

2	In the event we make any change to the expected Trade Date and Settlement Date, the Final Valuation Date and Maturity Date will be changed to ensure that the stated term of the Securities remains approximately the same.

	Trade Date:		The Maximum Gain is set. The Initial Underlying Level is determined.
	Maturity Date:		The Final Underlying Level and Underlying Return are determined.   If the Underlying Return is positive or zero, we will pay you a cash payment per $10 Security that provides you with your principal amount plus a return equal to the Underlying Return multiplied by the Upside Gearing, subject to the Maximum Gain. Your payment at maturity per $10 Security will be equal to:   $10 + ($10 x the lesser of (i) Upside Gearing x Underlying Return and (ii) Maximum Gain)   If the Underlying Return is negative, we will pay you a cash payment that is less than the principal amount of $10 per Security resulting in a loss of principal that is proportionate to the percentage decline in the Underlying, and equal to:   $10 + ($10 x Underlying Return)   In this scenario, you will lose some or all of the principal amount of the Securities, in an amount proportionate to the negative Underlying Return.

INVESTING IN THE SECURITIES INVOLVES SIGNIFICANT RISKS. YOU MAY LOSE SOME OR ALL OF YOUR PRINCIPAL AMOUNT.  ANY PAYMENT ON THE SECURITIES, INCLUDING ANY REPAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL, IS SUBJECT TO OUR CREDITWORTHINESS. IF WE WERE TO DEFAULT ON OUR PAYMENT OBLIGATIONS, YOU MAY NOT RECEIVE ANY AMOUNTS OWED TO YOU UNDER THE SECURITIES AND YOU COULD LOSE YOUR ENTIRE INVESTMENT.

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An investment in the Securities involves significant risks. Investing in the Securities is not equivalent to investing directly in any of the component securities of the Underlying. These risks are explained in more detail in the “Risk Factors” section of the accompanying product prospectus supplement UBS-IND-1. We also urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisors before investing in the Securities.

Risks Relating to the Securities Generally

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Your Investment in the Securities May Result in a Loss of Principal — The Securities differ from ordinary debt securities in that we are not necessarily obligated to repay the full principal amount of the Securities at maturity. The return on the Securities at maturity is linked to the performance of the Underlying and will depend on whether, and the extent to which, the Underlying Return is positive or negative. If the Final Underlying Level is less than the Initial Underlying Level, you will be fully exposed to any negative Underlying Return and we will pay you less than your principal amount at maturity, resulting in a loss of principal of your Securities that is proportionate to the percentage decline in the Underlying. Accordingly, you could lose the entire principal amount of the Securities.

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The Upside Gearing Applies Only if You Hold the Securities to Maturity — The application of the Upside Gearing only applies at maturity. If you are able to sell your Securities prior to maturity in the secondary market, the price you receive will likely not reflect the full effect of the Upside Gearing and the return you realize may be less than the Upside Gearing times the return of the Underlying at the time of sale, even if that return is positive and does not exceed the Maximum Gain.

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The Appreciation Potential of the Securities Is Limited by the Maximum Gain — If the Underlying Return is positive, we will pay you $10 per Security at maturity plus an additional return that will not exceed the Maximum Gain, regardless of the appreciation in the Underlying, which may be significant. Therefore, you will not benefit from any appreciation of the Underlying in excess of an amount that, when multiplied by the Upside Gearing, exceeds the Maximum Gain and your return on the Securities may be less than your return would be on a hypothetical direct investment in the securities represented by the Underlying.

¨	No Interest Payments — We will not pay any interest with respect to the Securities.

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An Investment in the Securities Is Subject to Our Credit Risk — The Securities are unsubordinated, unsecured debt obligations of the issuer, Royal Bank of Canada, and are not, either directly or indirectly, an obligation of any third party. Any payment to be made on the Securities, including any repayment of principal at maturity, depends on our ability to satisfy our obligations as they come due. As a result, our actual and perceived creditworthiness may affect the market value of the Securities and, in the event we were to default on our obligations, you may not receive any amounts owed to you under the terms of the Securities and you could lose your entire initial investment.

