To provide investors with attractive returns over the long term through a diversified portfolio with the long-term average allocation of approximately 70% defensive and 30% growth assets

Benefits of investing in the BlackRock GSS Index Plus Conservative Fund

Access to professional investment managers

By investing through one or more Underlying Funds, the Fund gives you the benefit of access to the professional investment managers who operate those Underlying Funds. Currently, the investment manager of the Underlying Fund uses exposure to a combination of active investments and passive investments that are largely index related, and opportunistic (active) asset allocation to provide its return. We refer to this combination as Index Opportunities'. The Underlying Fund has a broad set of investment ranges which allows it the freedom to take advantage of the opportunities available. You should note that the Underlying Fund is not an index tracking fund; the indices shown in section 5 of the PDS are used to provide a benchmark but the return to investors will not necessarily be equal to the return on those indices.

Pooling of investors' funds

By pooling the investments of many investors, investments can often be made for less cost than would apply to individual investors and investment and risk management techniques not usually available to retail investors can often be used.

A simple way of investing and switching your investment

The Fund provides a simple way of investing through your platform account and allows you to withdraw your investment when you wish to. Generally, by giving us directions through your platform account, you can withdraw your investment in the Fund at any time, as described in section 2 of the PDS. You can also give us directions to switch your investment to other funds available through your platform account if you decide you wish to change your investment in the future (see section 5 of the PDS).

Online information about your investment

As an investor in the Fund through a platform account, you have online access to obtain information about the investment.

Investors with an investment time horizon of 5 years or more who seek the potential for stable income and some capital growth and diversification across multiple asset classes, investment strategies and styles.

About the Fund

The GSS Index Opportunities funds, invested with UBS, are for those who want the benefit of active asset allocation management that actively seeks opportunities from valuation discrepancies between indexes. The funds hold their underlying asset sector exposure through passive or index based investments and cash funds. This exposure is obtained by investing largely in exchange traded funds (ETFs), both onshore and offshore, index funds and in derivatives.

Investment strategy

The investment manager will tactically allocate between asset classes and currencies based on their relative attractiveness, managing the overall risk and return of the portfolio.

Investment return objective

To provide a total return (after management costs) in excess of the return on the market indices listed on page 5 in the PDS (70% of these are of income assets and 30% are of growth assets) based on the neutral allocation of assets shown when measured over rolling five year periods.

Investment strategy

The strategy is to provide investors with attractive returns over the long term through a diversified portfolio with the long-term average allocation of approximately 70% defensive and 30% growth assets. Strategic asset allocation is used to allocate to the different asset classes and the investment strategy is implemented by investing in managed funds and exchange traded funds (‘ETFs’) managed by BlackRock. These managed funds and ETFs may be funds of which Blackrock is also the responsible entity.

BlackRock aims to provide attractive returns relative to peers by using a strategic asset allocation based on long term expected returns for each asset class and currency. Asset allocation is formally reviewed on an annual basis. Investments held in managed funds and ETFs are both active and passive strategies as the manager may seek to add value through investment selection in asset classes or sectors considered to be less efficient (such as Global REITs) and where the manager demonstrates particular strengths.