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Invesco DB Base Metals Fund: Form 10-Q for the period ended Mar 31, 2015

Filed with the SEC on May 11, 2015 and accepted by EDGAR at May 11, 2015, 20:17 ET.

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Management's discussion and analysis

As filed, 52,020 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.

This information should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes included in Item 1 of Part I of this Quarterly Report (the “Report”). The discussion and analysis which follows may contain trend analysis and other forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) which reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial results. The matters discussed throughout this Report that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the registrant’s current expectations, estimates and projections about the registrant’s business and industry and its beliefs and assumptions about future events. Words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “outlook” and “estimate”, as well as similar words and phrases, signify forward-looking statements. PowerShares DB Base Metals Fund’s (the “Fund”) forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and conditions and important factors, risks and uncertainties may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements.

You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Except as expressly required by the Federal securities laws, Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC, undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or the risks, uncertainties or other factors described in this Report, as a result of new information, future events or changed circumstances or for any other reason after the date of this Report.

Overview/Introduction

On October 24, 2014, DB Commodity Services LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“DBCS”), DB U.S. Financial Markets Holding Corporation (“DBUSH”) and Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (“Invesco”) entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Agreement”). DBCS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DBUSH. DBCS agreed to transfer and sell to Invesco all of DBCS’ interest in the PowerShares DB Base Metals Fund (the “Fund”), including the sole and exclusive power to direct the business and affairs of the Fund, as well as certain other assets of DBCS pertaining to the management of the Fund, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Agreement (the “Transaction”).

The Transaction was consummated on February 23, 2015 (the “Closing Date”). Invesco now serves as the managing owner (the “Managing Owner”), commodity pool operator and commodity trading advisor of the Fund, in replacement of DBCS (the “Predecessor Managing Owner”).

The Fund seeks to track changes, whether positive or negative, in the level of the DBIQ Optimum Yield Industrial Metals Index Excess Return™ (the “Index”) over time, plus the excess, if any, of the Fund’s interest income from its holdings of United States Treasury Obligations and other high credit quality short-term fixed income securities over the expenses of the Fund. The Shares are designed for investors who want a cost-effective and convenient way to invest in a group of commodity futures contracts on U.S. and non-U.S. markets.

As of the date of this Report, each of Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp., Newedge USA LLC, Virtu Financial Capital Markets LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Virtu Financial BD LLC, Knight Capital Americas LLC, Timber Hill LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Jefferies LLC, Nomura Securities International Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC, UBS Securities LLC, Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Goldman Sachs Execution & Clearing, L.P. has executed a Participant Agreement and are the only Authorized Participants.

The Fund pursues its investment objective by investing in a portfolio of exchange-traded commodity futures contracts that expire in a specific month and trade on a specific exchange (the “Index Contracts”) in the commodities comprising the Index (the “Index Commodities”). The Index Commodities are aluminum, zinc and copper-Grade A. The Index is composed of notional amounts of each of the Index Commodities. The Fund also holds United States Treasury Obligations and other high credit quality short-term fixed income securities for deposit with the Fund’s Commodity Broker as margin. After the Closing Date, the aggregate notional value of the commodity futures contracts owned by the Fund is expected to approximate the aggregate net asset value of the Fund as opposed to the aggregate Index value.

Although the LME does not currently impose position limits on the Index Commodities, the LME may in the future impose position limits on market participants trading in certain commodities included in the Index. Further, in the event the Fund invests in alternative commodity futures contracts as described below, that trade on a U.S. exchange, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) and/or commodity exchanges, as applicable, impose position limits on market participants trading in the commodities included in the Index. As disclosed in the Fund’s Prospectus, if the Managing Owner determines in its commercially reasonable judgment that it has become impracticable or inefficient for any reason for the Fund to gain full or partial exposure to any Index Commodity by investing in a specific Index Contract, the Fund may invest in a commodity futures contract referencing the particular Index Commodity other than the Index Contract or, in the alternative, invest in other commodity futures contracts not based on the particular Index Commodity if, in the commercially reasonable judgment of the Managing Owner, such commodity futures contracts tend to exhibit trading prices that correlate with such Index Commodity. Please see http://www.invescopowershares.com with respect to the most recently available weighted composition of the Fund and the composition of the Index on the Base Date.

