GLOBAL INSIGHT W E E K L Y R O
Transcription
GLOBAL INSIGHT W E E K L Y R O
R B C W E A LT H M A N A G E M E N T GLOBAL INSIGHT W E E K L Y O C TO B E R 1 0 , 2 0 1 4 A C LO S E R LO O K Ride Out the Turbulence Kelly Bogdanov – San Francisco Financial and commodity markets were upended recently by risks related to Europe and the strong dollar. While these risks could linger, we would stay the course by maintaining a full allocation to equities. We would add stocks should weakness persist. Fingers Pointing at Germany A fresh batch of negative German economic data and months of persistently low eurozone inflation have increased recession and deflation risks for the eurozone region. Previously, Germany’s economy helped prop up core eurozone nations. But this go-around, it could tug them lower. RBC Capital Markets European economists maintain their Q3 Germany GDP growth forecast of 0.4% q/q, but note there is downside risk to the estimate. Our Take: What if Germany and/or the eurozone slip back into recession? We believe it would be another mild one. Importantly, we doubt it would materially impact North America and Asia. While it could certainly constrain U.S. and Chinese GDP growth, as well as U.S. multinationals’ profits, the U.S. would likely deliver enough growth to help keep the rest of the world afloat. ECB and Germany Still at Odds Equity Markets Have Corrected Across Regions Percent Decline from Year-to-Date Highs* U.S. S&P Japan 500 Nikkei -5.2% -6.6% Europe U.K. H.K. U.S. STOXX FTSE All Hang Canada German Russell 600 Share Seng S&P/TSX DAX 2000 -8.0% -8.3% -8.8% -9.1% -12.4% -12.8% * North American and European YTD highs are also all-time highs. Source - RBC Wealth Management, Bloomberg; data through 10/10/14. M A R K ET P U L S E The tug of war about European monetary and fiscal policies has resumed with European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi on one side and German officials (Schaeuble and Weidmann) on the other. 3 U.S. earnings preannouncements so far, so good 3 Oil pipeline plans in Canada hit a snag 4 German industrial production unexpectedly nose-dives As these factions continue to squabble, investors once again doubt their leadership. The perception is neither side is doing enough to arrest the European malaise. 4 Asian currencies hit by underperformance Click here for authors’ contact information. For Important Disclosures, see page 6. Our Take: The situation is not as dire as current sentiment, in our view, because meaningful ECB stimulus is in the pipeline. But more monetary and fiscal policies are needed and will likely take time to implement. And if deflation does indeed become an acute threat, these factions would be forced to unite. Fed Angst About the Dollar The Fed revealed in its September meeting minutes that some members are concerned the strong dollar could have negative knock-on effects. It may dampen U.S. exports, constrain domestic growth, and keep U.S. inflation too low. Markets interpreted these comments as “dovish.” The strong dollar might incentivize the Fed to stay loose, possibly beyond mid-2015. So the thinking goes, if the greenback is too strong, it could represent de-facto U.S. tightening. Our Take: Fed rate-hike speculation will likely rise to a fever pitch in coming months. The best approach for individual investors is to block out the noise and focus on the likelihood rates will probably increase in 2015, depending on the data and other factors, such as the dollar and global economy. Influential Fed members (Dudley and Fischer) said during the week that mid-2015 still seems like a reasonable time frame. Maintain Equity Allocations None of these risks will be resolved overnight, but we don’t believe they warrant changing equity allocations in portfolios. We would maintain a benchmark allocation and would prepare to use any additional weakness as a buying opportunity. 