♦Because the Notes are linked to the least performing underlying asset, you are exposed to a greater risk of losing a significant portion or all of your initial investment at maturity than if the Notes were linked to a single underlying asset — The risk that you will lose a significant portion or all of your initial investment in the Notes is greater if you invest in the Notes than the risk of investing in substantially similar securities that are linked to the performance of a single underlying asset. With more underlying assets, it is more likely that the final level of an underlying asset will be less than its downside threshold than if the Notes were linked to a single underlying asset. In addition, a lower correlation between a pair of underlying assets results in a greater the likelihood that one underlying asset will decline to a final level that is less than its downside threshold. Although the correlation of the underlying assets’ performance may change over the term of the Notes, the economic terms of the Notes, including the coupon rate and downside thresholds are determined, in part, based on the correlation of the underlying assets’ performance calculated using our internal models at the time when the terms of the Notes are finalized. All things being equal, a higher coupon rate and lower downside thresholds are generally associated with lower correlation of the underlying assets. Therefore, if the performance of a pair of underlying assets is not correlated to each other or is negatively correlated, the risk that the final level of any underlying asset will be less than its downside threshold is even greater despite lower downside thresholds. Therefore, it is more likely that you will lose a significant portion or all of your initial investment at maturity.
♦Market risk — The return on the Notes, which may be negative, is directly linked to the performance of the underlying assets and indirectly linked to the performance of the underlying constituents and their issuers (the “underlying constituent issuers”). The levels of the underlying assets can rise or fall sharply due to factors specific to each underlying asset or its underlying constituents, such as stock or commodity price volatility, earnings, financial conditions, corporate, industry and regulatory developments, management changes and decisions and other events, as well as general market factors, such as general stock and commodity market volatility and levels, interest rates and economic, political and other conditions. You, as an investor in the Notes, should conduct your own investigation into the underlying assets and underlying constituents.
♦The Notes are subject to risks associated with non-U.S. securities — The Notes are subject to risks associated with non-U.S. securities because the Nasdaq-100 Index® is comprised, in part, of non-U.S. companies. Market developments may affect non-U.S. markets differently from U.S. securities markets and direct or indirect government intervention to stabilize these non-U.S. markets, as well as cross shareholdings in non-U.S. companies, may affect trading prices and volumes in those markets. Securities issued by non-U.S. companies are subject to political, economic, financial and social factors that may be unique to the particular country. These factors, which could negatively affect the applicable underlying constituents include the possibility of recent or future changes in the non-U.S. government’s economic and fiscal policies, 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 and the possibility of fluctuations in the rate of exchange between currencies. Moreover, certain aspects of a particular non-U.S. economy may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in important respects, such as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources and self-sufficiency.
♦The Notes are subject to small-capitalization stock risks — The Notes are subject to risks associated with small-capitalization companies because the Russell 2000® Index is comprised of underlying constituents that may be considered small-capitalization companies. These companies often have greater stock price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies and therefore the underlying asset may be more volatile than an index in which a greater percentage of the underlying constituents are issued by large-capitalization companies. Stock prices of small-capitalization companies are also more vulnerable than those of large-capitalization companies to adverse business and economic developments, and the stocks of small-capitalization companies may be thinly traded. In addition, small-capitalization companies are typically less stable financially than large-capitalization companies and may depend on a small number of key personnel, making them more vulnerable to loss of personnel. Small-capitalization companies are often given less analyst coverage and may be in early, and less predictable, periods of their corporate existences. Such companies tend to have smaller revenues, less diverse product lines, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strengths than large-capitalization companies and are more susceptible to adverse developments related to their products.
♦There can be no assurance that the investment view implicit in the Notes will be successful — It is impossible to predict whether and the extent to which the levels of the underlying assets will rise or fall. There can be no assurance that the final level of each underlying asset will be equal to or greater than its downside threshold if UBS does not elect to call the Notes. The levels of the underlying assets will be influenced by complex and interrelated political, economic, financial and other factors that affect the underlying constituent issuers. You should be willing to accept the downside risks associated with each underlying asset in general and its underlying constituents in particular, and the risk of losing a significant portion or all of your initial investment.
♦The underlying assets reflect price return, not total return — The return on your Notes is based on the performance of the underlying assets, which reflect the changes in the market prices of the underlying constituents. It is not, however, linked to a “total return” index or strategy, which, in addition to reflecting those price returns, would also reflect any dividends paid on the underlying constituents. The return on your Notes will not include such a total return feature or dividend component.
♦Changes affecting an underlying asset, including regulatory changes, could have an adverse effect on the market value of, and return on, your Notes — The policies of any index sponsor as specified under “Information About the Underlying Assets” (each, an “index sponsor”), concerning additions, deletions and substitutions of the underlying constituents and the manner in which such index sponsor takes account of certain changes affecting those underlying constituents may adversely affect the level of the applicable underlying asset. The policies of an index sponsor with respect to the calculation of the applicable underlying asset could also adversely affect the level of such underlying asset. An index sponsor may discontinue or suspend calculation or dissemination of the applicable underlying asset. Further, indices like each underlying asset have been, and continue to be, the subject of regulatory guidance and proposal for reform, including the European Union’s Regulation (EU) 2016/1011. The occurrence of a benchmark event (as defined in the accompanying product supplement under “General Terms of the Securities — Discontinuance of, Adjustments to, or Benchmark Event or Change in Law Affecting, an Underlying Index; Alteration of Method of Calculation”), such as the failure of a benchmark (the applicable underlying asset) or the administrator (its index sponsor) or user of a benchmark (such as UBS), to comply with the authorization, equivalence or other requirements of the benchmarks regulation, may result in the discontinuation of the relevant benchmark or a prohibition on its use. If these or other events occur, then the calculation agent may select a successor index, reference a replacement basket or use an alternative method of calculation, in each case, in a manner it considers appropriate, or, if it determines that no successor index, replacement basket or alternative method of calculation would be comparable to the original underlying asset, it may deem the closing level of the original underlying asset on the trading day immediately prior to the date of such event to be its closing level on each applicable date. Such events and the potential adjustments are described further in the accompanying product supplement under “— Discontinuance of, Adjustments to, or Benchmark Event or Change in Law Affecting, an Underlying Index; Alteration of Method of Calculation”. Notwithstanding the ability of the