The Fund is not sponsored or endorsed by Deutsche Bank AG, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. or any subsidiary or affiliate of Deutsche Bank AG or Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. (collectively, “Deutsche Bank”). The DBIQ Optimum Yield Industrial Metals Index Excess Return™ (the “Index”) is the exclusive property of Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. “DBIQ” is a service mark of Deutsche Bank AG and has been licensed for use for certain purposes by Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. Neither Deutsche Bank nor any other party involved in, or related to, making or compiling the Index makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, concerning the Index, the Fund or the advisability of investing in securities generally. Neither Deutsche Bank nor any other party involved in, or related to, making or compiling the Index has any obligation to take the needs of the Managing Owner, or its clients into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Index. Neither Deutsche Bank nor any other party involved in, or related to, making or compiling the Index is responsible for or has participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, quantities or valuation of the Fund. Neither Deutsche Bank nor any other party involved in, or related to, making or compiling the Index has any obligation or liability in connection with the administration or trading of the Fund.

NEITHER DEUTSCHE BANK NOR ANY OTHER PARTY INVOLVED IN, OR RELATED TO, MAKING OR COMPILING THE INDEX, WARRANTS OR GUARANTEES THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. NEITHER DEUTSCHE BANK NOR ANY OTHER PARTY INVOLVED IN, OR RELATED TO, MAKING OR COMPILING THE INDEX, MAKES ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY INVESCO POWERSHARES CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC FROM THE USE OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. NEITHER DEUTSCHE BANK NOR ANY OTHER PARTY INVOLVED IN, OR RELATED TO, MAKING OR COMPILING THE INDEX, MAKES ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL DEUTSCHE BANK OR ANY OTHER PARTY INVOLVED IN, OR RELATED TO, MAKING OR COMPILING THE INDEX HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES OR LOSSES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED TO THE CONTRARY, THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN DEUTSCHE BANK AND INVESCO POWERSHARES CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC.

No purchaser, seller or holder of the Shares of this Fund, or any other person or entity, should use or refer to any Deutsche Bank trade name, trademark or service mark to sponsor, endorse, market or promote this Fund without first contacting Deutsche Bank to determine whether Deutsche Bank’s permission is required. Under no circumstances may any person or entity claim any affiliation with Deutsche Bank without the written permission of Deutsche Bank.

The Index is composed of notional amounts of each of the underlying Index Commodities. The notional amount of each Index Commodity included in the Index is intended to reflect the changes in market value of each such Index Commodity within the Index. The closing level of the Index is calculated on each business day by the Index Sponsor based on the closing price of the commodity futures contracts for each of the underlying Index Commodities and the notional amounts of such Index Commodities. The Index is rebalanced annually in November to ensure that each of the Index Commodities is weighted in the same proportion that such Index Commodities were weighted on September 3, 1997 (the “Base Date”). The following table reflects the index base weights (the “Index Base Weights”) of each Index Commodity on the Base Date:

Index Commodity Index Base Weight (%)
Aluminum 33.34
Zinc 33.33
Copper-Grade A 33.33
Closing Level on Base Date: 100.00

The composition of the Index may be adjusted in the event that the Index Sponsor is not able to calculate the closing prices of the Index Commodities.

The following table reflects the Fund weights of each Index Commodity or related commodity futures contracts, as applicable, as of March 31, 2015:

Index Commodity Fund Weight (%)
Aluminum 32.49
Zinc 33.79
Copper-Grade A 33.72
Closing Level as of March 31, 2015: 100.00

Please see http://www.invescopowershares.com with respect to the most recently available weighted composition of the Fund and the composition of the Fund’s Index on the Base Date.

The Index includes provisions for the replacement of commodity futures contracts as they approach maturity. This replacement takes place over a period of time in order to lessen the impact on the market for the commodity futures contracts being replaced. With respect to each Index Commodity, the Fund employs a rule-based approach when it “rolls” from one commodity futures contract to another.

Rather than select a new commodity futures contract based on a predetermined schedule (e.g., monthly), each Index Commodity rolls to the commodity futures contract which generates the best possible “implied roll yield.” The commodity futures contract with a delivery month within the next thirteen months which generates the best possible implied roll yield will be included in each Index. As a result, each Index Commodity is able to potentially maximize the roll benefits in backwardated markets and minimize the losses from rolling in contangoed markets for each Index Commodity, respectively.