5-Year Government Bonds Have Rallied; Yields Have Pulled Back 5-year Yields (%) 2.4 2.1 1.8 1.5 U.K. U.S. Canada Germany 1.2 0.9 0.6 0.3 0.0 Oct-2013 Jan-2014 Apr-2014 Jul-2014 Oct-2014 Source - RBC Wealth Management, Bloomberg; data through 10/9/14 W H AT ’ S M O V I N G M A R K ET S Hedge Fund Headwinds Equity markets traded poorly during the week, especially in North America on Thursday, which spilled over into Asia and Europe on Friday. In addition to the macro reasons cited above, hedge fund misspositioning has been a factor. Fast-money hedge funds have been clobbered in commodities, especially oil, and in energy, small-cap, and semiconductor stocks. As they have repositioned these and other holdings, broader equity markets have slumped. Don’t underestimate hedge funds’ impact and the transitory noise they can create. They represent 20%-60% or more of daily U.S. trading volume. They often rule the U.S. market during volatile periods when other investors step to the sidelines, and their actions tend to leak into other markets. Traders indicated hedge funds dominated equity flows during the week. Energy stocks declined sharply across regions as WTI crude oil fell below $85/bbl and Brent fell to $90/bbl—it seemed like mass hedge-fund-driven liquidation in the sector. Energy Stocks Under Pressure Since Oil Peaked 25% June 20: The day WTI crude oil peaked at $107.26 Canada S&P/TSX Energy U.S. S&P 500 Energy 20% Europe STOXX 600 Oil & Gas 15% 10% 5% 0% -5% -10% Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Source - RBC Wealth Management, Bloomberg; YTD data through 10/9/14 RBC Capital Markets is not yet a buyer of energy stocks, as there could be further crude oil weakness, but it anticipates a forthcoming opportunity. GLOBAL INSIGHT WEEKLY October 10, 2014 2 U N I T E D S T AT E S Kelly Bogdanov – San Francisco ■ ■ ■ ■ Once Again, European Angst Is Helping to Push the VIX Higher Chicago Board Options Exchange SPX Volatility Index (VIX) Volatility is back, but not with a vengeance. The S&P 500 recorded daily losses or gains of 1% or more in five of the past six trading sessions; the NASDAQ in 10 of 16 sessions, and the Russell 2000 in 11 of 16. Institutions, particularly the fast-money variety, have been “chasing” the market in both directions, which is one reason the daily moves have been more pronounced. They lack conviction about where the market is headed near term. The Volatility Index (VIX), which is perceived as an options-based “fear” gauge, has risen 106% from its year-to-date low, but remains substantially below previous highs (see chart). During this correction, there have been cracks beneath the surface and pockets of strength. Small caps, energy, and semiconductors have substantially underperformed recently. Utilities, real estate investment trusts, and consumer staples have outperformed and actually gained ground. Microchip Technology’s fiscal Q2 earnings warning sent the Semiconductor Index down 6.9% on Friday. The company stated that “another industry [orders] correction has begun.” But RBC Capital Markets doesn’t buy it. It points out management guidance on July 31 was just the opposite—so take the statement with a grain of salt. Also, it believes other indicators are better gauges for the industry (PC, handset, analog orders), none of which are signaling an end to this semi cycle. While it may seem like Q3 earnings preannouncements are on the rise based on press reports, they are actually lower at this stage of the quarter than they were in previous periods. The negative-to-positive Q3 preannouncement ratio is tracking at 3.2 vs. 4.0 in Q2 2014 and 5.3 in Q3 2013. 50 40 ■ The fall in WTI and Brent oil benchmarks has set the tone for the decline in Canadian energy stocks. However, Canadian oil benchmarks have fared relatively well by comparison. Differentials for heavy oil are among the tightest levels experienced in 2014. GLOBAL INSIGHT WEEKLY Concerns about European capital flight, too little from ECB 35 30 25 More European woes help push the VIX up 106% YTD, but it's nowhere near previous highs 20 15 10 5 0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Source - RBC Wealth Management, Bloomberg; data through 10/10/14 ■ Media reports indicate the National Energy Board has put the brakes on Enbridge’s Line 9 pipeline reversal due to a failure to meet prescribed safety conditions. The pipeline had been expected to begin flowing crude this fall. ■ Government of Canada bond yields decreased 6–10 basis points in the 2- to 30-year component of the curve as mounting concerns over the global economy’s health led investors into safer assets. The Canadian dollar traded in a narrow $0.01 range. ■ Low-dividend perpetual preferred shares have underperformed the broader preferred share market recently. This is somewhat puzzling as