Royal Bank of Canada Trigger Autocallable Contingent Yield Notes

$• Notes Linked to the Least Performing of the SPDR^® S&P^® Regional Banking ETF and the SPDR^® S&P 500^® ETF Trust due on or about December 9, 2027

The Trigger Autocallable Contingent Yield Notes (the “Notes”) are senior unsecured debt securities issued by Royal Bank of Canada linked to the performance of the least performing of the SPDR^® S&P^® Regional Banking ETF and the SPDR^® S&P 500^® ETF Trust (each, an “Underlying”). We will pay a quarterly Contingent Coupon payment if the closing value of each Underlying on the applicable Coupon Observation Date is greater than or equal to its Coupon Barrier. Otherwise, no coupon will be paid for that quarter. We will automatically call the Notes early if the closing value of each Underlying on any quarterly Call Observation Date (beginning six months after the Trade Date) is greater than or equal to its Initial Underlying Value. If the Notes are called, we will pay you the principal amount of your Notes plus the Contingent Coupon for the applicable quarter, and no further amounts will be owed to you under the Notes. If the Notes are not called prior to maturity and the Final Underlying Value of each Underlying is greater than or equal to its Downside Threshold (which is the same value as its Coupon Barrier), we will pay you a cash payment at maturity equal to the principal amount of your Notes plus the Contingent Coupon for the final quarter. However, if the Final Underlying Value of the Underlying with the lowest percentage change from its Initial Underlying Value (the “Least Performing Underlying”) is less than its Downside Threshold, we will pay you less than the full principal amount at maturity, if anything, resulting in a loss of principal amount that is proportionate to the negative Underlying Return of the Least Performing Underlying, and you will lose up to 100% of the principal amount. Investing in the Notes involves significant risks. You will not receive a coupon for any Coupon Observation Date on which any Underlying closes below its Coupon Barrier. The Notes will not be automatically called if any Underlying closes below its Initial Underlying Value on a quarterly Call Observation Date. You will lose a significant portion or all of your principal amount if the Final Underlying Value of the Least Performing Underlying is less than its Downside Threshold. The contingent repayment of principal applies only at maturity. Generally, the higher the Contingent Coupon Rate on a Note, the greater the risk of loss. Any payment on the Notes, including any repayment of principal, is subject to our creditworthiness. If we default on our payment obligations, you may not receive any amounts owed to you under the Notes and you could lose your entire investment. The Notes will not be listed on any securities exchange.

NOTICE TO INVESTORS: THE NOTES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY RISKIER THAN CONVENTIONAL DEBT INSTRUMENTS. WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY OBLIGATED TO REPAY THE FULL PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THE NOTES AT MATURITY, AND THE NOTES CAN HAVE THE FULL DOWNSIDE MARKET RISK OF THE LEAST PERFORMING UNDERLYING. THIS MARKET RISK IS IN ADDITION TO THE CREDIT RISK INHERENT IN PURCHASING OUR DEBT OBLIGATIONS. YOU SHOULD NOT PURCHASE THE NOTES IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND OR ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE SIGNIFICANT RISKS INVOLVED IN INVESTING IN THE NOTES.

YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE RISKS DESCRIBED UNDER “KEY RISKS” BEGINNING ON PAGE 6 OF THIS PRICING SUPPLEMENT AND UNDER “RISK FACTORS” IN THE ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS, PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND PRODUCT SUPPLEMENT BEFORE PURCHASING ANY NOTES. EVENTS RELATING TO ANY OF THOSE RISKS, OR OTHER RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES, COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE MARKET VALUE OF, AND THE RETURN ON, YOUR NOTES. YOU COULD LOSE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OR ALL OF THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF YOUR NOTES.

We are offering Trigger Autocallable Contingent Yield Notes Linked to the Least Performing of the SPDR^® S&P^® Regional Banking ETF and the SPDR^® S&P 500^® ETF Trust. The Notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $10, and integral multiples of $10 in excess thereof, with a minimum investment of $1,000. The Initial Underlying Value, Downside Threshold and Coupon Barrier of each Underlying will be determined and the Contingent Coupon Rate will be set on the Trade Date.