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Your Return on the Securities May Be Lower than the Return on a Conventional Debt Security of Comparable Maturity — The return that you will receive on the Securities, which could be negative, may be less than the return you could earn on other investments. Even if your return is positive, your return may be less than the return you could earn if you bought a conventional senior interest bearing debt security of ours with the same maturity date or if you were able to invest directly in the Underlying or the securities included in the Underlying. Your investment may not reflect the full opportunity cost to you when you take into account factors that affect the time value of money.

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No Dividend Payments or Voting Rights — Investing in the Securities is not equivalent to investing directly in any of the component securities of the Underlying. As a holder of the Securities, you will not have voting rights or rights to receive cash dividends or other distributions or other rights that holders of the securities represented by the Underlying would have. The Underlying is a price return index, and the Underlying Return excludes any cash dividend payments paid on its component stocks.

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The Initial Estimated Value of the Securities Will Be Less than the Price to the Public — The initial estimated value that is set forth on the cover page of this document, and that will be set forth in the final pricing supplement for the Securities, will be less than the public offering price you pay for the Securities, does not represent a minimum price at which we, RBCCM or any of our other affiliates would be willing to purchase the Securities in any secondary market (if any exists) at any time. If you attempt to sell the Securities prior to maturity, their market value may be lower than the price you paid for them and the initial estimated value. This is due to, among other things, changes in the level of the Underlying, the borrowing rate we pay to issue securities of this kind, and the inclusion in the price to the public of our estimated profit and the costs relating to our hedging of the Securities. These factors, together with various credit, market and economic factors over the term of the Securities, are expected to reduce the price at which you may be able to sell the Securities in any secondary market and will affect the value of the Securities in complex and unpredictable ways. Assuming no change in market conditions or any other relevant factors, the price, if any, at which you may be able to sell your Securities prior to maturity may be less than the price to public, as any such sale price would not be expected to include our estimated profit and the costs relating to our hedging of the Securities. In addition, any price at which you may sell the Securities is likely to reflect customary bid-ask spreads for similar trades. In addition to bid-ask spreads, the value of the Securities determined for any secondary market price is expected to be based on a secondary market rate rather than the internal borrowing rate used to price the Securities and determine the initial estimated value. As a result, the secondary price will be less than if the internal borrowing rate was used. The Securities are not designed to be short-term trading instruments. Accordingly, you should be able and willing to hold your Securities to maturity.

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Our Initial Estimated Value of the Securities Is an Estimate Only, Calculated as of the Time the Terms of the Securities Are Set — The initial estimated value of the Securities is based on the value of our obligation to make the payments on the Securities, together with the mid-market value of the derivative embedded in the terms of the Securities. See “Structuring the Securities” below. Our estimate is based on a variety of assumptions, including our credit spreads, expectations as to dividends, interest rates and volatility, and the expected term of the Securities. These assumptions are based on certain forecasts about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. Other entities may value the Securities or similar securities at a price that is significantly different than we do.

The value of the Securities at any time after the Trade Date will vary based on many factors, including changes in market conditions, and cannot be predicted with accuracy. As a result, the actual value you would receive if you sold the Securities in any secondary market, if any, should be expected to differ materially from the initial estimated value of your Securities and the amount that may be paid at maturity.

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Changes Affecting the Underlying — The policies of the index sponsor concerning additions, deletions and substitutions of the stocks included in the Underlying and the manner in which the index sponsor takes account of certain changes affecting those stocks included in the Underlying may adversely affect its level. The policies of the index sponsor with respect to the calculation of the Underlying could also adversely

 

affect its level. The index sponsor may discontinue or suspend calculation or dissemination of the Underlying and has no obligation to consider your interests in the Securities when taking any action regarding the Underlying. Any such actions could have an adverse effect on the value of the Securities and the amount that may be paid at maturity.

