FWP 1 a12-17493_24fwp.htm FWP - JPM SPX REN

 

Free Writing Prospectus

(To the Prospectus dated August 31, 2010,

the Prospectus Supplement dated May 27, 2011

and Index Supplement dated May 31, 2011)

 

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433

Registration No. 333-169119

August 14, 2012

 

GRAPHIC

 

$

 

Return Enhanced Notes due August 25, 2015
Linked to the S&P 500
® Index

 

Global Medium-Term Notes, Series A

 

General

 

·

The Notes are designed for investors who seek a return of 1.65 times the appreciation of the S&P 500® Index at maturity. Investors should be willing to forgo interest and dividend payments and, if the Index declines from the initial level, be willing to lose some or all of their principal.

·

Senior unsecured obligations of Barclays Bank PLC maturing August 25, 2015.

·

Minimum denominations of $10,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

·

The Notes are expected to price on or about August 17, 2012†† (the “pricing date”) and are expected to issue on or about August 22, 2012†† (the “issue date”).

 

Key Terms

Terms used in this free writing prospectus, but not defined herein, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the prospectus supplement.

 

 

Issuer:

Barclays Bank PLC

 

 

Reference Asset:

S&P 500® Index (the “Index”) (Bloomberg ticker symbol “SPX <Index>”)

 

 

Upside Leverage Factor:

1.65

 

 

Payment at Maturity:

 

If the final level is greater than the initial level, you will receive a cash payment that provides you with a return per $1,000 principal amount Note equal to the index return multiplied by the upside leverage factor.  Accordingly, if the index return is positive, your payment per $1,000 principal amount Note will be calculated as follows:

 

$1,000 + [$1,000 x (Index Return x 1.65)]

 

Your investment will be fully exposed to any decline in the Index.  If the final level declines from the initial level, you will lose 1% of the principal amount of your Notes for every 1% that the Index declines beyond the initial level.  Accordingly, if the index return is zero or negative, your payment per $1,000 principal amount Note will be calculated as follows:

 

$1,000 + [$1,000 x Index Return]

 

If the final level declines from the initial level, you will lose some or all of your investment.

 

Any payment on the Notes is subject to the creditworthiness of the Issuer and is not guaranteed by any third party. For a description of risks with respect to the ability of Barclays Bank PLC to satisfy its obligations as they come due, see “Credit of Issuer” in this free writing prospectus.

 

 

 

Index Return:

The performance of the Index from the initial level to the final level, calculated as follows:

 

Final Level – Initial Level

Initial Level

 

 

Initial Level:

[·], the closing level of the Index on the pricing date.

 

 

Final Level:

The arithmetic average of the closing level of the Index on each of the five averaging dates.

 

 

Averaging Dates:

August 14, 2015, August 17, 2015 , August 18, 2015, August 19, 2015 and August 20, 2015 (the “final averaging date”)

 

 

Maturity Date:

August 25, 2015

 

 

Calculation Agent:

Barclays Bank PLC

 

 

CUSIP/ISIN:

06741TEK9 / US06741TEK97

 

                      Subject to postponement in the event of a market disruption event as described under “Reference Assets—Indices—Market Disruption Events for Securities with the Reference Asset Comprised of an Index or Indices of Equity Securities” in the prospectus supplement.

††                    Expected.  In the event we make any change to the expected pricing date and issue date, the averaging dates and maturity date will be changed so that the stated term of the Notes remains the same.

 

Investing in the Notes involves a number of risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-6 of the prospectus supplement, “Risk Factors” beginning on page IS-2 of the index supplement and “Selected Risk Considerations” beginning on page FWP-3 of this free writing prospectus.

The Notes will not be listed on any U.S. securities exchange or quotation system. Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined that this free writing prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

Price to Public1

Agent’s Commission

Proceeds to Barclays Bank PLC

Per Note

100%

%

%

Total

$

$

$

 

1                      The price to the public for any single purchase by an investor in certain trust accounts, who is not being charged the full selling concession or fee by other dealers of approximately   %, is    %.  The price to the public for all other purchases of Notes is 100%.

 

The Notes are not bank deposits and are not insured by the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, nor are they obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank.  The Notes are not guaranteed under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program.