In general, as a commodity futures contract approaches its expiration date, its price will move towards the spot price in a contangoed market. Assuming the spot price does not change, this would result in the commodity futures contract price decreasing and a negative implied roll yield. The opposite is true in a backwardated market. Rolling in a contangoed market will tend to cause a drag on an Index Commodity’s contribution to the Fund’s return while rolling in a backwardated market will tend to cause a push on an Index Commodity’s contribution to the Fund’s return.

The DBIQ Optimum Yield Industrial Metals Index is calculated in USD on both an excess return (unfunded) and total return (funded) basis.

The commodity futures contract price for each Index Commodity will be the exchange closing price for such Index Commodity on each weekday when banks in New York, New York are open (the “Index Business Days”). If a weekday is not an Exchange Business Day (as defined in the following sentence) but is an Index Business Day, the exchange closing price from the previous Index Business Day will be used for each Index Commodity. “Exchange Business Day” means, in respect of an Index Commodity, a day that is a trading day for such Index Commodity on the relevant exchange (unless either an Index disruption event or force majeure event has occurred).

On the first New York business day (the “Verification Date”) of each month, each Index Commodity futures contract will be tested in order to determine whether to continue including it in the Index. If the Index Commodity futures contract requires delivery of the underlying commodity in the next month, known as the Delivery Month, a new Index Commodity futures contract will be selected for inclusion in the Index. For example, if the first New York business day is October 1, 2015, and the Delivery Month of the Index Commodity futures contract currently in such Index is November 2015, a new Index Commodity futures contract with a later Delivery Month will be selected.

For each underlying Index Commodity of the Index, the new Index Commodity futures contract selected will be the Index Commodity futures contract with the best possible “implied roll yield” based on the closing price for each eligible Index Commodity futures contract. Eligible Index Commodity futures contracts are any Index Commodity futures contracts having a Delivery Month (i) no sooner than the month after the Delivery Month of the Index Commodity futures contract currently in such Index, and (ii) no later than the 13th month after the Verification Date. For example, if the first New York business day is October 1, 2015 and the Delivery Month of an Index Commodity futures contract currently in the Index is November 2015, the Delivery Month of an eligible new Index Commodity futures contract must be between December 2015 and October 2016. The implied roll yield is then calculated and the commodity futures contract on the Index Commodity with the best possible implied roll yield is then selected. If two commodity futures contracts have the same implied roll yield, the commodity futures contract with the minimum number of months prior to the Delivery Month is selected.

After the commodity futures contract selection, the monthly roll for each Index Commodity subject to a roll in that particular month unwinds the old commodity futures contract and enters a position in the new commodity futures contract. This takes place between the 2nd and 6th Index Business Day of the month.

On each day during the roll period, new notional holdings are calculated. The calculations for the commodity futures contracts on the old Index Commodities that are leaving the Index and the commodity futures contracts on the new Index Commodities are then calculated.

On all days that are not monthly index roll days, the notional holdings of each Index Commodity future remains constant.

The Index is re-weighted on an annual basis on the 6th Index Business Day of each November.

The calculation of the Index is expressed as the weighted average return of the Index Commodities.

Under the Fifth Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement of the Trust (the “Trust Agreement”), Wilmington Trust Company, the Trustee of the Trust, has delegated to the Managing Owner the exclusive management and control of all aspects of the business of the Trust and the Fund. The Trustee will have no duty or liability to supervise or monitor the performance of the Managing Owner, nor will the Trustee have any liability for the acts or omissions of the Managing Owner.

The Shares are intended to provide investment results that generally correspond to the changes, positive or negative, in the levels of the Index over time. The value of the Shares is expected to fluctuate in relation to changes in the value of the Fund’s portfolio. The market price of the Shares may not be identical to the net asset value per Share, but these two valuations are expected to be very close.

Margin Calls

Like other futures and derivatives traders, the Fund will be subject to margin calls from time-to-time. The term “margin” has a different meaning in the context of commodity futures contracts and other derivatives than it does in the context of securities. In particular, “margin” on a futures position does not constitute a borrowing of money or the collateralization of a loan. The Fund does not borrow money.