* With respect to each Underlying, the closing value of that Underlying on the Trade Date

** Rounded to two decimal places

See “Additional Information about Royal Bank of Canada and the Notes” in this pricing supplement. The Notes will have the terms specified in the prospectus dated December 20, 2023, the prospectus supplement dated December 20, 2023, the underlying supplement no. 1A dated May 16, 2024, the product supplement no. 1A dated May 16, 2024 and this pricing supplement.

None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), any state securities commission or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of the Notes or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this pricing supplement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. The Notes will not constitute deposits insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation, the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other Canadian or U.S. governmental agency or instrumentality. The Notes are not bail-inable notes and are not subject to conversion into our common shares under subsection 39.2(2.3) of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act.

⁽¹⁾ UBS Financial Services Inc., which we refer to as UBS, will receive a commission of $0.20 per Note. See “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” below.

The initial estimated value of the Notes determined by us as of the Trade Date, which we refer to as the initial estimated value, is expected to be between $9.24 and $9.74 per Note and will be less than the public offering price of the Notes. The final pricing supplement relating to the Notes will set forth the initial estimated value. The market value of the Notes at any time will reflect many factors, cannot be predicted with accuracy and may be less than this amount. We describe the determination of the initial estimated value in more detail below.

You may revoke your offer to purchase the Notes 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 Notes prior to their issuance. In the event of any changes to the terms of the Notes, 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 pricing supplement together with the prospectus dated December 20, 2023, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement dated December 20, 2023, relating to our Senior Global Medium-Term Notes, Series J, of which the Notes are a part, the underlying supplement no. 1A dated May 16, 2024 and the product supplement no. 1A dated May 16, 2024. This pricing supplement, together with these documents, contains the terms of the Notes 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.

We have not authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this pricing supplement and the documents listed below. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. These documents are an offer to sell only the Notes offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in each such document is current only as of its date.

If the information in this pricing supplement differs from the information contained in the documents listed below, you should rely on the information in this pricing supplement.

You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth in “Key Risks” in this pricing supplement and “Risk Factors” in the documents listed below, as the Notes involve risks not associated with conventional debt securities. We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisers before you invest in the Notes.

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

Our Central Index Key, or CIK, on the SEC website is 1000275. As used in this pricing supplement, “Royal Bank of Canada,” the “Bank,” “we,” “our” and “us” mean only Royal Bank of Canada.

The considerations identified above are not exhaustive. Whether or not the Notes are an appropriate investment for you will depend on your individual circumstances, and you should reach an investment decision only after you and your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisers have carefully considered the appropriateness of an investment in the Notes in light of your particular circumstances. You should also review carefully the “Key Risks” in this pricing supplement and “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus, prospectus supplement and product supplement for risks related to an investment in the Notes. For more information about the Underlyings, see “Information about the Underlyings” below.

Initial Underlying Value:	With respect to each Underlying, the closing value of that Underlying on the Trade Date
Final Underlying Value:	With respect to each Underlying, the closing value of that Underlying on the Final Valuation Date
Calculation Agent:	RBC Capital Markets, LLC (“RBCCM”)

Investment Timeline
	Trade Date:		The Initial Underlying Value, Downside Threshold and Coupon Barrier of each Underlying is determined and the Contingent Coupon Rate is set.
	Quarterly:		If the closing value of each Underlying is greater than or equal to its Coupon Barrier on any Coupon Observation Date, we will pay you a Contingent Coupon payment on the applicable Coupon Payment Date.   The Notes will be called if the closing value of each Underlying on any Call Observation Date (beginning six months after the Trade Date) is greater than or equal to its Initial Underlying Value. If the Notes are called, we will pay you an amount per Note equal to $10 plus the Contingent Coupon otherwise due.
	Maturity Date:		The Final Underlying Value of each Underlying is observed on the Final Valuation Date.   If the Notes are not called and the Final Underlying Value of the Least Performing Underlying is greater than or equal to its Downside Threshold (and its Coupon Barrier), we will pay you at maturity an amount per Note equal to $10 plus the Contingent Coupon otherwise due.   If the Notes are not called and the Final Underlying Value of the Least Performing Underlying is less than its Downside Threshold, we will pay you at maturity an amount per Note equal to:   $10 + ($10 × Underlying Return of the Least Performing Underlying)   In this scenario, you will lose a significant portion or all of the principal amount of the Notes in an amount proportionate to the negative Underlying Return of the Least Performing Underlying.