perpetual preferred shares with lower dividends have historically performed well in a falling rate environment. The relative strength of these issues in H1 2014 partly explains the current price action with unattractive valuations now capping potential upside. Tax-loss selling may also weigh on these securities as most are priced at a CA$2–$3 discount. A buying opportunity may soon present itself should rates remain unchanged. Patrick McAllister & Eric Lafortune – Toronto The S&P/TSX Composite continued to underperform, with its commodity-centric composition, and is down over 8% since its September high. While energy and materials continue to be a major source of weakness, industrials have also suffered a material correction as global growth and resource development expectations get reassessed. European banking system stress 45 CANADA ■ European headwinds EUROPE Frédérique Carrier & Davide Boglietti – London ■ Equity markets fell during the week following a stream of negative macroeconomic data in the eurozone suggesting a deterioration of the pace of the economic recovery. Further uncertainties regarding the future scenario for fiscal consolidation in key European countries and the October 10, 2014 3 slow implementation of political reforms compounded the negative sentiment towards European stocks. The STOXX Europe 600 declined 4.0% during the week, mainly driven by losses in the energy, cyclicals, and financial sectors. ■ ■ German Economic Indicators Have Deteriorated (% change m/m) Industrial Production The IMF released its latest World Economic Outlook, revising down its economic growth projections for the eurozone in 2014–15 to 0.8% and 1.3%, respectively. At a country level, Germany, France, and Italy all saw notable downward revisions to growth. Spain, by contrast, was among the few benefitting from a more positive assessment. The report also highlighted the risks from booming mortgage markets in countries including the U.K., Sweden, and Switzerland, which pose a threat to financial stability, and called for tighter macroprudential measures. German industrial production plunged 4.0% m/m in August, much worse than the market’s expectation of -1.5%, representing its largest drop since February 2009. This may overstate the weakness of the German economy given the timing of the summer school holidays this year, but some deterioration of economic activity for the quarter has to be genuinely factored in. Manufacturing orders also fell 5.7% during the month, and the negative news was compounded as exports contracted 5.8% in August, versus the market’s expectation of -4%. A S I A PA C I F I C ■ The recent unusually large rally in the U.S. dollar has coincided with, and arguably contributed to, a weaker period for Asian equities. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index declined by over 6% in recent weeks. However, such moves have been commonplace the past five years. An exception has been the Shanghai Composite, which rose to a new high for 2014 during the week, and is up 11% year to date. Currency underperformance has been notable in Asia. The Australian dollar had declined by as much as 7.5% since the start of September, to 0.867, its lowest level since 2010, before recovering moderately during the week. However, Governor Glenn Stevens continues to talk the currency down as the Reserve Bank of Australia kept the 2.5% benchmark rate unchanged, saying, “[the exchange rate] remains high by historical standards, particularly given the further declines in key commodity prices in recent months.” GLOBAL INSIGHT WEEKLY Exports 4.9% 4.8% 0.9% 0.4% 1.6% -2.5% -4.0% -5.7% -5.8% June 2014 July 2014 Aug 2014 Source - RBC Wealth Management, Bloomberg ■ RBC Capital Markets anticipates a turn in the Australian rate cycle before year end 2015, “which should offer AUD some modest support over a 12-month horizon, albeit against a backdrop of general USD strength.” Through 2015, it forecasts further modest depreciation against the U.S. dollar, modest appreciation against the euro, and a relatively flat outlook against the Canadian dollar. ■ Although the number of people protesting for universal suffrage in Hong Kong has declined considerably, the stand-off between the government and protestors, who are mostly students, continues. Planned talks were shelved by the government as student leaders