To establish a position in an exchange-traded commodity futures contract, the Fund makes a deposit of “initial margin.” The amount of initial margin required to be deposited in order to establish a position in an exchange-traded commodity futures contract varies from instrument to instrument depending, generally, on the historical volatility of the commodity futures contract in question. Determination of the amount of the required initial margin deposit in respect of a particular contract is made by the exchange on which the contract is listed. To establish a long position in an over-the-counter instrument, the counterparty may require an analogous deposit of collateral, depending upon the anticipated volatility of the instrument and the creditworthiness of the person seeking to establish the position. The deposit of initial margin provides assurance to futures commission merchants and clearing brokers involved in the settlement process that sufficient resources are likely to be on deposit to enable a client’s position to be closed by recourse to the initial margin deposit should the client fail to meet a demand for variation margin, even if changes in the value of the contract in question, which are marked to market from day to day, continue to reflect the contract’s historical volatility. Collateral deposited in support of an over-the-counter instrument serves a similar purpose. Once a position has been established on a futures exchange, “variation margin” generally is credited or assessed at least daily to reflect changes in the value of the position. In contrast to “initial margin,” “variation margin” represents a system of marking to market the commodity futures contract’s value. Thus, traders in exchange-traded commodity futures contracts are assessed daily in an amount equal to that day’s accumulated losses in respect of any open position (or are credited daily with accumulated gains in respect of such position). Collateral may move between the parties to an over-the-counter instrument in a similar manner as gains or losses accumulate in the instrument. As with initial margin, variation margin serves to secure the obligations of the investor under the contract and to protect those involved in the settlement process against the possibility that a client will have insufficient resources to meet its contractual obligations. Collateral deposited in support of an over-the-counter instrument serves a similar purpose. Like initial margin (or an equivalent deposit of collateral), variation margin (or an equivalent deposit of collateral) does not constitute a borrowing of money, is not considered to be part of the contract purchase price and is returned upon the contract’s termination unless it is used to cover a loss in the contract position. United States Treasury Obligations are used routinely to collateralize OTC derivative positions, and are deposited routinely as margin to collateralize futures positions. The Fund may liquidate United States Treasury Obligations to meet an initial or variation margin requirement.

Performance Summary

This Report covers the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 (hereinafter referred to as the “Three Months Ended March 31, 2015” and the “Three Months Ended March 31, 2014”, respectively).

The Fund commenced trading on the American Stock Exchange (which became the NYSE Alternext US LLC (the “NYSE Alternext”)) on January 5, 2007, and, as of November 25, 2008, is listed on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “NYSE Arca”).

Performance of the Fund and the exchange traded Shares are detailed below in “Results of Operations”. The Fund’s performance information from inception up to and excluding the Closing Date is a reflection of the performance associated with the Predecessor Managing Owner. The Managing Owner has served as managing owner of the Fund since the Closing Date, and the Fund’s performance information since the Closing Date is a reflection of the performance associated with the Managing Owner. Past performance of the Fund is not necessarily indicative of future performance.

The Index is intended to reflect the change in market value of the Index Commodities. In turn, the Index is intended to reflect the base metals sector. The DBIQ Optimum Yield Industrial Metals Index Total Return™ (the “DBIQ-OY Industrial Metals TR™”) consists of the Index plus 3-month United States Treasury Obligations returns. Past Index results are not necessarily indicative of future changes, positive or negative, in the Index closing levels.

The section “Summary of DBIQ-OY Industrial Metals TR™ and Underlying Index Commodity Returns for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015 and for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2014” below provides an overview of the changes in the closing levels of DBIQ-OY Industrial Metals TR™ by disclosing the change in market value of each underlying component Index Commodity through a “surrogate” (and analogous) index plus 3-month United States Treasury Obligations returns. Please note also that the Fund’s objective is to track the Index (not DBIQ-OY Industrial Metals TR™), and the Fund does not attempt to outperform or underperform the Index.