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Lack of Liquidity — The Securities will not be listed on any securities exchange. RBC Capital Markets, LLC ("RBCCM") intends to offer to purchase the Securities in the secondary market, but is not required to do so. Even if there is a secondary market, it may not provide enough liquidity to allow you to trade or sell the Securities easily. Because other dealers are not likely to make a secondary market for the Securities, the price at which you may be able to trade your Securities is likely to depend on the price, if any, at which RBCCM is willing to buy the Securities.

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Potential Conflicts — We and our affiliates play a variety of roles in connection with the issuance of the Securities, including hedging our obligations under the Securities. In performing these duties, the economic interests of the calculation agent and other affiliates of ours are potentially adverse to your interests as an investor in the Securities.

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Potentially Inconsistent Research, Opinions or Recommendations by RBCCM, UBS or Their Affiliates — RBCCM, UBS or their affiliates may publish research, express opinions or provide recommendations that are inconsistent with investing in or holding the Securities, and which may be revised at any time. Any such research, opinions or recommendations could affect the level of the Underlying or the equity securities included in the Underlying, and therefore, the market value of the Securities.

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An Investment in the Securities Is Subject to Risks Associated with Non-U.S. Securities Markets — The securities included in the Underlying have been issued by non-U.S. companies. An investment in securities linked to the value of non-U.S. equity securities involves particular risks. Non-U.S. securities markets may be more volatile than U.S. securities markets, and market developments may affect non-U.S. securities markets differently from the U.S. securities markets. Direct or indirect government intervention to stabilize these non-U.S. securities markets, as well as cross shareholdings among non-U.S. companies, may affect trading prices and volumes in those markets. Also, there is generally less publicly available information in the U.S. about non-U.S. companies than about those U.S. companies that are subject to the reporting requirements of the SEC, and non-U.S. companies are subject to accounting, disclosure, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements that differ from those applicable to U.S. reporting companies.

Prices of securities in non-U.S. countries are subject to political, economic, financial and social factors that may be unique to the particular countries. These factors, which could negatively affect the non-U.S. securities markets, include the possibility of recent or future changes in the economic and fiscal policies of non-U.S. governments, the possible imposition of, or changes in, currency exchange laws or other non-U.S. laws or restrictions applicable to non-U.S. companies or investments in non-U.S. equity securities, the possibility of fluctuations in the rate of exchange between currencies, the possibility of outbreaks of hostility and political instability and the possibility of natural disaster or adverse public health developments in the relevant region. Moreover, the economies of certain foreign countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in important respects, such as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, trade surpluses or deficits, capital reinvestment, resources and self-sufficiency.

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As a Holder of the Securities, You Will Not Have Direct Exposure to Fluctuations in the U.S. Dollar/Euro Exchange Rate Related to the Underlying — The value of the Securities will not be adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations between the U.S. dollar and the euro, even though any currency fluctuations could affect the performance of the Underlying. Therefore, if the euro appreciates or depreciates relative to the U.S. dollar over the term of the Securities, you will not receive any additional payment or incur any reduction in any payment on the Securities.

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The Securities Comprising the Index Are Concentrated in One Sector — All of the equity securities comprising the Underlying are issued by companies in the European financial services sector. As a result, the equity securities that will determine the return on the Securities are concentrated in one sector. Although an investment in the Securities will not give holders any ownership or other direct interests in the equity securities comprising the Securities, the return on the Securities will be subject to certain risks associated with a direct equity investment in companies in the financial services sector. Accordingly, by investing in the Securities, you will not benefit from the diversification that could result from an investment linked to companies that operate in multiple sectors.

¨	Uncertain Tax Treatment — Significant aspects of the tax treatment of an investment in the Securities are uncertain. You should consult your tax adviser about your tax situation.