 



 

GRAPHIC

JPMorgan
Placement Agent

 

Barclays Bank PLC has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the offering to which this free writing prospectus relates.  Before you invest, you should read the prospectus dated August 31, 2010, the prospectus supplement dated May 27, 2011, the index supplement dated May 31, 2011, and other documents Barclays Bank PLC has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Barclays Bank PLC and this offering.  Buyers should rely upon the prospectus, prospectus supplement, index supplement and any relevant free writing prospectus or pricing supplement for complete details.  You may get these documents and other documents Barclays Bank PLC has filed for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov.  Alternatively, Barclays Bank PLC or any agent or dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you the prospectus, prospectus supplement, index supplement, preliminary pricing supplement, if any, and final pricing supplement (when completed) and this free writing prospectus if you request it by calling your Barclays Bank PLC sales representative, such dealer or 1-888-227-2275 (Extension 2-3430).  A copy of the prospectus may be obtained from Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue —Attn: US InvSol Support, New York, NY 10019.

 

You may revoke your offer to purchase the Notes at any time prior to the pricing as described on the cover of this free writing prospectus.  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.

 

ADDITIONAL TERMS SPECIFIC TO THE NOTES

 

You should read this free writing prospectus together with the prospectus dated August 31, 2010, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement dated May 27, 2011 and the index supplement dated May 31, 2011 relating to our Global Medium-Term Notes, Series A, of which these Notes are a part.  This free writing prospectus, together with the documents listed below, contains the terms of the Notes and supersedes all 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, brochures or other educational materials of ours.  You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth under “Risk Factors” in the prospectus supplement and the index supplement, as the Notes involve risks not associated with conventional debt securities.  We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisors 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):

 

·

Prospectus dated August 31, 2010:

 

 

 

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/312070/000119312510201448/df3asr.htm

 

 

·

Prospectus Supplement dated May 27, 2011:

 

 

 

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/312070/000119312511152766/d424b3.htm

 

 

·

Index Supplement dated May 31, 2011:

 

 

 

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/312070/000119312511154632/d424b3.htm

 

Our SEC file number is 1-10257.  As used in this free writing prospectus, the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our” refers to Barclays Bank PLC.

 



 

What is the Total Return on the Notes at Maturity Assuming a Range of Performance for the Index?

 

The following table illustrates the hypothetical total return at maturity on the Notes.  The “total return” as used in this free writing prospectus is the number, expressed as a percentage, that results from comparing the payment at maturity per $1,000 principal amount Note to $1,000.  The hypothetical total returns and examples set forth below assume an initial level of 1,405.87 and the final levels as set forth below.  The actual initial level and maximum return will be determined on the pricing date, and the actual final level will be determined based on the closing levels of the Index on the five averaging dates.  The hypothetical total returns and examples set forth below are for illustrative purposes only and may not be the actual total returns applicable to a purchaser of the Notes.  The numbers appearing in the following table and examples have been rounded for ease of analysis.  The examples below do not take into account any tax consequences from investing in the Notes.

 

Final Level

Index Return

Payment at Maturity

Total Return on the
Notes

 

 

 

 

2,038.51

45.00%

$1,742.50

74.25%

1,897.92

35.00%

$1,577.50

57.75%

1,757.34

25.00%

$1,412.50

41.25%

1,687.04

20.00%

$1,330.00

33.00%

1,616.75

15.00%

$1,247.50

24.75%

1,546.46

10.00%

$1,165.00

16.50%

1,476.16

5.00%

$1,082.50

8.25%

1,441.02

2.50%

$1,041.25

4.13%

1,405.87

0.00%

$1,000.00

0.00%

1,335.58

-5.00%

$950.00

-5.00%

1,265.28

-10.00%

$900.00

-10.00%

1,194.99

-15.00%

$850.00

-15.00%

1,124.70

-20.00%

$800.00

-20.00%

984.11

-30.00%

$700.00

-30.00%

843.52

-40.00%

$600.00

-40.00%

702.94

-50.00%

$500.00

-50.00%

562.35

-60.00%

$400.00

-60.00%

421.76

-70.00%

$300.00

-70.00%

281.17

-80.00%

$200.00

-80.00%

140.59

-90.00%

$100.00

-90.00%

0.00

-100.00%

$0.00

-100.00%

 

Hypothetical Examples of Amounts Payable at Maturity

 

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The following examples illustrate how the total returns set forth in the table above are calculated.

 

Example 1: The level of the Index increases from an initial level of 1,405.87 to a final level of 1,476.16, resulting in an index return of 5.00%.