Summary of DBIQ-OY Industrial Metals TR™ and Underlying Index Commodity

Returns for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015

and for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2014

Underlying Index Three Months Ended March 31, 2015 Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
DB Aluminum Indices (4.12)% (2.34)%
DB Zinc Indices (5.23)% (3.58)%
DB Copper—Grade A Indices (3.70)% (9.33)%
AGGREGATE RETURN (4.36)% (5.11)%

If the Fund’s interest income from its holdings of fixed income securities were to exceed the Fund’s fees and expenses, the aggregate return on an investment in the Fund is expected to outperform the Index and underperform the DBIQ-OY Industrial Metals TR™. The only difference between (i) the Index and (ii) the DBIQ-OY Industrial Metals TR™ is that the Index does not include interest income from a hypothetical basket of fixed income securities while the DBIQ-OY Industrial Metals TR™ does include such a component. Thus, the difference between the Index and the DBIQ-OY Industrial Metals TR™ is attributable entirely to the hypothetical interest income from this hypothetical basket of fixed income securities. If the Fund’s interest income from its holdings of fixed income securities exceeds the Fund’s fees and expenses, then the amount of such excess is expected to be distributed periodically. The market price of the Shares is expected to closely track the Index. The aggregate return on an investment in the Fund over any period is the sum of the capital appreciation or depreciation of the Shares over the period, plus the amount of any distributions during the period. Consequently, the Fund’s aggregate return is expected to outperform the Index by the amount of the excess, if any, of its interest income over its fees and expenses but, as a result of the Fund’s fees and expenses, the aggregate return on the Fund is expected to underperform the DBIQ-OY Industrial Metals TR™. If the Fund’s fees and expenses were to exceed the Fund’s interest income from its holdings of fixed income securities, the aggregate return on an investment in the Fund is expected to underperform the Index.

Net Asset Value

Net asset value means the total assets of the Fund, including, but not limited to, all commodity futures contracts, cash and investments less total liabilities of the Fund, each determined on the basis of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”), consistently applied under the accrual method of accounting. In particular, net asset value includes any unrealized appreciation or depreciation on open commodity futures contracts, and any other credit or debit accruing to the Fund but unpaid or not received by the Fund. All open commodity futures contracts will be calculated at their then current market value, which will be based upon the settlement price for that particular commodity futures contract traded on the applicable exchange on the date with respect to which net asset value is being determined; provided, that if a commodity futures contract could not be liquidated on such day, due to the operation of daily limits or other rules of the exchange upon which that position is traded or otherwise, the Managing Owner may value such commodity futures contract pursuant to policies the Managing Owner has adopted, which are consistent with normal industry standards. The Managing Owner may in its discretion (and under circumstances, including, but not limited to, periods during which a settlement price of a commodity futures contract is not available due to exchange limit orders or force majeure type events such as systems failure, natural or man-made disaster, act of God, armed conflict, act of terrorism, riot or labor disruption or any similar intervening circumstance) value any asset of the Fund pursuant to such other principles as the Managing Owner deems fair and equitable so long as such principles are consistent with normal industry standards. Interest earned on the Fund’s brokerage account is accrued monthly. The amount of any distribution is a liability of the Fund from the day when the distribution is declared until it is paid.

Net asset value per share is the net asset value of the Fund divided by the number of outstanding Shares.

Critical Accounting Policies

The Fund’s critical accounting policies are as follows:

Preparation of the financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires the application of appropriate accounting rules and guidance, as well as the use of estimates, and requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenue and expense and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities during the reporting period of the financial statements and accompanying notes. The Fund’s application of these policies involves judgments and actual results may differ from the estimates used.

The Fund holds a significant portion of its assets in commodity futures contracts and United States Treasury Obligations, both of which are recorded on a trade date basis and at fair value in the financial statements, with changes in fair value reported in the statement of income and expenses.

The use of fair value to measure financial instruments, with related unrealized gains or losses recognized in earnings in each period, is fundamental to the Fund’s financial statements. U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date, under current market conditions.

U.S. GAAP establishes a hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation methods, giving the highest priority to readily available unadjusted quoted prices in an active market for identical assets (Level 1) and the lowest priority to significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), generally when market prices are not readily available or are unreliable. Based on the valuation inputs, the securities or other investments are tiered into one of three levels. Changes in valuation methods may result in transfers in or out of an investment’s assigned level. See Note 5(c) within the financial statements in Item 1 for further information.