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Potential Royal Bank of Canada and UBS Impact on Price — Trading or other transactions by Royal Bank of Canada, UBS and our respective affiliates in the equity securities composing the Underlying or in futures, options, exchange-traded funds or other derivative products on the equity securities included in the Underlying may adversely affect the market value of those equity securities, the level of the Underlying, and therefore, the market value of the Securities.

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The Probability That the Underlying Will Fall Below the Initial Underlying Level on the Final Valuation Date Will Depend on the Volatility of the Underlying — “Volatility" refers to the frequency and magnitude of changes in the level of the Underlying. Greater expected volatility with respect to the Underlying reflects a higher expectation as of the Trade Date that the Underlying could close below its Initial Underlying Level on the Final Valuation Date, resulting in the loss of some or all of your investment. However, an Underlying’s volatility can change significantly over the term of the Securities. The level of the Underlying could fall sharply, which could result in a significant loss of principal.

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The Terms of the Securities at Issuance and Their Market Value Prior to Maturity Will Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors — Many economic and market factors will influence the terms of the Securities at issuance and their value prior to maturity. These factors are similar in some ways to those that could affect the value of a combination of instruments that might be used to replicate the payments on the Securities, including a combination of a bond with one or more options or other derivative instruments. For the market value of the Securities, we expect that, generally, the level of the Underlying on any day will affect the value of the Securities more than any other single factor. However, you should not expect the value of the Securities in the secondary market to vary in proportion to changes in the level of the Underlying. The value of the Securities will be affected by a number of other factors that may either offset or magnify each other, including:

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the actual or expected volatility of the Underlying;

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the time remaining to maturity of the Securities;

 

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the dividend rates on the securities represented by the Underlying;

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interest and yield rates in the market generally, as well as in each of the markets of the securities represented by the Underlying;

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a variety of economic, financial, political, regulatory or judicial events; and

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our creditworthiness, including actual or anticipated downgrades in our credit ratings.

Some or all of these factors will influence the terms of the Securities at issuance as well as the price you will receive if you choose to sell the Securities prior to maturity. The impact of any of the factors set forth above may enhance or offset some or all of any change resulting from another factor or factors. You may have to sell the Securities at a substantial discount from the principal amount if, for example, the level of the Underlying is at, below or not sufficiently above, the Initial Underlying Level.

 

Hypothetical terms only. Actual terms may vary. See the cover page for actual offering terms.

The following table and hypothetical examples below illustrate the payment at maturity per $10.00 Security for a hypothetical range of Underlying Returns from -100.00% to +100.00% and assume a hypothetical Initial Underlying Level of 2,000.00, a hypothetical Maximum Gain of 35.00% (the low end of the range set forth above), and reflect the Upside Gearing of 3. The actual Initial Underlying Level and Maximum Gain will be set on the Trade Date. The hypothetical Payment at Maturity examples set forth below are for illustrative purposes only and may not be the actual returns applicable to a purchaser of the Securities. The actual payment at maturity will be determined based on the Final Underlying Level on the Final Valuation Date. You should consider carefully whether the Securities are suitable to your investment goals. The numbers appearing in the table below have been rounded for ease of analysis.

Example 1 - On the Final Valuation Date, the Underlying closes 2% above the Initial Underlying Level. Because the Underlying Return is positive, we will pay you an amount based upon the lesser of the Underlying Return times the Upside Gearing and the hypothetical Maximum Gain. Since the Underlying Return of 2% times the Upside Gearing is less than the hypothetical Maximum Gain, we will pay you at maturity a cash payment of $10.60 per $10 principal amount Security, calculated as follows:

$10 + ($10 x 2% x 3) = $10 + $0.60 = $10.60

Example 2 - On the Final Valuation Date, the Underlying closes 40% above the Initial Underlying Level. Because the Underlying Return is positive, we will pay you an amount based upon the lesser of the Underlying Return times the Upside Gearing and the hypothetical Maximum Gain. Since the Underlying Return of 40% times the Upside Gearing is greater than the hypothetical Maximum Gain, we will pay you at maturity a cash payment of $13.50 per $10 principal amount Security, calculated as follows:

