Contango Fighter, GASZ, Significantly Outperforms Leading Natural Gas ETF, UNG

Published on Wednesday, 08 February 2012 10:09 Written by TradersHuddle Staff

NEW YORK-( Business Wire )-

UBS Investment Bank today announced that the ETRACS Natural Gas Futures Contango ETN (Ticker: GASZ), linked to the ISE Natural Gas Futures Spread™ Index (the “Index”), has significantly outperformed the leading natural gas ETF, the United States Natural Gas Fund (Ticker: UNG), year-to-date, during the last 6 months and since both products could be purchased on an exchange.

GASZ is designed to capitalize on potential contango market environments typical to natural gas futures contracts. GASZ offers the potential to profit from the negative roll costs associated with the steepness in the short end of the natural gas futures curve, making it suitable for long-term investment horizons. Securities which fail to address the negative roll costs associated with contango markets lose value over time as investors are forced to repeatedly sell futures contracts at low prices and replace these with higher priced futures contracts.

Ticker							YTD Total Return*							6-Month Total Return*							Total Return Since 6/16/2011*^
GASZ							5.80%							12.78%							14.91%
UNG							-14.52%							-44.92%							-51.26%

Source: Bloomberg, 2/6/2012

* The intraday values for each security (On Bloomberg: GASZIV Equity <Go> and UNGIV Equity <Go>) were used to calculate the returns

^ The first day that both products could be purchased on an exchange

As an ETN, GASZ also benefits from the elimination of index tracking error and avoids the tax administration burden associated with K-1 forms¹. However, ETRACS ETNs are subject to investor fees, and therefore, the return on the ETNs will always be less than the return on a direct investment in the Index.

About the ISE Natural Gas Futures Spread™ Index

The ISE Natural Gas Futures Spread™ Index, through a series of investments in natural gas sub-indices, effectively provides short exposure in front month natural gas futures contracts and long exposure in mid-term natural gas futures contracts. This is achieved by taking a 100% long position in the components of the ISE Short Front Month Natural Gas Futures™ Index, which provides short (or inverse) exposure to the ISE Long Front Month Natural Gas Futures™ Index and an aggregate 100% long position in the components of the ISE Twelfth Month Natural Gas Futures™ Index, ISE Thirteenth Month Natural Gas Futures™ Index and ISE Fourteenth Natural Gas Futures™ Index (33.33% per index), which provides long exposure to the mid-term Henry Hub Natural Gas Futures (NG) futures contracts. The Index is rebalanced monthly before the sub-indices’ roll process to maintain the 1:1 long/short ratio.

About ETRACS

For further information about ETRACS ETNs, go to http://www.etracs.com.

Exchange Traded Access Securities ETNs (“ETRACS ETNs”), are exchange-traded notes, an innovative class of investment products offering access to markets and strategies that may not be readily available to investors, and offer unique diversification opportunities in a number of different sectors. ETRACS ETNs may offer:

• Access to asset classes with historically low correlations to more traditional asset classes
• Convenience of an exchange-traded security
• Transparent exposure to a published index

ETRACS ETNs are senior unsecured notes issued by UBS AG (“UBS”), are traded on NYSE Arca, and can be bought and sold through a broker or financial advisor. An investment in ETRACS ETNs is subject to a number of risks, including the risk of loss of some or all of the investor’s principal, and is subject to the creditworthiness of UBS. We urge you to read the more detailed explanation of risks described under “Risk Factors” in the prospectus supplement for the ETRACS ETN.