When market closing prices are not available, the Managing Owner may value an asset of the Fund pursuant to policies the Managing Owner has adopted, which are consistent with normal industry standards.

Realized gains (losses) and changes in unrealized gain (loss) on open positions are determined on a specific identification basis and recognized in the statement of income and expenses in the period in which the contract is closed or the changes occur, respectively.

Interest income on United States Treasury Obligations is recognized on an accrual basis when earned. Premiums and discounts are amortized or accreted over the life of the United States Treasury Obligations.

Market Risk

Trading in commodity futures contracts involves the Fund entering into contractual commitments to purchase a particular commodity at a specified date and price. The market risk associated with the Fund’s commitments to purchase commodities is limited to the gross or face amount of the contracts held.

The Fund’s exposure to market risk is also influenced by a number of factors including the volatility of interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, the liquidity of the markets in which the contracts are traded and the relationships among the contracts held. The inherent uncertainty of the Fund’s trading as well as the development of drastic market occurrences could ultimately lead to a loss of all or substantially all of the investors’ capital.

Credit Risk

When the Fund enters into commodity futures contracts, the Fund is exposed to credit risk that the counterparty to the contract will not meet its obligations. The counterparty for commodity futures contracts traded on United States and on most foreign futures exchanges is the clearing house associated with the particular exchange. In general, clearing houses are backed by their corporate members who may be required to share in the financial burden resulting from the nonperformance by one of their members and, as such, should significantly reduce this credit risk. In cases where the clearing house is not backed by the clearing members (i.e., some foreign exchanges), it may be backed by a consortium of banks or other financial institutions. There can be no assurance that any counterparty, clearing member or clearinghouse will meet its obligations to the Fund.

The Commodity Broker, when acting as the Fund’s futures commission merchant in accepting orders for the purchase or sale of domestic commodity futures contracts, is required by CFTC regulations to separately account for and segregate as belonging to the Fund all assets of the Fund relating to domestic futures trading and the Commodity Broker is not allowed to commingle such assets with other assets of the Commodity Broker. In addition, CFTC regulations also require the Commodity Broker to hold in a secure account assets of the Fund related to foreign futures trading.

Liquidity

All of the Fund’s source of capital is derived from the Fund’s offering of Shares to Authorized Participants. The Fund in turn allocates its net assets to commodities trading. A significant portion of the net asset value is held in United States Treasury Obligations and cash, which is used as margin for the Fund’s trading in commodities. The percentage that United States Treasury Obligations bear to the total net assets will vary from period to period as the market values of the Fund’s commodity interests change. The balance of the net assets is held in the Fund’s commodity trading account. Interest earned on the Fund’s interest-bearing funds is paid to the Fund.

The Fund’s commodity contracts may be subject to periods of illiquidity because of market conditions, regulatory considerations or for other reasons. For example, commodity exchanges generally have the ability to limit fluctuations in certain commodity futures contract prices during a single day by regulations referred to as “daily limits.” During a single day, no trades may be executed at prices beyond the daily limit. Once the price of a particular commodity futures contract for a particular commodity has increased or decreased by an amount equal to the daily limit, positions in the commodity futures contract can neither be taken nor liquidated unless the traders are willing to effect trades at or within the limit. Commodity futures contract prices have occasionally moved the daily limit for several consecutive days with little or no trading. Such market conditions could prevent the Fund from promptly liquidating its commodity futures positions.

Because the Fund trades commodity futures contracts, its capital is at risk due to changes in the value of commodity futures contracts (market risk) or the inability of counterparties (including exchange clearinghouses) to perform under the terms of the contracts (credit risk).

On any business day, an Authorized Participant may place an order with the Transfer Agent to redeem one or more Baskets. Redemption orders must be placed by 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time. The day on which the Managing Owner receives a valid redemption order is the redemption order date. The day on which a redemption order is settled is the redemption order settlement date. As provided below, the redemption order settlement date may occur up to 3 business days after the redemption order date. Redemption orders are irrevocable. The redemption procedures allow Authorized Participants to redeem Baskets. Individual Shareholders may not redeem directly from the Fund. Instead, individual Shareholders may only redeem Shares in integral multiples of 200,000 and only through an Authorized Participant.