 

Investing in the Notes involves significant risks. You will not receive a coupon for any Coupon Observation Date on which any Underlying closes below its Coupon Barrier. The Notes will not be automatically called if any Underlying closes below its Initial Underlying Value on a quarterly Call Observation Date. You will lose a significant portion or all of your principal amount if the Final Underlying Value of the Least Performing Underlying is less than its Downside Threshold. The contingent repayment of principal applies only at maturity. Generally, the higher the Contingent Coupon Rate on a Note, the greater the risk of loss. Any payment on the Notes, including any repayment of principal, is subject to our creditworthiness. If we default on our payment obligations, you may not receive any amounts owed to you under the Notes and you could lose your entire investment.

 

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

* Subject to postponement. See “General Terms of the Notes—Postponement of a Determination Date” and “General Terms of the Notes—Postponement of a Payment Date” in the accompanying product supplement.

** Each Coupon Observation Date (other than the Final Valuation Date), starting from the second Coupon Observation Date, which is June 4, 2025, is a Call Observation Date. Thus, the first possible Call Settlement Date will be June 6, 2025.

An investment in the Notes involves significant risks. We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisers before you invest in the Notes. Some of the risks that apply to an investment in the Notes are summarized below, but we urge you to read also the “Risk Factors” sections of the accompanying prospectus, prospectus supplement and product supplement. You should not purchase the Notes unless you understand and can bear the risks of investing in the Notes.

Risks Relating to the Terms and Structure of the Notes

We will not pay any additional amounts in respect of such withholding. You should review carefully the section entitled “What Are the Tax Consequences of the Notes?—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” herein, in combination with the section entitled “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying product supplement, and consult your tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Notes.

Risks Relating to the Initial Estimated Value of the Notes and the Secondary Market for the Notes

The value of the Notes 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 Notes in any secondary market, if any, should be expected to differ materially from the initial estimated value of the Notes.

Some or all of these factors influence the terms of the Notes at issuance and affect the price you will receive if you choose to sell the Notes 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.

Risks Relating to Conflicts of Interest and Our Trading Activities

Risks Relating to the Underlyings

The performance of an Underlying may diverge significantly from the performance of its Underlying Index due to differences in trading hours between that Underlying and the securities composing its Underlying Index or other circumstances. During periods of market volatility, the component securities held by an Underlying may be unavailable in the secondary market, market participants may be unable to calculate accurately the intraday net asset value per share of that Underlying and the liquidity of that Underlying may be adversely affected. This kind of market volatility may also disrupt the ability of market participants to create and redeem shares in an Underlying. Further, market volatility may adversely affect, sometimes materially, the prices at which market participants are willing to buy and sell shares of an Underlying. As a result, under these circumstances, the market value of an Underlying may vary substantially from the net asset value per share of that Underlying.

extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, and the interest rates and fees they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds, and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers can negatively impact the financial sector. Changes in the creditworthiness of financial institutions (such as banks and broker-dealers) may adversely affect the values of instruments of issuers in financial industries. Changes in governmental regulation and oversight of financial institutions may have an adverse effect on the financial condition of a financial institution.

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

The examples are hypothetical and provided for illustrative purposes only. You should not take these examples as an indication or assurance of the expected performance of the Underlyings. The numbers appearing in the examples and tables below have been rounded for ease of analysis. The following examples and tables illustrate the payment at maturity or upon an automatic call per Note on a hypothetical offering of the Notes, based on the following hypothetical assumptions:

* Not the actual Contingent Coupon Rate, Contingent Coupon, Initial Underlying Value, Coupon Barrier or Downside Threshold applicable to the Notes. The actual Initial Underlying Value, Coupon Barrier and Downside Threshold of each Underlying will be determined and the actual Contingent Coupon Rate and Contingent Coupon will be set on the Trade Date.

Example 1 — Notes Are Called on the Second Coupon Observation Date.