$10 + ($10 x 35.00%) = $10 + $3.50 = $13.50

Example 3 - On the Final Valuation Date, the Underlying closes 40% below the Initial Underlying Level. Because the Underlying Return is -40%, which is negative, we will pay you at maturity a cash payment of $6.00 per $10 principal amount Security (a 40% loss on the principal amount), calculated as follows:

$10 + ($10 x -40%) = $10 - $4.00 = $6.00

Hypothetical Final Underlying Level	Hypothetical Underlying Return1	Hypothetical Payment at Maturity ($)	Hypothetical Total Return on Securities2
4,000.00	100.00%	$13.50	35.00%
3,500.00	75.00%	$13.50	35.00%
3,000.00	50.00%	$13.50	35.00%
2,800.00	40.00%	$13.50	35.00%
2,600.00	30.00%	$13.50	35.00%
2,400.00	20.00%	$13.50	35.00%
2,300.00	15.00%	$13.50	35.00%
2,233.33	11.67%	$13.50	35.00%
2,200.00	10.00%	$13.00	30.00%
2,100.00	5.00%	$11.50	15.00%
2,040.00	2.00%	$10.60	6.00%
2,000.00	0.00%	$10.00	0.00%
1,900.00	-5.00%	$9.50	-5.00%
1,600.00	-20.00%	$8.00	-20.00%
1,500.00	-25.00%	$7.50	-25.00%
1,400.00	-30.00%	$7.00	-30.00%
1,300.00	-35.00%	$6.50	-35.00%
1,200.00	-40.00%	$6.00	-40.00%
1,000.00	-50.00%	$5.00	-50.00%
500.00	-75.00%	$2.50	-75.00%
0.00	-100.00%	$0.00	-100.00%

¹ The Underlying Return excludes any cash dividend payments.

² The “total return” is the number, expressed as a percentage, that results from comparing the payment at maturity per $10 principal amount Security to the purchase price of $10.00 per Security.

 

U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

Set forth below, together with the discussion of U.S. federal income tax in the accompanying product prospectus supplement, prospectus supplement, and prospectus, is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences relating to an investment in the Securities. The following summary supplements, and to the extent inconsistent with, supersedes the discussion under the section entitled “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” in the accompanying product prospectus supplement, the section entitled “Certain Income Tax Consequences” in the accompanying prospectus supplement, and the section entitled “Tax Consequences” in the accompanying prospectus, which you should carefully review prior to investing in the Securities.

In the opinion of our counsel, Morrison & Foerster LLP, it would generally be reasonable to treat the Securities as pre-paid cash-settled derivative contracts in respect of the Underlying for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and the terms of the Securities require a holder and us (in the absence of a change in law or an administrative or judicial ruling to the contrary) to treat the Securities for all tax purposes in accordance with such characterization. If the Securities are so treated, a U.S. holder should generally recognize capital gain or loss upon the sale or maturity of the Securities in an amount equal to the difference between the amount a holder receives at such time and the holder’s tax basis in the Securities. Capital gain recognized by an individual U.S. holder is generally taxed at preferential rates where the property is held for more than one year and is generally taxed at ordinary income rates where the property is held for one year or less. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.

Alternative tax treatments are also possible and the Internal Revenue Service might assert that a treatment other than that described above is more appropriate. In addition, the Internal Revenue Service has released a notice that may affect the taxation of holders of the Securities. According to the notice, the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Treasury Department are actively considering whether the holder of an instrument such as the Securities should be required to accrue ordinary income on a current basis. It is not possible to determine what guidance they will ultimately issue, if any. It is possible, however, that under such guidance, holders of the Securities will ultimately be required to accrue income currently and this could be applied on a retroactive basis. The Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Treasury Department are also considering other relevant issues, including whether additional gain or loss from such instruments should be treated as ordinary or capital and whether the special "constructive ownership rules" of Section 1260 of the Code might be applied to such instruments. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors concerning the significance, and the potential impact, of the above considerations.