Unless otherwise agreed to by the Managing Owner and the Authorized Participant as provided in the next sentence, by placing a redemption order, an Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the Baskets to be redeemed through DTC’s book-entry system to the Fund not later than the redemption order settlement date as of 2:45 p.m., Eastern Time, on the business day immediately following the redemption order date. Upon submission of a redemption order, the Authorized Participant may request the Managing Owner to agree to a redemption order settlement date up to 3 business days after the redemption order date. By placing a redemption order, and prior to receipt of the redemption proceeds, an Authorized Participant’s DTC account is charged the non-refundable transaction fee due for the redemption order.

Redemption orders may be placed either (i) through the Continuous Net Settlement (“CNS”) clearing processes of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (the “ NSCC”) or (ii) if outside the CNS Clearing Process, only through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC” or the “Depository”) (the “DTC Process”), or a successor depository, and only in exchange for cash. By placing a redemption order, and prior to receipt of the redemption proceeds, an Authorized Participant’s DTC account is charged the non-refundable transaction fee due for the redemption order and such fee is not borne by the Fund.

Cash Flows

The primary cash flow activity of the Fund is to raise capital from Authorized Participants through the issuance of Shares. This cash is used to invest in United States Treasury Obligations and to meet margin requirements as a result of the positions taken in commodity futures contracts to match the fluctuations of the Index the Fund is tracking.

Operating Activities

Net cash flow provided by (used for) operating activities was $37.6 million and $(89.2) million for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. These amounts primarily include net income (loss) and net purchases and sales of United States Treasury Obligations which are held at fair value on the statement of financial condition.

During the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015, $161.0 million was paid to purchase United States Treasury Obligations and $214.0 million was received from sales and maturing United States Treasury Obligations. During the Three Months Ended March 31, 2014, $294.0 million was paid to purchase United States Treasury Obligations and $225.0 million was received from sales and maturing United States Treasury Obligations. Unrealized appreciation/depreciation on United States Treasury Obligations and commodity futures contracts increased (decreased) net cash provided by (used for) operating activities by $(5.0) million and $2.8 million during the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Financing Activities

The Fund’s net cash flow provided by (used for) financing activities was $(7.2) million and $85.4 million during the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. This included $44.9 million and $104.6 million from the sale of Shares to Authorized Participants and $52.1 million and $19.2 million from Shares redeemed by Authorized Participants during the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Results of Operations

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2015 AND 2014

The Fund was launched on January 3, 2007 at $25.00 per Share. The Shares traded on the NYSE Alternext from January 5, 2007 to November 25, 2008 and have been trading on the NYSE Arca since November 25, 2008. The Fund’s performance information from inception up to and excluding the Closing Date is a reflection of the performance associated with the Predecessor Managing Owner. The Managing Owner has served as managing owner of the Fund since the Closing Date, and the Fund’s performance information since the Closing Date is a reflection of the performance associated with the Managing Owner. Past performance of the Fund is not necessarily indicative of future performance.

The Fund seeks to track changes in the closing levels of the DBIQ Optimum Yield Industrial Metals Index Excess Return™ (the “Index”) over time, plus the excess, if any, of the Fund’s interest income from its holdings of United States Treasury Obligations and other high credit quality short-term fixed income securities over the expenses of the Fund. The following graphs illustrate changes in (i) the price of the Shares (as reflected by the graph “DBB”), (ii) the Fund’s NAV (as reflected by the graph “DBBNV”), and (iii) the closing levels of the Index (as reflected by the graph “DBBMIX”). Whenever the interest income earned by the Fund exceeds Fund expenses, the price of the Shares generally has exceeded the levels of the Index primarily because the Share price reflects interest income from the Fund’s collateral holdings whereas the Index does not consider such interest income. There can be no assurances that the price of the Shares will exceed the Index levels.