threatened to push for a renewed protest effort. Parts of several major roads on Hong Kong Island remain barricaded off. ■ China announced a plan, the Qualified Domestic Retail Investor scheme, to enable individuals to purchase equities and real estate outside the country. Details, such as the size and start date, are unknown. We believe the plan would align with the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect programme, announced earlier this year. Separately, Agricultural Bank of China, one of the largest banks, announced a plan to become the first company to offer yuan-denominated Global Depository Receipts in London. Jay Roberts – Hong Kong ■ Factory Orders October 10, 2014 4 M A R K ET S C O R E C A R D Data as of October 10, 2014 Equities (local currency) S&P 500 Level 1 Week MTD YTD 12 Mos Govt Bonds (bps chg) Yield 1 Week MTD YTD 12 Mos 1,906.13 -3.1% -3.4% 3.1% 12.6% U.S. 2-Yr Tsy 0.426% -13.2 -14.1 4.6 8.4 16,544.10 -2.7% -2.9% -0.2% 9.4% U.S. 10-Yr Tsy 2.289% -14.5 -20.0 -73.9 -39.2 NASDAQ 4,276.24 -4.5% -4.8% 2.4% 13.7% Canada 2-Yr 1.052% -7.8 -7.2 -8.5 -15.8 Russell 2000 1,053.32 -4.7% -4.4% -9.5% -1.5% Canada 10-Yr 2.013% -8.1 -13.3 -74.5 -58.0 S&P/TSX Comp 14,227.36 -3.8% -4.9% 4.4% 10.3% U.K. 2-Yr 0.702% -10.0 -12.4 13.8 27.4 FTSE All Share 3,380.02 -3.0% -4.4% -6.4% -1.5% U.K. 10-Yr 2.217% -17.2 -20.8 -80.5 -53.2 Dow Industrials (DJIA) STOXX Europe 600 321.62 -4.0% -6.3% -2.0% 3.7% Germany 2-Yr -0.055% 1.2 2.7 -26.8 -23.7 8,788.81 -4.4% -7.2% -8.0% 1.2% Germany 10-Yr 0.887% -3.8 -6.0 -104.2 -98.2 23,088.54 0.1% 0.7% -0.9% 0.6% 2,374.54 0.5% 0.5% 12.2% 8.4% Nikkei 225 15,300.55 -2.6% -5.4% -6.1% 7.8% India Sensex 26,297.38 -1.0% -1.3% 24.2% 29.7% 3,223.87 -0.9% -1.6% 1.8% 1.7% Brazil Ibovespa 55,311.59 1.4% 2.2% 7.4% 4.4% Mexican Bolsa IPC 43,435.73 -2.8% -3.4% -15.7% 7.3% Commodities (USD) Price German DAX Hang Seng Shanghai Comp Singapore Straits Times Gold (spot $/oz) Silver (spot $/oz) Copper ($/ton) 1 Week MTD YTD 12 Mos Currencies Rate U.S. Dollar Index 85.86 1 Week MTD YTD 12 Mos -1.0% -0.1% 7.3% 6.8% CAD/USD 0.89 0.3% -0.1% -5.3% -7.3% USD/CAD 1.12 -0.3% 0.1% 5.5% 7.8% EUR/USD 1.26 0.8% -0.1% -8.2% -6.7% GBP/USD 1.61 0.6% -0.9% -2.9% 0.6% AUD/USD 0.87 0.1% -0.7% -2.6% -8.1% USD/CHF 0.96 -1.0% 0.3% 7.3% 5.1% 1,223.09 2.7% 1.2% 1.4% -5.0% USD/JPY 107.68 -1.9% -1.8% 2.3% 9.7% 17.39 3.2% 2.4% -10.7% -19.8% EUR/JPY 135.89 -1.1% -1.9% -6.1% 2.4% 6,777.00 1.4% 0.8% -8.1% -4.9% EUR/GBP 0.79 0.2% 0.8% -5.4% -7.2% Oil (WTI spot/bbl) 85.82 -4.4% -5.9% -12.8% -16.7% EUR/CHF 1.21 -0.2% 0.2% -1.5% -1.9% Oil (Brent spot/bbl) 89.89 -2.6% -5.0% -18.9% -19.6% USD/SGD 1.28 -0.5% 0.0% 1.0% 2.2% 3.87 -4.3% -6.2% -8.6% 3.8% USD/CNY 6.13 -0.1% -0.1% 1.3% 0.2% 306.11 3.6% 4.7% -12.9% -18.2% USD/BRL 2.43 -1.2% -0.8% 2.8% 11.4% Natural Gas ($/mmBtu) Agriculture Index Source - Bloomberg. Note: Equity returns do not include dividends, except for the German DAX. Bond yields in local currencies. Copper and Agriculture Index data as of Thursday’s close. Dollar Index measures USD vs. six major currencies. Currency rates reflect market convention (CAD/USD is the exception). Currency returns quoted in terms of the first currency in each pairing. Data as of 9:35 pm GMT 10/10/14. Examples of how to interpret currency data: CAD/USD 0.89 means 1 Canadian dollar will buy 0.89 U.S. dollar. CAD/USD -7.3% return means the Canadian dollar fell 7.3% vs. the U.S. dollar year to date. USD/JPY 107.68 means 1 U.S. dollar will buy 107.68 yen. USD/JPY 9.7% return means the U.S. dollar rose 9.7% vs. the yen year to date. U P CO M I N G EV E N TS 53 S&P 500 companies scheduled to report earnings during the week SUN, OCT 12 TUE, OCT 14, cont. WED, OCT 15 THU, OCT 16 China Trade Balance ($41.05B) Eurozone ZEW Survey Japan Industrial Production Eurozone CPI (0.4% m/m, 0.3% y/y) China Exports (12% y/y) Germany ZEW Current (16.0) Germany CPI (0.0% m/m, 0.8% y/y) Eurozone CPI Core (0.8% y/y) MON, OCT 13 Germany ZEW Expect. (0.0) U.K. Employment Change (30K) U.S. Industrial Production (0.4% m/m) China Foreign Direct Invs. (-14% y/y) Italy, Spain, France CPIs U.K. Unemployment (6.1%) FRI, OCT 17 Eurogroup ECOFIN Council U.K. CPI (0.2% m/m, 1.4% y/y) U.S. Retail Sales (-0.1% m/m) Eurozone GDP revisions TUE, OCT 14 U.K. CPI Core (1.8% y/y) U.S. Retail Sales Control (0.3% m/m) U.S. Housing Starts (1M, 4.6% m/m) Eurozone