Under Section 871(m) of the Code, a “dividend equivalent” payment is treated as a dividend from sources within the United States. Such payments generally would be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax if paid to a non-U.S. holder. Under U.S. Treasury Department regulations, payments (including deemed payments) with respect to equity-linked instruments (“ELIs”) that are “specified ELIs” may be treated as dividend equivalents if such specified ELIs reference an interest in an “underlying security,” which is generally any interest in an entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes if a payment with respect to such interest could give rise to a U.S. source dividend. However, the IRS has issued guidance that states that the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS intend to amend the effective dates of the U.S. Treasury Department regulations to provide that withholding on dividend equivalent payments will not apply to specified ELIs that are not delta-one instruments and that are issued before January 1, 2019. Based on our determination that the Securities are not delta-one instruments, non-U.S. holders should not be subject to withholding on dividend equivalent payments, if any, under the Securities. However, it is possible that the Securities could be treated as deemed reissued for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the occurrence of certain events affecting the Underlying or the Securities (for example, upon an Underlying rebalancing), and following such occurrence the Securities could be treated as subject to withholding on dividend equivalent payments. Non-U.S. holders that enter, or have entered, into other transactions in respect of the Underlying or the Securities should consult their tax advisors as to the application of the dividend equivalent withholding tax in the context of the Securities and their other transactions. If any payments are treated as dividend equivalents subject to withholding, we (or the applicable withholding agent) would be entitled to withhold taxes without being required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts so withheld.

Individual holders that own “specified foreign financial assets” may be required to include certain information with respect to such assets with their U.S. federal income tax return. You are urged to consult your own tax advisor regarding such requirements with respect to the Securities.

Please see the discussion under the section entitled “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” in the accompanying product prospectus supplement for a further discussion of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Securities.

Canadian Federal Income Tax Consequences

For a discussion of the material Canadian federal income tax consequences relating to an investment in the Securities, please see the section entitled "Tax Consequences—Canadian Taxation" in the accompanying prospectus, which you should carefully review prior to investing in the Securities.

 

We have derived all information contained in this document regarding the SX7E, including, without limitation, its make-up, method of calculation, and changes in its components, from publicly available sources. The information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, the index sponsor. The index sponsor, which owns the copyright and all other rights to the SX7E, has no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue publication of the SX7E. None of us, UBS or RBCCM accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance or publication of the SX7E or any successor index.

The SX7E was created by STOXX Limited, which is owned by Deutsche Börse AG. Publication of the Index began on June 15, 1998, based on an initial index value of 100 at December 31, 1991. The SX7E is reported daily on the Bloomberg Professional® service under the symbol “SX7E” and on the STOXX Limited website. Information contained in the STOXX Limited website is not incorporated by reference in, and should not be considered a part of, this document.

Composition and Maintenance

The SX7E is one of the 19 EURO STOXX^® Supersector indices that compose the STOXX® Europe 600 Index. The STOXX^® Europe 600 Index contains the 600 largest stocks traded on the major exchanges of 18 European countries and are organized into the following 19 Supersectors: automobiles & parts; banks; basic resources; chemicals; construction & materials; financial services; food & beverage; health care; industrial goods & services; insurance; media; oil & gas; personal & household goods; real estate; retail; technology; telecommunications; travel & leisure; and utilities. The Index includes companies in the banks supersector, which tracks companies providing a broad range of financial services, including retail banking, loans and money transmissions. The Index currently includes 26 stocks. Additional information about the Index, including information about its components, may be found on the STOXX website; however, information on that website is not included or incorporated by reference in this document.

The Index is weighted by free float market capitalization. Each component’s weight is capped at 30% of the Index’s total free float market capitalization. Free float weights are reviewed quarterly. The composition of each of the EURO STOXX^® Supersector index is reviewed quarterly, based on the closing stock data on the last trading day of the month following the implementation of the last quarterly index review. The component stocks are announced on the fourth Tuesday of the month immediately prior to the review implementation month. Changes to the component stocks are implemented on the third Friday in each of March, June, September and December and are effective the following trading day. All index components will be adjusted for corporate actions.