Since the Notes are called on the second Coupon Observation Date (which is the first Observation Date on which the Notes are callable), we will pay you on the Call Settlement Date a total of $10.20 per Note, reflecting your principal amount plus the applicable Contingent Coupon. When added to the Contingent Coupon payment of $0.20 received in respect of the prior Coupon Observation Date, we will have paid you a total of $10.40 per Note, for a total return of 4.00% on the Notes. No further amount will be owed to you under the Notes.

Example 2 — Notes Are NOT Called and the Final Underlying Value of the Least Performing Underlying Is at or above Its Downside Threshold.

At maturity, we will pay you a total of $10.20 per Note, reflecting your principal amount plus the applicable Contingent Coupon. When added to the Contingent Coupon payment of $0.20 received in respect of the prior Coupon Observation Date on which a Contingent Coupon was paid, we will have paid you a total of $10.40 per Note, for a total return of 4.00% on the Notes.

Example 3 — Notes Are NOT Called and the Final Underlying Value of the Least Performing Underlying Is below Its Downside Threshold.

Since the Notes are not called and the Final Underlying Value of the Least Performing Underlying is less than its Downside Threshold, we will pay you at maturity $4.00 per Note, for a loss of 60.00% on the Notes. No Contingent Coupon payments are payable over the term of the Notes.

The Notes differ from ordinary debt securities in that we are not necessarily obligated to repay the full principal amount of the Notes at maturity. If the Notes are not called and the Final Underlying Value of the Least Performing Underlying is less than its Downside Threshold, you will be exposed to its negative Underlying Return, and we will pay you less than your principal amount at maturity, if anything, resulting in a loss of principal of your Notes that is proportionate to the percentage decline in the Least Performing Underlying.

Your receipt of any amounts due on the Notes is dependent upon our ability to pay our obligations as they come due. If we were to default on our payment obligations, you may not receive any amounts owed to you under the Notes and you could lose your entire investment.

United States Federal Income Tax Considerations

You should review carefully the section in the accompanying product supplement entitled “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations.” The following discussion, when read in combination with that section, constitutes the full opinion of our counsel, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, regarding the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of the Notes.

Generally, this discussion assumes that you purchased the Notes for cash in the original issuance at the stated issue price and does not address other circumstances specific to you, including consequences that may arise due to any other investments relating to the Underlyings. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect any such circumstances may have on the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your ownership of a Note.

In the opinion of our counsel, which is based on current market conditions, it is reasonable to treat the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes as prepaid financial contracts with associated coupons, and any coupons as ordinary income, as described in the section entitled “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders—Notes Treated as Prepaid Financial Contracts with Associated Coupons” in the accompanying product supplement. There is uncertainty regarding this treatment, and the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) or a court might not agree with it. Moreover, because this treatment of the Notes and our counsel’s opinion are based on market conditions as of the date of this preliminary pricing supplement, each is subject to confirmation on the Trade Date. A different tax treatment could be adverse to you.

We do not plan to request a ruling from the IRS regarding the treatment of the Notes. An alternative characterization of the Notes could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of ownership and disposition of the Notes, including the timing and character of income recognized. In addition, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS have requested comments on various issues regarding the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar financial instruments and have indicated that such transactions may be the subject of future regulations or other guidance. Furthermore, members of Congress have proposed legislative changes to the tax treatment of derivative contracts. Any legislation, Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of an investment in the Notes, possibly with retroactive effect.

Non-U.S. Holders. The U.S. federal income tax treatment of the coupons is unclear. To the extent that we have withholding responsibility in respect of the Notes, we would expect generally to treat the coupons as subject to U.S. withholding tax. Moreover, you should expect that, if the applicable withholding agent determines that withholding tax should apply, it will be at a rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate). In order to claim an exemption from, or a reduction in, the 30% withholding under an applicable treaty, you may need to comply with certification requirements to establish that you are not a U.S. person and are eligible for such an exemption or reduction under an applicable tax treaty. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the tax treatment of the coupons.

