The Canadian Dollar was introduced in 1858. Initially, the Canadian Dollar was redeemable for gold, but the
gold standard was suspended at times and abandoned officially in 1933. In 1934, Canadas official central bank, the Bank of Canada, was established. During World War II, the Canadian Dollar was pegged to the USD and the British Pound by the
Canadian government. In 1950, Canada abolished the fixed rates of exchange for the Canadian Dollar into USD and British Pounds. In 1962, Canada again established fixed rates of exchange based primarily on the USD. In 1970, the Canadian government
decided to allow the value of the Canadian Dollar to float; as a result, its value now depends almost entirely on market forces. The source of this information is James Powells book, A History of the Canadian Dollar (2005).
Investment Attributes of the Trust
The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the price in USD of the Canadian Dollar. The Sponsor believes that, for many investors, the
Shares represent a cost-effective investment relative to traditional means of investing in the foreign exchange market. As the value of the Shares is tied to the value of the Canadian Dollars held by the Trust, it is important in understanding the
investment attributes of the Shares to first understand the investment attributes of the Canadian Dollar.
REASONS FOR INVESTING IN THE CANADIAN DOLLAR
All forms of investment carry some degree of risk. Although the Shares have certain unique risks described in Risk Factors, generally
these are the same risks as investing directly in the Canadian Dollar. Moreover, investment in the Shares may help to balance a portfolio or protect against currency swings, thereby reducing overall risk.
Investors may wish to invest in the Canadian Dollar in order to take advantage of short-term tactical or long-term strategic opportunities. From a tactical
perspective, an investor that believes that the USD is weakening relative to the Canadian Dollar may choose to buy Shares in order to capitalize on the potential movement. An investor that believes that the Canadian Dollar is overvalued relative to
the USD may choose to sell Shares. Sales may also include short sales that are permitted under SEC and exchange regulations.
From a strategic standpoint,
since currency movements can affect returns on cross-border investments and businesses, both individual investors and businesses may choose to hedge their currency risk through the purchase or sale of Canadian Dollars. For example, in the case where
a U.S. investor has a portfolio consisting of Canadian equity and fixed income securities, the investor may decide to hedge the currency exposure that exists within the Canadian portfolio by selling an appropriate amount of Shares. Again, such sales
may include short sales in accordance with applicable SEC regulations. In doing this, the U.S. investor may be able to mitigate the impact that changes in exchange rates have on the returns associated with Canadian equity and fixed income components
of the portfolio.
Similarly, a business that has currency exposure because it manufactures or sells its products abroad is exposed to exchange rate risk.
Buying or selling Shares in appropriate amounts can reduce the businesss exchange rate risk.
More generally, investors that wish to diversify their
investment portfolios with a wider range of non-correlative investments may desire to invest in foreign currencies. Non-correlative asset classes, such as foreign
currencies, are often used to enhance investment portfolios by making them more consistent and less volatile. Less volatility means lower risk and closer proximity to an expected return.
COST-EFFICIENT PARTICIPATION IN THE MARKET FOR THE CANADIAN DOLLAR
The Shares are intended to provide institutional and retail investors with a simple, cost-effective means of gaining investment benefits similar to those of
holding Canadian Dollars. The costs of purchasing Shares should not exceed the costs associated with purchasing any other publicly-traded equity securities. The Shares are an investment that is:
Easily Accessible. Investors are able to access the market for the Canadian Dollar through a traditional brokerage account. The Shares
are bought and sold on NYSE Arca like any other exchange-listed security.
Exchange-Traded. Because they are traded on NYSE Arca,
the Shares provide investors with an efficient means of implementing investment tactics and strategies that involve Canadian Dollars. NYSE Arca-listed securities are eligible for margin accounts. Accordingly, investors are able to purchase and hold
Shares with borrowed money to the extent permitted by law.
Transparent. The Shares are backed by the assets of the Trust, which
does not hold or use derivative products. The value of the holdings of the Trust is reported on the Trusts website, www.invesco.com/etfs, every business day.
Investing in the Shares will not insulate the investor from price volatility or other risks. See Risk Factors.
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