Because the final level of 1,476.16 is greater than the initial level of 1,405.87, the investor receives a payment at maturity of $1,082.50 per $1,000 principal amount Note calculated as follows:

 

$1,000 + [$1,000 x (5.00% x 1.65)] = $1,082.50

 

Example 2: The level of the Index decreases from an initial level of 1,405.87 to a final level of 984.11, resulting in an index return of -30.00%.

Because the final level of 984.11 is less than the initial level of 1,405.87, the index return is negative and the investor will receive a payment at maturity of $700 per $1,000 principal amount Note calculated as follows:

 

$1,000 + ($1,000 x -30.00%) = $700

 

Selected Purchase Considerations

 

·                  Market Disruption Events and Adjustments—The averaging dates, maturity date, payment at maturity and the reference asset are subject to adjustment as described in the following sections of the prospectus supplement:

 

o                 For a description of what constitutes a market disruption event as well as the consequences of that market disruption event, see “Reference Assets—Indices—Market Disruption Events for Securities with the Reference Asset Comprised of an Index or Indices of Equity Securities”; and

o                 For a description of further adjustments that may affect the reference asset, see “Reference Assets—Indices—Adjustments Relating to Securities with the Reference Asset Comprised of an Index or Indices”.

 

·                  Appreciation Potential—The Notes provide the opportunity to enhance equity returns by multiplying a positive index return by the upside leverage factor.  Because the Notes are our senior unsecured obligations, payment of any amount at maturity is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due and is not guaranteed by any third party. For a description of risks with respect to the ability of Barclays Bank PLC to satisfy its obligations as they come due, see “Selected Risk Considerations—Credit of Issuer” in this free writing prospectus.

·                  Diversification Among U.S. Equities of the S&P 500® Index—The return on the Notes is linked to the S&P 500® Index.  The S&P 500® Index consists of 500 component stocks selected to provide a performance benchmark for the U.S. equity markets.  For additional information about the Index, see the information set forth under “Equity Indices— S&P 500® Index” in the index supplement.

 

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·                  Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—The material tax consequences of your investment in the Notes are summarized below.  The discussion below supplements the discussion under “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus supplement.  Except as noted under “Non-U.S. Holders” below, this section applies to you only if you are a U.S. holder (as defined in the accompanying prospectus supplement) and you hold your Notes as capital assets for tax purposes and does not apply to you if you are a member of a class of holders subject to special rules or are otherwise excluded from the discussion in the prospectus supplement (for example, if you did not purchase your Notes in the initial issuance of the Notes).

 

The United States federal income tax consequences of your investment in the Notes are uncertain and the Internal Revenue Service could assert that the Notes should be taxed in a manner that is different than described below.  Pursuant to the terms of the Notes, Barclays Bank PLC and you agree, in the absence of a change in law or an administrative or judicial ruling to the contrary, to characterize your Notes as a pre-paid cash-settled executory contract with respect to the Index.  If your Notes are so treated, you should generally recognize capital gain or loss upon the sale or maturity of your Notes in an amount equal to the difference between the amount you receive at such time and the amount you paid for your Notes.  Such gain or loss should generally be long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your Notes for more than one year.

 

In the opinion of our special tax counsel, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, your Notes should be treated in the manner described above.  This opinion assumes that the description of the terms of the Notes in this free writing prospectus is materially correct.

 

As discussed further in the accompanying prospectus supplement, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service are actively considering various alternative treatments that may apply to instruments such as the Notes, possibly with retroactive effect.

 

For a further discussion of the tax treatment of your Notes as well as possible alternative characterizations, please see the discussion under the heading “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—Certain Notes Treated as Forward Contracts or Executory Contracts” in the accompanying prospectus supplement.  You should consult your tax advisor as to the possible alternative treatments in respect of the Notes.  For additional, important considerations related to tax risks associated with investing in the Notes, you should also examine the discussion in “Selected Risk Considerations—Taxes”, in this free writing prospectus.

 

“Specified Foreign Financial Asset” Reporting.  Under legislation enacted in 2010, owners of “specified foreign financial assets” with an aggregate value in excess of $50,000 (and in some circumstances, a higher threshold) may be required to file an information report with respect to such assets with their tax returns.  “Specified foreign financial assets” generally include any financial accounts maintained by foreign financial institutions, as well as any of the following (which may include your Notes), but only if they are not held in accounts maintained by financial institutions:  (i) stocks and securities issued by non-U.S. persons, (ii) financial instruments and contracts held for investment that have non-U.S. issuers or counterparties and (iii) interests in foreign entities.  Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of this legislation to their ownership of the Notes.