As discussed under “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders—Dividend Equivalents under Section 871(m) of the Code” in the accompanying product supplement, Section 871(m) of the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder (“Section 871(m)”) generally impose a 30% withholding tax on dividend equivalents paid or deemed paid to Non-U.S. Holders with respect to certain financial instruments linked to U.S. equities or indices that include U.S. equities. The Treasury regulations, as modified by an IRS notice, exempt financial instruments issued prior to January 1, 2027 that do not have a “delta” of one. Based on certain determinations made by us, we expect that Section 871(m) will not apply to the Notes with regard to Non-U.S. Holders. Our determination is not binding on the IRS, and the IRS may disagree with this determination. If necessary, further information regarding the potential application of Section 871(m) will be provided in the final pricing supplement for the Notes.

We will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to U.S. federal withholding taxes.

You should consult your tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Notes, including possible alternative treatments, as well as tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.

Canadian Federal Income Tax Consequences

For a discussion of the material Canadian federal income tax consequences relating to an investment in the Notes, please see the section entitled “Supplemental Discussion of Canadian Tax Consequences” in the accompanying product supplement, which you should carefully review prior to investing in the Notes.

According to publicly available information, the KRE Fund is an exchange-traded fund of the SPDR^® Series Trust, a registered investment company, that seeks to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of the S&P^® Regional Banks Select Industry^TM Index (with respect to the KRE Fund, the “Underlying Index”). The Underlying Index is a modified equal-weighted index that is designed to measure the performance of the GICS^® regional banks sub-industry of the S&P Total Market Index. For more information about the KRE Fund, see “Exchange-Traded Funds—The SPDR^® S&P^® Industry ETFs” in the accompanying underlying supplement.

According to publicly available information, the SPY Fund is a registered investment company that seeks to provide investment results that, before expenses, correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P 500^® Index (with respect to the SPY Fund, the “Underlying Index”). The Underlying Index consists of stocks of 500 companies selected to provide a performance benchmark for the U.S. equity markets. For more information about the SPY Fund, see “Exchange-Traded Funds—The SPDR^® S&P 500^® ETF Trust” in the accompanying underlying supplement.

Historical Information

The following graphs set forth historical closing values of the Underlyings for the period from January 1, 2014 to November 29, 2024. Each solid line represents a hypothetical Coupon Barrier and Downside Threshold based on the closing value of the relevant Underlying on November 29, 2024. We obtained the information in the graphs from Bloomberg Financial Markets, without independent investigation. The historical performance of the Underlyings should not be taken as an indication of their future performance. We cannot give you assurance that the performance of the Underlyings will result in the return of all of your initial investment.

SPDR^® S&P^® Regional Banking ETF

n Coupon Barrier / Downside Threshold = 60% of its Initial Underlying Value

PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS.

SPDR^® S&P 500^® ETF Trust

n Coupon Barrier / Downside Threshold = 60% of its Initial Underlying Value

PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS.

The graph below illustrates the daily performance of the Underlyings from January 1, 2014 through November 29, 2024. For comparison purposes, each Underlying has been normalized to have a closing value of 100.00 on January 1, 2014 by dividing the closing value of that Underlying on each day by the closing value of that Underlying on November 29, 2024 and multiplying by 100.00. We obtained the closing values used to determine the normalized closing values set forth below from Bloomberg L.P., without independent verification.

PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS.

The correlation of a pair of Underlyings represents a statistical measurement of the degree to which the returns of those Underlyings were similar to each other over a given period in terms of timing and direction (i.e., positive or negative). The closer the relationship of the daily returns of the Underlyings over a given period, the more positively correlated those Underlyings are. The graph above illustrates the historical performance of the Underlyings relative to one another over the time period shown and provides an indication of how close the relative performance of the daily returns of one Underlying has historically been to the other. However, the graph does not provide a precise measurement of the correlation of the Underlyings. Moreover, any historical correlation of the Underlyings is not indicative of the degree of correlation of the Underlyings, if any, that will be experienced over the term of the Notes. The lower (or more negative) the correlation between two Underlyings, the less likely it is that those Underlyings will move in the same direction at the same time and, therefore, the greater the potential for one of those Underlyings to close below its Coupon Barrier or Downside Threshold on any Coupon Observation Date or the Final Valuation Date, respectively. This is because the less positively correlated a pair of Underlyings are, the greater the likelihood that at least one of those Underlyings will decrease in value. This results in a greater potential for a Contingent Coupon not to be paid during the term of the Notes and for a loss of principal at maturity. However, even if the two Underlyings have a higher positive correlation, one or both of those Underlyings might close below its Coupon Barrier or Downside Threshold on a Coupon Observation Date or the Final Valuation Date, respectively, as both of those Underlyings may decrease in value together.