There are 41 ETRACS ETNs:

ETRACS ETN Name										Ticker
Master Limited Partnerships
	Alerian MLP Infrastructure									MLPI
	2x Monthly Leveraged Long Alerian MLP Infrastructure									MLPL
	1x Monthly Short Alerian MLP Infrastructure TR*									MLPS
	Alerian Natural Gas MLP									MLPG
	Wells Fargo MLP Index									MLPW
Business Development Companies
	Wells Fargo Business Development Company Index									BDCS
	2x Monthly Leveraged Wells Fargo Business Development Company Index									BDCL
Alpha Strategies
	Long-Short S&P 500 VIX Futures									XVIX
	Natural Gas Futures Contango ETN									GASZ
	Oil Futures Contango ETN									OILZ
Hybrid
	S&P 500 Gold Hedged									SPGH
	Fisher-Gartman Risk On ETN									ONN
	Fisher-Gartman Risk Off ETN									OFF
Commodities
	CMCI TR									UCI
	CMCI Agriculture TR									UAG
	CMCI Energy TR									UBN
	CMCI Food TR									FUD
	CMCI Gold TR									UBG
	CMCI Industrial Metals TR									UBM
	CMCI Livestock TR									UBC
	CMCI Long Platinum ER*									PTM
	CMCI Short Platinum ER									PTD
	CMCI Silver TR									USV
	DJ-UBS Commodity Index TR									DJCI
Equities
	Next Generation Internet ETN									EIPO
	Monthly 2xLeveraged Next Generation Internet ETN									EIPL
	Long ISE Solid State Drive Index									SSDD
	2xLeveraged Long ISE Solid State Drive Index									SSDL
	Monthly 2xLeveraged ISE Cloud Computing TR									LSKY
Volatility
	Long-Short S&P 500 VIX Futures									XVIX
	Long 1-Month S&P 500 VIX Futures									VXAA
	Long 2-Month S&P 500 VIX Futures									VXBB
	Long 3-Month S&P 500 VIX Futures									VXCC
	Long 4-Month S&P 500 VIX Futures									VXDD
	Long 5-Month S&P 500 VIX Futures									VXEE
	Long 6-Month S&P 500 VIX Futures									VXFF
	Short 1-Month S&P 500 VIX Futures									AAVX
	Short 2-Month S&P 500 VIX Futures									BBVX
	Short 3-Month S&P 500 VIX Futures									CCVX
	Short 4-Month S&P 500 VIX Futures									DDVX
	Short 5-Month S&P 500 VIX Futures									EEVX
	Short 6-Month S&P 500 VIX Futures									FFVX
	*TR=Total Return and ER=Excess Return

The contents of any website referred to in this communication are not part of, or incorporated by reference in, this communication. UBS has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus, as supplemented by a prospectus supplement for the offerings of the ETRACS ETNs) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the offerings to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read these documents and any other documents that UBS has filed with the SEC for more complete information about UBS and the offering to which this communication relates. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, you can request the prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement by calling toll-free (+1.877.387.2275).

Futures and futures options trading is speculative, involves a high degree of risk and is not suitable for all investors. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.

¹ Significant aspects of the tax treatment of the ETNs are uncertain. You should consult your own tax advisor about your own tax situation.

