Under the Euro Medium Term Note Programme ... - Finance - EDF
Under the Euro Medium Term Note Programme ... - Finance - EDF
Under the Euro Medium Term Note Programme ... - Finance - EDF
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Risk Factors<br />
Structured <strong>Note</strong>s<br />
An investment in <strong>Note</strong>s, <strong>the</strong> premium and/or <strong>the</strong> interest on or principal of which is<br />
determined by reference to one or more values of currencies, commodities, interest rates or<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r indices or formulae, ei<strong>the</strong>r directly or inversely, may entail significant risks not<br />
associated with similar investments in a conventional debt security, including <strong>the</strong> risks that<br />
<strong>the</strong> resulting interest rate will be less than that payable on a conventional debt security at <strong>the</strong><br />
same time and/or that an investor may lose <strong>the</strong> value of its entire investment or part of it, as<br />
<strong>the</strong> case may be. Nei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> current nor <strong>the</strong> historical value of <strong>the</strong> relevant currencies,<br />
commodities, interest rates or o<strong>the</strong>r indices or formulae should be taken as an indication of<br />
future performance of such currencies, commodities, interest rates or o<strong>the</strong>r indices or<br />
formulae during <strong>the</strong> term of any <strong>Note</strong>s.<br />
The prices at which Zero Coupon <strong>Note</strong>s, as well as o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>Note</strong>s issued at a substantial<br />
discount from <strong>the</strong>ir principal amount payable at maturity, trade in <strong>the</strong> secondary market tend<br />
to fluctuate more in relation to general changes in interest rates than do <strong>the</strong> prices for<br />
conventional interest-bearing securities of comparable maturities.<br />
Risks Relating to Renminbi-denominated <strong>Note</strong>s<br />
<strong>Note</strong>s denominated in RMB ("RMB <strong>Note</strong>s") may be issued under <strong>the</strong> <strong>Programme</strong>. RMB<br />
<strong>Note</strong>s contain particular risks for potential investors, including <strong>the</strong> following:<br />
Renminbi is not freely convertible; <strong>the</strong>re are significant restrictions on remittance of<br />
Renminbi into and outside <strong>the</strong> PRC<br />
Renminbi is not freely convertible at present and despite a movement towards liberalization<br />
of cross-border RMB remittances, notably in <strong>the</strong> current account activity, <strong>the</strong>re is no<br />
assurance that <strong>the</strong> PRC government will continue such movement in <strong>the</strong> future or that new<br />
PRC regulations will not be promulgated in <strong>the</strong> future which have <strong>the</strong> effect of restricting or<br />
eliminating <strong>the</strong> remittance of Renminbi into or outside <strong>the</strong> PRC.<br />
Holders of RMB <strong>Note</strong>s may be required to provide certifications and o<strong>the</strong>r information<br />
(including Renminbi account information) in order to allow such holder to receive payments<br />
in Renminbi in accordance with <strong>the</strong> Renminbi clearing and settlement system for<br />
participating banks in Hong Kong.<br />
There is only limited availability of Renminbi outside <strong>the</strong> PRC, which may affect <strong>the</strong><br />
liquidity of RMB <strong>Note</strong>s and <strong>the</strong> Issuer's ability to source Renminbi outside <strong>the</strong> PRC to<br />
service such RMB <strong>Note</strong>s<br />
As a result of <strong>the</strong> restrictions by <strong>the</strong> PRC Government on cross-border Renminbi fund flows,<br />
<strong>the</strong> availability of Renminbi outside of <strong>the</strong> PRC is limited. However, pursuant to<br />
arrangements between <strong>the</strong> PRC Central Government and <strong>the</strong> Hong Kong government, all<br />
corporations are now allowed to open RMB accounts in Hong Kong. There is no longer any<br />
limit on <strong>the</strong> ability of corporations to convert RMB and <strong>the</strong>re is no longer any restriction on<br />
<strong>the</strong> transfer of RMB funds between different accounts in Hong Kong.<br />
Although it is expected that <strong>the</strong> offshore Renminbi market will continue to grow in depth and<br />
size, its growth is subject to many constraints as a result of PRC laws and regulations on<br />
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