The lower the correlation between two Underlyings, the greater the potential for one of those Underlyings to close below its Coupon Barrier or its Downside Threshold on any Coupon Observation Date or the Final Valuation Date, respectively. Therefore, the greater the number of Underlyings, the greater the potential for missed Contingent Coupons and for a loss of principal at maturity. We determine the Contingent Coupons for the Notes based, in part, on the correlation among the Underlyings, calculated using internal models at the time the terms of the Notes are set. As discussed above, increased risk resulting from lower correlation or from a greater number of Underlyings will be reflected in a higher Contingent Coupon than would be payable on securities linked to fewer Underlyings or that have a higher degree of correlation. Accordingly, a higher Contingent Coupon Rate will generally be indicative of a greater risk of loss.

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. We have agreed that UBS may sell all or a part of the Notes that it will purchase from us to investors or to its affiliates at the price to public listed on the cover page of this pricing supplement. UBS may allow a concession not in excess of the underwriting discount set forth on the cover page of this pricing supplement to its affiliates for distribution of the Notes.

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 Notes 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” in the accompanying product supplement.

The value of the Notes shown on your account statement may be based on RBCCM’s estimate of the value of the Notes if RBCCM or another of our affiliates were to make a market in the Notes (which it is not obligated to do). That estimate will be based on the price that RBCCM may pay for the Notes in light of then-prevailing market conditions, our creditworthiness and transaction costs. For a period of approximately eight months after the Settlement Date, the value of the Notes that may be shown on your account statement may be higher than RBCCM’s estimated value of the Notes at that time. This is because the estimated value of the Notes will not include the underwriting discount or our hedging costs and profits; however, the value of the Notes shown on your account statement during that period may initially be a higher amount, reflecting the addition of the underwriting discount and our estimated costs and profits from hedging the Notes. This excess is expected to decrease over time until the end of this period. After this period, if RBCCM repurchases your Notes, 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 Notes that we repurchase and our negotiated arrangements from time to time with UBS.

RBCCM or another of its affiliates or agents may use this pricing supplement in the initial sale of the Notes. In addition, RBCCM or another of our affiliates may use this pricing supplement in a market-making transaction in the Notes after their initial sale. Unless we or our agent informs the purchaser otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this pricing supplement is being used in a market-making transaction.

For additional information about the settlement cycle of the Notes, see “Plan of Distribution” in the accompanying prospectus. For additional information as to the relationship between us and RBCCM, see the section “Plan of Distribution—Conflicts of Interest” in the accompanying prospectus.

The Notes are our debt securities. As is the case for all of our debt securities, including our structured notes, the economic terms of the Notes reflect our actual or perceived creditworthiness. In addition, because structured notes result in increased operational, funding and liability management costs to us, we typically borrow the funds under structured notes at a rate that is lower than the rate that we might pay for a conventional fixed or floating rate debt security of comparable maturity. The lower internal funding rate, the underwriting discount and the hedging-related costs relating to the Notes reduce the economic terms of the Notes to you and result in the initial estimated value for the Notes being less than their public offering price. Unlike the initial estimated value, any value of the Notes determined for purposes of a secondary market transaction may be based on a secondary market rate, which may result in a lower value for the Notes than if our initial internal funding rate were used.

In order to satisfy our payment obligations under the Notes, we may choose to enter into certain hedging arrangements (which may include call options, put options or other derivatives) with RBCCM and/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, volatility and the tenor of the Notes. The economic terms of the Notes and the initial estimated value depend in part on the terms of these hedging arrangements.

See “Key Risks—Risks Relating to the Initial Estimated Value of the Notes and the Secondary Market for the Notes—The Initial Estimated Value of the Notes Will Be Less Than the Public Offering Price” above.