Calculation of the SX7E

The SX7E 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 SX7E value can be expressed as follows:

The “free float market capitalization of the index” is equal to the sum of the product of the price, number of shares, free float factor and weighting cap factor for each component stock as of the time the Index is being calculated.

The SX7E is also subject to a divisor, which is adjusted to maintain the continuity of the SX7E values across changes due to corporate actions, such as the deletion and addition of stocks, the substitution of stocks, stock dividends, and stock splits.

License Agreement

We have entered into a non-exclusive license agreement with STOXX providing for the license to us and certain of our affiliated or subsidiary companies, in exchange for a fee, of the right to use indices owned and published by STOXX (including the SX7E) in connection with certain securities, including the Securities offered hereby.

The license agreement between us and STOXX requires that the following language be stated in this document:

STOXX has no relationship to us, other than the licensing of the SX7E and the related trademarks for use in connection with the Securities. STOXX does not:

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sponsor, endorse, sell, or promote the Securities;

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recommend that any person invest in the Securities offered hereby or any other securities;

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

·

have any responsibility or liability for the administration, management, or marketing of the Securities; or

·

consider the needs of the Securities or the holders of the Securities in determining, composing, or calculating the SX7E, or have any obligation to do so.

STOXX will not have any liability in connection with the Securities. Specifically:

·

STOXX does not make any warranty, express or implied, and disclaims any and all warranty concerning:

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the results to be obtained by the Securities, the holders of the Securities or any other person in connection with the use of the SX7E and the data included in the SX7E;

·

the accuracy or completeness of the SX7E and its data;

·

the merchantability and the fitness for a particular purpose or use of the SX7E and its data;

 

·

STOXX will have no liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions in the SX7E or its data; and

·

Under no circumstances will STOXX be liable for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages or losses, even if STOXX knows that they might occur.

The licensing agreement between us and STOXX is solely for their benefit and our benefit, and not for the benefit of the holders of the Securities or any other third parties.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION

The following table sets forth the quarterly high, low and period-end closing levels of the Underlying, as reported by Bloomberg Financial Markets. The historical performance of the Underlying should not be taken as an indication of its future performance. We cannot give you assurance that the performance of the Underlying will result in the return of any of your initial investment.

* This free writing prospectus includes information for the first calendar quarter of 2018 only for January 2, 2018. Accordingly, the “Quarterly Closing High,” “Quarterly Closing Low” and “Quarterly Period-End Close” data indicated are for this shortened period only and do not reflect complete data for the first calendar quarter of 2018.

 

The graph below illustrates the performance of the Underlying from January 2, 2008 to January 2, 2018.

HISTORIC PERFORMANCE IS NOT AN INDICATION OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE.

Source: Bloomberg L.P. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg Financial Markets.

 

We have agreed to indemnify UBS and RBCCM against liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or to contribute payments that UBS and RBCCM may be required to make relating to these liabilities as described in the prospectus supplement and the prospectus. All sales of the Securities will be made to certain fee-based advisory accounts for which UBS is an investment advisor and UBS will act as placement agent. The purchase price will be $10.00 per Security and UBS will forgo any commissions related to these sales. Investors that purchase and hold the Securities in fee-based advisory accounts will pay advisory fees to UBS based on the amount of assets held in those accounts.

Subject to regulatory constraints and market conditions, RBCCM intends to offer to purchase the Securities in the secondary market, but it is not required to do so.

We or our affiliates may enter into swap agreements or related hedge transactions with one of our other affiliates or unaffiliated counterparties in connection with the sale of the Securities and RBCCM and/or an affiliate may earn additional income as a result of payments pursuant to the swap or related hedge transactions. See “Use of Proceeds and Hedging” beginning on page PS-13 of the accompanying product prospectus supplement UBS-IND-1.