 

Non-U.S. Holders.  The Treasury Department has issued proposed regulations under Section 871 of the Internal Revenue Code which could ultimately require us to treat all or a portion of any payment in respect of your Notes as a “dividend equivalent” payment that is subject to withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or a lower rate under an applicable treaty).  You could also be required to make certain certifications in order to avoid or minimize such withholding obligations, and you could be subject to withholding (subject to your potential right to claim a refund from the IRS) if such certifications were not received or were not satisfactory.  You should consult your tax advisor concerning the potential application of these regulations to payments you receive with respect to the Notes when these regulations are finalized.

 

Selected Risk Considerations

 

An investment in the Notes involves significant risks. Investing in the Notes is not equivalent to investing directly in the Index or any of the component stocks of the Index.  These risks are explained in more detail in the “Risk Factors” sections of the prospectus supplement and the index supplement, including but not limited to the risk factors discussed under the following headings:

 

o                 “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to All Securities”;

o                 “Risk Factors—Additional Risks Relating to Notes Which Pay No Interest”;

o                 “Risk Factors—Additional Risks Relating to Securities with Reference Assets That Are Equity Securities or Shares or Other Interests in Exchange-Traded Funds, That Contain Equity Securities or Shares or Other Interests in Exchange-Traded Funds or That Are Based in Part on Equity Securities or Shares or Other Interests in Exchange-Traded Funds”.

 

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In addition to the risks discussed under the headings above, you should consider the following:

·                  Your Investment in the Notes May Result in a Loss—The Notes do not guarantee any return of principal.  The return on the Notes at maturity is linked to the performance of the Index and will depend on whether, and the extent to which, the index return is positive or negative.  Your investment will be fully exposed to any decline in the final level as compared to the initial level.

·                  No Interest or Dividend Payments or Voting Rights—As a holder of the Notes, you will not receive interest payments, and you will not have voting rights or rights to receive cash dividends or other distributions or other rights that holders of securities composing the Index would have.

·                  Certain Built-In Costs Are Likely to Adversely Affect the Value of the Notes Prior to Maturity— While the payment at maturity described in this free writing prospectus is based on the full principal amount of your Notes, the original issue price of the Notes includes the agent’s commission and the cost of hedging our obligations under the Notes through one or more of our affiliates.  As a result, the price, if any, at which Barclays Capital Inc. and other affiliates of Barclays Bank PLC will be willing to purchase Notes from you in secondary market transactions will likely be lower than the price you paid for your Notes, and any sale prior to the maturity date could result in a substantial loss to you.

·                  Credit of Issuer — The Notes are senior unsecured debt obligations of the issuer, Barclays Bank PLC and are not, either directly or indirectly, an obligation of any third party.  Any payment to be made on the Notes depends on the ability of Barclays Bank PLC to satisfy its obligations as they come due.  In the event Barclays Bank PLC were to default on its obligations, you may not receive any amounts owed to you under the terms of the Notes.

·                  Lack of Liquidity— The Notes will not be listed on any securities exchange.  Barclays Capital Inc. and other affiliates of Barclays Bank PLC intend to make a secondary market for the Notes but are not required to do so, and may discontinue any such secondary market making at any time, without notice.  Barclays Capital Inc. may at any time hold unsold inventory, which may inhibit the development of a secondary market for the Notes. Even if there is a secondary market, it may not provide enough liquidity to allow you to trade or sell the Notes easily.  Because other dealers are not likely to make a secondary market for the Notes, the price at which you may be able to trade your Notes is likely to depend on the price, if any, at which Barclays Capital Inc. and other affiliates of Barclays Bank PLC are willing to buy the Notes. The Notes are not designed to be short-term trading instruments.  Accordingly, you should be able and willing to hold your Notes to maturity.

·                  Potential Conflicts—We and our affiliates play a variety of roles in connection with the issuance of the Notes, including acting as calculation agent and hedging our obligations under the Notes.  In performing these duties, the economic interests of the calculation agent and other affiliates of ours are potentially adverse to your interests as an investor in the Notes.

