Canadian gold and silver price-fixing national class actions

The actions have been certified or authorized for settlement purposes. Proposed settlements have been reached with the defendant groups identified below for a total of approximately CAD $21.25 million. The courts will decide whether to approve the proposed settlements, Class Counsel’s fees and expenses, the proposed Distribution Protocol and any other required deductions.

The settlements are compromises of disputed claims. The defendants deny wrongdoing or liability. Certification or authorization for settlement purposes does not mean that the allegations have been proven.

The plaintiffs allege that certain financial institutions manipulated or conspired to fix prices for gold and silver market instruments from at least 2004 through 2016. The Quebec proceedings also concern certain precious-metals market instruments. The plaintiffs allege that the conduct affected market prices and harmed class members. The defendants dispute these allegations and deny wrongdoing or liability.

You may be included in one or more of the class actions if one or both of the following applies to you:

• Canada - gold and silver: You are a person or entity in Canada who, between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2016, transacted in a Gold Market Instrument or Silver Market Instrument, directly or indirectly through an intermediary, and/or purchased or otherwise participated in an investment or equity fund, mutual fund, hedge fund, pension fund or other investment vehicle that transacted in such an instrument.
• Quebec - precious metals: You are a person or entity in Quebec who, during the same period, engaged in a transaction in a Precious Metals Market Instrument, directly or indirectly through an intermediary, and/or participated in an investment vehicle that transacted in such an instrument. Precious metals include gold, silver, platinum and palladium.

The defendants, their parent companies, subsidiaries and affiliates are excluded, subject to the investment-vehicle language in the court-approved class definitions. Please read the Long-Form Notice for the complete definitions and exclusions.

The complete definitions are in the Long-Form Notice. Depending on the applicable class definition, covered instruments include or may include bullion or coins, futures traded on an exchange operated in Canada, shares in certain exchange-traded funds, call or put options, over-the-counter spot or forward transactions, leases and certificates. The Quebec proceedings may also include certain instruments involving platinum and palladium.