© UBS 2012. The key symbol, UBS and ETRACS are among the registered and unregistered trademarks of UBS. “UBS Bloomberg Constant Maturity Commodity Index” and “CMCI” are service marks of UBS and/or Bloomberg. “Dow Jones,” “DJ-UBS Commodity Index” and “DJ-UBSCI” are service marks of Dow Jones & Company Inc. and UBS AG, as the case may be. “Standard & Poor’s®,” “S&P®,” “S&P 500®,” “Standard & Poor’s 500™,” “S&P 500 Gold Hedged,” “S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index,” “S&P 500 VIX 2-Month Futures Index,” “S&P 500 VIX 3-Month Futures Index,” “S&P 500 VIX 4-Month Futures Index,” “S&P 500 VIX Mid-Term Futures Index,” and “S&P 500 VIX 6-Month Futures Index” are trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”) and have been licensed for use by UBS. “VIX” is a registered trademark of the Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated (“CBOE”) and has been licensed to S&P. The ETRACS ETNs are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P or CBOE and neither S&P nor CBOE makes any representation regarding the advisability of investing in the ETNs. “ISE Cloud Computing™ Total Return Index”, “ISE Solid State Drive™ Index”, “ISE Oil Futures Spread™”, “ISE Natural Gas Futures Spread™”, “ISE™®”, and “International Securities Exchange®” are trademarks of International Securities Exchange, LLC ("ISE" or "Licensor") and have been licensed for use for certain purposes by UBS Securities LLC and its affiliates. UBS AG’s ETRACS Monthly 2xLeveraged ISE Cloud Computing TR Index ETN, ETRACS ISE Solid State Drive Index ETN, ETRACS Monthly 2xLeveraged ISE Solid State Drive Index ETN, ETRACS Natural Gas Futures Contango ETN and ETRACS Oil Futures Contango ETN based on the ISE Cloud Computing™ Total Return Index, ISE Solid State Drive™ Index, ISE Natural Gas Futures Spread™ Index and the ISE Oil Futures Spread™ Index, respectively, are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by ISE, and ISE makes no representation regarding the advisability of trading in such product(s). Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index, Alerian Natural Gas MLP Index, Alerian MLP Infrastructure Total Return Index, Alerian Natural Gas MLP Total Return Index, AMZI, AMZIX and ANGI are trademarks of GKD Index Partners, LLC d/b/a Alerian and their use is granted under a license from GKD Index Partners. Wells Fargo Securities, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Wells Fargo, and Wells Fargo® Master Limited Partnership Index are trademarks of Wells Fargo & Company and have been licensed for use by UBS AG. ETRACS Wells Fargo MLP Index is not issued, guaranteed, sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Wells Fargo & Company, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC or their subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively, “Wells Fargo”). Wells Fargo makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to investors in the ETRACS ETNs or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in this ETRACS Wells Fargo MLP Index particularly or the ability of any data supplied by Wells Fargo or any Index to track financial instruments comprising the Index or any trading market. Wells Fargo & Company does not guarantee that the Index referenced by the ETRACS ETNs has been accurately calculated and shall not have any liability for any error in the calculation. Wells Fargo’s only relationship to UBS AG is the licensing of certain intellectual property rights relating to the Index as well as trademarks and trade names of Wells Fargo and of the data supplied by Wells Fargo that is determined, composed, compiled and calculated by Wells Fargo or a third party index calculator, without regard to this ETRACS Wells Fargo MLP Index. Wells Fargo has no obligation to take into consideration the ETRACS Wells Fargo MLP Index or investors in the ETRACS ETNs when determining, composing, compiling or calculating the data. Wells Fargo has no obligation or liability in connection with the listing, registration, distribution, administration, marketing, trading or redemption or settlement by the issuer or otherwise of this ETRACS Wells Fargo MLP Index. Wells Fargo does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the index or of any data supplied by it or any data included therein. Wells Fargo makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by UBS AG and the ETRACS Wells Fargo MLP Index, or any other person or entity from the use of index or of the data supplied by Wells Fargo or any data included therein. Wells Fargo makes no express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to the index and the data supplied by Wells Fargo or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall Wells Fargo have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect, or consequential damages (including lost profits), even if notified of the possibility of such damages. "MBF Index Holdings, LLC”, “The Fisher-Gartman Risk Index”, “The Fisher-Gartman Equity Subindex” and “The Fisher-Gartman Sovereign Bond Subindex” are trademarks of MBF Index Holdings, LLC and have been licensed for use by UBS AG. The ETRACS Fisher-Gartman Risk On ETN and ETRACS Fisher-Gartman Risk Off ETN are not issued by, sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by MBF Index Holdings, LLC or its affiliates and MBF Index Holdings, LLC makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the product. MBF Index Holdings, LLC does not guarantee that the Index referenced by the product has been accurately calculated and shall not have any liability for any error in the calculation. Other marks may be trademarks of their respective owners. All rights reserved. UBS assumes sole responsibility for this marketing material, which has not been reviewed by Bloomberg.

Notes to Editors

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UBS is present in all major financial centers worldwide. It has offices in over 50 countries, with about 37% of its employees working in the Americas, 37% in Switzerland, 16% in the rest of Europe and 10% in Asia Pacific. UBS employs about 65,000 people around the world. Its shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

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