Ind. Prod. (-1.7% m/m) U.K. RPI (0.3% m/m, 2.3% y/y) U.S. Fed Beige Book GLOBAL INSIGHT WEEKLY All data reflect Bloomberg consensus forecasts where available October 10, 2014 5 AUTHORS Kelly Bogdanov – San Francisco, United States [email protected]; RBC Capital Markets, LLC. regardless of a firm’s own rating categories. Although RBC Capital Markets, LLC ratings of Top Pick (TP)/Outperform (O), Sector Perform (SP) and Underperform (U) most closely correspond to Buy, Hold/Neutral and Sell, respectively, the meanings are not the same because our ratings are determined on a relative basis (as described below). Patrick McAllister – Toronto, Canada [email protected]; RBC Dominion Securities Inc. Eric Lafortune – Toronto, Canada [email protected]; RBC Dominion Securities Inc. Frédérique Carrier – London, United Kingdom [email protected]; Royal Bank of Canada Investment Management (UK) Ltd. Davide Boglietti – London, United Kingdom [email protected]; Royal Bank of Canada Investment Management (UK) Ltd. Jay Roberts –Hong Kong, China [email protected]; RBC Dominion Securities Inc. D I S C LO S U R E S A N D D I S C L A I M E R Analyst Certification All of the views expressed in this report accurately reflect the personal views of the responsible analyst(s) about any and all of the subject securities or issuers. No part of the compensation of the responsible analyst(s) named herein is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed by the responsible analyst(s) in this report. Important Disclosures In the U.S., RBC Wealth Management is comprised of RBC Capital Markets, LLC. In Canada, RBC Wealth Management includes, without limitation, RBC Dominion Securities Inc., which is a foreign affiliate of RBC Capital Markets, LLC. This report has been prepared by RBC Capital Markets, LLC. Eric Lafortune, Patrick McAllister, and Jay Roberts, employees of RBC Wealth Management USA’s foreign affiliate RBC Dominion Securities Inc.; and Davide Boglietti and Frédérique Carrier, employees of RBC Wealth Management USA’s foreign affiliate Royal Bank of Canada Investment Management (UK) Limited; contributed to the preparation of this publication. These individuals are not registered with or qualified as research analysts with the U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and, since they are not associated persons of RBC Wealth Management, they may not be subject to NASD Rule 2711 and Incorporated NYSE Rule 472 governing communications with subject companies, the making of public appearances, and the trading of securities in accounts held by research analysts. In the event that this is a compendium report (covers six or more companies), RBC Wealth Management may choose to provide important disclosure information by reference. To access current disclosures, clients should refer to http://www. rbccm.com/GLDisclosure/PublicWeb/DisclosureLookup.aspx?EntityID=2 to view disclosures regarding RBC Wealth Management and its affiliated firms. Such information is also available upon request to RBC Wealth Management Publishing, 60 South Sixth St, Minneapolis, MN 55402. References to a Recommended List in the recommendation history chart may include one or more recommended lists or model portfolios maintained by RBC Wealth Management or one of its affiliates. RBC Wealth Management recommended lists include a former list called the Prime Opportunity List (RL 3), the Guided Portfolio: Prime Income (RL 6), the Guided Portfolio: Large Cap (RL 7), the Guided Portfolio: Dividend Growth (RL 8), the Guided Portfolio: Midcap 111 (RL9), the Guided Portfolio: ADR (RL 10), and the Guided Portfolio: Global Equity (U.S.) (RL 11). RBC Capital Markets recommended lists include the Strategy Focus List and the Fundamental Equity Weightings (FEW) portfolios. The abbreviation ‘RL On’ means the date a security was placed on a Recommended List. The abbreviation ‘RL Off’ means the date a security was removed from a Recommended List. Distribution of Ratings For the purpose of ratings distributions, regulatory rules require member firms to assign ratings to one of three rating categories - Buy, Hold/Neutral, or Sell - GLOBAL INSIGHT WEEKLY Rating Distribution of Ratings - RBC Capital Markets, LLC Equity Research As of September 30, 2014 Investment Banking Services Provided During Past 12 Months Count Percent Count Percent Buy [Top Pick & Outperform] Hold [Sector Perform] Sell [Underperform] 858 683 98 52.35 41.67 5.98 308 151 8 35.90 22.11 8.16 Explanation of RBC Capital Markets, LLC Equity Rating System An analyst’s “sector” is the universe of companies for which the analyst provides research coverage. Accordingly, the rating assigned to a particular stock represents solely the analyst’s view of how that stock will perform over the next 12 months relative to the analyst’s sector average. Although RBC Capital Markets, LLC ratings of Top Pick (TP)/Outperform (O), Sector Perform (SP), and Underperform (U) most closely correspond to Buy, Hold/Neutral and Sell, respectively, the meanings are not the same because our ratings are determined on a relative basis (as described below). Ratings: Top Pick (TP): Represents analyst’s best idea in the sector; expected to provide significant absolute total return over 12 months with a favorable risk-reward ratio. Outperform (O): Expected to materially outperform sector average over 12 months. Sector Perform (SP): Returns expected to be in line with sector average over 12 months. Underperform (U): Returns expected to be materially below sector average over 12 months. Risk Rating: As of March 31, 2013, RBC Capital Markets, LLC suspends its Average and Above Average risk ratings. The Speculative risk rating reflects a security’s lower level of financial or operating predictability, illiquid share trading volumes, high balance sheet leverage, or limited operating history that result in a higher expectation of financial and/or stock price volatility. Valuation and Price Target Impediments When RBC Wealth Management assigns a value to a company in a research report, FINRA Rules and NYSE Rules (as incorporated into the FINRA Rulebook) require that the basis for the valuation and the impediments to obtaining that valuation be described. Where applicable, this information is included in the text of our research in the sections entitled “Valuation” and “Price Target Impediment”, respectively. The analyst(s) responsible for preparing this research report received compensation that is based upon various factors, including total revenues of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, and its affiliates, a portion of which are or have been generated by investment banking activities of the member companies of RBC Capital Markets, LLC and its affiliates. Other Disclosures Prepared with the assistance of our national research sources. RBC Wealth Management prepared this report and takes sole responsibility for its content and distribution. The content may have been based, at least in part, on material provided by our third-party correspondent research services. Our third-party correspondent has given RBC Wealth Management general permission to use its research reports as source materials, but has not reviewed or approved this report, nor has it been informed of its publication. 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This material has been prepared for general circulation and does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any recipient. Hong Kong persons wishing to obtain further information on any of the securities mentioned in this publication should contact RBC Investment Services (Asia) Limited, RBC Investment Management (Asia) Limited or Royal Bank of Canada, Hong Kong Branch at 17/Floor, Cheung Kong Center, 2 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong (telephone number is 2848-1388). To Singapore Residents: This publication is distributed in Singapore by RBC (Singapore Branch) and RBC (Asia) Limited, registered entities granted offshore bank status by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. This material has been prepared for general circulation and does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any recipient. You are advised to seek independent advice from a financial adviser before purchasing any product. If you do not obtain independent advice, you should consider whether the product is suitable for you. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. Copyright © RBC Capital Markets, LLC 2014 - Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC Copyright © RBC Dominion Securities Inc. 2014 - Member CIPF Copyright © RBC Europe Limited 2014 Copyright © Royal Bank of Canada 2014 All rights reserved October 10, 2014 7