·                  Taxes—The U.S. federal income tax treatment of the Notes is uncertain and the Internal Revenue Service could assert that the Notes should be taxed in a manner that is different than described above.  As discussed further in the accompanying prospectus supplement, the Internal Revenue Service issued a notice in 2007 indicating that it and the Treasury Department are actively considering whether, among other issues, you should be required to accrue interest over the term of an instrument such as the Notes and whether all or part of the gain you may recognize upon the sale or maturity of an instrument such as the Notes could be treated as ordinary income.  Similarly, the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department have current projects open with regard to the tax treatment of pre-paid forward contracts, contingent notional principal contracts and other derivative contracts.  While it is impossible to anticipate how any ultimate guidance would affect the tax treatment of instruments such as the Notes (and while any such guidance may be issued on a prospective basis only), such guidance could be applied retroactively and could in any case increase the likelihood that you will be required to accrue income over the term of an instrument such as the Notes even though you will not receive any payments with respect to the Notes until maturity.  The outcome of this process is uncertain.  You should consult your tax advisor as to the possible alternative treatments in respect of the Notes.

·                  The Payment at Maturity on Your Notes is Not Based on the Level of the Index at Any Time Other than the Averaging Dates —The final level and the index return will be based solely on the closing level of the Index on the averaging dates relative to the initial level (subject to adjustments as described in the prospectus supplement). Therefore, if the level of the Index drops precipitously on one or more of the averaging dates, the payment at maturity, if any, that you will receive for your Notes may be significantly less than it would otherwise have been had the payment at maturity been linked to the level of the Index at a time prior to such drop. Although the level of Index on the maturity date or at other times during the life of your Notes may be higher than the closing level on the averaging dates, you will not benefit from the level of the Index at any time other than the averaging dates.

·                  Suitability of the Notes for Investment—You should reach a decision to invest in the Notes after carefully considering, with your advisors, the suitability of the Notes in light of your investment objectives and the specific information set out in this free writing prospectus, the prospectus supplement, the index supplement and the prospectus. Neither the Issuer nor Barclays Capital Inc. makes any recommendation as to the suitability of the Notes for investment.

·                  Many Economic and Market Factors Will Impact the Value of the Notes—In addition to the level of the Index on any day, the value of the Notes will be affected by a number of economic and market factors that may either offset or magnify each other, including:

o                 the expected volatility of the Index;

o                 the time to maturity of the Notes;

o                 the dividend rate on the common stocks underlying the Index;

o                 interest and yield rates in the market generally;

o                 a variety of economic, financial, political, regulatory or judicial events; and

o                 our creditworthiness, including actual or anticipated downgrades in our credit ratings.

 

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Historical Information

 

The following graph sets forth the historical performance of the Index based on the daily Index closing level from January 7, 2002 through August 10, 2012.  The closing level of the Index on August 10, 2012 was 1,405.87.

 

We obtained the Index closing levels below from Bloomberg, L.P.  We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg, L.P.  The historical levels of the Index should not be taken as an indication of future performance, and no assurance can be given as to the Index closing level on any of the averaging dates.  We cannot give you assurance that the performance of the Index will result in the return of any of your initial investment.

 

 

PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS.

 

Certain Employee Retirement Income Security Act Considerations

 

Your purchase of a Note in an Individual Retirement Account (an “IRA”), will be deemed to be a representation and warranty by you, as a fiduciary of the IRA and also on behalf of the IRA, that (i) neither the issuer, the placement agent nor any of their respective affiliates has or exercises any discretionary authority or control or acts in a fiduciary capacity with respect to the IRA assets used to purchase the Note or renders investment advice (within the meaning of Section 3(21)(A)(ii) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”)) with respect to any such IRA assets and (ii) in connection with the purchase of the Note, the IRA will pay no more than “adequate consideration” (within the meaning of Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA) and in connection with any redemption of the Note pursuant to its terms will receive at least adequate consideration, and, in making the foregoing representations and warranties, you have (x) applied sound business principles in determining whether fair market value will be paid, and (y) made such determination acting in good faith.

 

Supplemental Plan of Distribution

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and JPMorgan Securities LLC will act as placement agents for the Notes pursuant to separate placement agency agreements with the issuer and will receive a fee pursuant to its agreement that will not exceed $20.00 per $1,000 principal amount Note. JPMorgan Securities LLC may act on behalf of an affiliate and may reallow all or a portion of fees received in connection with the distribution of the Notes to such affiliate.

 

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