The value of the Securities shown on your account statement may be based on RBCCM’s estimate of the value of the Securities if RBCCM or another of our affiliates were to make a market in the Securities (which it is not obligated to do). That estimate will be based upon the price that RBCCM may pay for the Securities in light of then prevailing market conditions, our creditworthiness and transaction costs. If so specified in the pricing supplement related to the Securities, for a period of approximately two months after the issue date, the value of the Securities that may be shown on your account statement may be higher than RBCCM’s estimated value of the Securities at that time. This is because the estimated value of the Securities will not include our hedging costs and profits; however, the value of the Securities shown on your account statement during that period may be a higher amount, potentially reflecting the addition of our estimated costs and profits from hedging the Securities. Any such excess is expected to decrease over time until the end of this period. After this period, if RBCCM repurchases your Securities, it expects to do so at prices that reflect their estimated value. This period may be reduced at RBCCM’s discretion based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, the amount of the Securities that we repurchase and our negotiated arrangements from time to time with UBS.

For additional information as to the relationship between us and RBCCM, please see the section “Plan of Distribution—Conflicts of Interest” in the prospectus dated January 8, 2016.

No Prospectus (as defined in Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended, the “Prospectus Directive”)) will be prepared in connection with these Securities. Accordingly, these Securities may not be offered to the public in any member state of the European Economic Area (the “EEA”), and any purchaser of these Securities who subsequently sells any of these Securities in any EEA member state must do so only in accordance with the requirements of the Prospectus Directive, as implemented in that member state.

The Securities are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to, and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to, any retail investor in the EEA. For these purposes, the expression “offer" includes the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the Securities, and a “retail investor” means a person who is one (or more) of: (a) a retail client, as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, “MiFID II”); or (b) a customer, within the meaning of Insurance Distribution Directive 2016/97/EU, as amended, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (c) not a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive. Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the “PRIIPs Regulation”) for offering or selling the Securities or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared, and therefore, offering or selling the Securities or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation.

The Securities are our debt securities, the return on which is linked to the performance of the Underlying. As is the case for all of our debt securities, including our structured notes, the economic terms of the Securities reflect our actual or perceived creditworthiness at the time of pricing. In addition, because structured notes result in increased operational, funding and liability management costs to us, we typically borrow the funds under these Securities at a rate that is more favorable to us than the rate that we might pay for a conventional fixed or floating rate debt security of comparable maturity. Using this relatively lower implied borrowing rate rather than the secondary market rate is a factor that is likely to result in a higher initial estimated value of the Securities at the time their terms are set than if the secondary market rate was used. Unlike the estimated value included on the cover of this document or in the final pricing supplement relating to the Securities, any value of the Securities determined for purposes of a secondary market transaction may be based on a different borrowing rate, which may result in a lower value for the Securities than if our initial internal borrowing rate were used.

In order to satisfy our payment obligations under the Securities, we may choose to enter into certain hedging arrangements (which may include call options, put options or other derivatives) on the issue date with RBCCM or one of our other subsidiaries. The terms of these hedging arrangements take into account a number of factors, including our creditworthiness, interest rate movements, the volatility of the Underlying, and the tenor of the Securities. The economic terms of the Securities and their initial estimated value depend in part on the terms of these hedging arrangements.

The lower implied borrowing rate is a factor that reduces the economic terms of the Securities to you. The initial offering price of the Securities also reflects our estimated hedging costs. These factors result in the initial estimated value for the Securities on the Trade Date being less than their public offering price. See “Key Risks—The Initial Estimated Value of the Securities Will Be Less than the Price to the Public” above.

The terms appearing above under the caption “Indicative Terms of the Securities” and the provisions in the accompanying product prospectus supplement UBS-IND-1 dated January 5, 2017 under the caption “General Terms of the Securities,” are incorporated into the master note issued to DTC, the registered holder of the Securities.

 

 

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