The Index is a set of rules applied to a body of data and does not represent the results of actual investment or trading. The Index is frictionless, in that it does not take into account fees or expenses associated with investing in the Fund. Also, because it does not represent actual futures positions, the Index is not subject to, and does not take into account the impact of, speculative position limits or certain other similar limitations on the ability of the Fund to trade the Index Commodities. The “TR” version of the Index includes an assumed amount of interest income based on prevailing rates that is adjusted from time to time. The Fund, by contrast, invests actual money and trades actual commodity futures contracts. As a result, the performance of the Fund involves friction, in that fees and expenses impose a drag on performance. The Fund may be subject to speculative position limits and certain other limitations on its ability to trade the Index Commodities, which may compel the Fund to trade commodity futures contracts or other instruments that are not the Index Commodities as proxies for the Index Commodities. The interest rate actually earned by the Fund over any period may differ from the assumed amount of interest income factored into the “TR” version of the Index over the same period. All of these factors can contribute to discrepancies between changes in net asset value per Share and changes in the level of the Index over any period of time. The extent to which the Fund has invested at an aggregate notional level approximating the Index value as opposed to the Fund’s aggregate net asset value also may contribute to discrepancies. Fees and expenses always will tend to cause changes in the net asset value per Share to underperform changes in the value of the Index over any given period, all other things being equal. Actual interest income could be higher or lower than the assumed interest income factored into the “TR” version of the Index, and therefore could cause changes in the net asset value per Share to outperform or underperform changes in the value of the “TR” version of the Index over any given period, all other things being equal. Similarly, trading commodity futures contracts or other instruments that are not the Index Commodities as proxies for the Index Commodities could cause changes in the net asset value per Share to outperform or underperform changes in the value of the Index over any given period, all other things being equal.

COMPARISON OF DBB, DBBNV AND DBBMIX FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED

MARCH 31, 2015 AND 2014

NEITHER THE PAST PERFORMANCE OF THE FUND NOR THE PRIOR INDEX LEVELS AND CHANGES, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, SHOULD BE TAKEN AS AN INDICATION OF THE FUND’S FUTURE PERFORMANCE.

NEITHER THE PAST PERFORMANCE OF THE FUND NOR THE PRIOR INDEX LEVELS AND CHANGES, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, SHOULD BE TAKEN AS AN INDICATION OF THE FUND’S FUTURE PERFORMANCE.

See Additional Legends below.

Additional Legends

The Fund seeks to track changes, whether positive or negative, in the level of the DBIQ Optimum Yield Industrial Metals Index Excess Return™ (the “Index”) over time, plus the excess, if any, of the Fund’s interest income from its holdings of United States Treasury Obligations and other high credit quality short-term fixed income securities over the expenses of the Fund. The Index is intended to reflect the change in market value of the base metals sector. The commodities comprising the Index (each an “Index Commodity,” collectively, the “Index Commodities”) are aluminum, zinc and copper – Grade A.

DBIQ Optimum Yield Industrial Metals Excess Return™ is an index and does not reflect (i) actual trading and (ii) any fees or expenses.

WHILE THE FUND’S OBJECTIVE IS NOT TO GENERATE PROFIT THROUGH ACTIVE PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT, BUT IS TO TRACK THE INDEX, BECAUSE THE INDEX WAS ESTABLISHED IN JULY 2006 (RENAMED OCTOBER 2010), CERTAIN INFORMATION RELATING TO THE INDEX CLOSING LEVELS MAY BE CONSIDERED TO BE “HYPOTHETICAL.” HYPOTHETICAL INFORMATION MAY HAVE CERTAIN INHERENT LIMITATIONS, SOME OF WHICH ARE DESCRIBED BELOW.

WITH RESPECT TO INDEX DATA, NO REPRESENTATION IS BEING MADE THAT THE INDEX WILL OR IS LIKELY TO ACHIEVE ANNUAL OR CUMULATIVE CLOSING LEVELS CONSISTENT WITH OR SIMILAR TO THOSE SET FORTH HEREIN. SIMILARLY, NO REPRESENTATION IS BEING MADE THAT THE FUND WILL GENERATE PROFITS OR LOSSES SIMILAR TO THE FUND’S PAST PERFORMANCE OR THE HISTORICAL ANNUAL OR CUMULATIVE CHANGES IN THE INDEX CLOSING LEVELS. IN FACT, THERE ARE FREQUENTLY SHARP DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HYPOTHETICAL RESULTS AND THE ACTUAL RESULTS SUBSEQUENTLY ACHIEVED BY INVESTMENT METHODOLOGIES, WHETHER ACTIVE OR PASSIVE.

WITH RESPECT TO INDEX DATA, ONE OF THE LIMITATIONS OF HYPOTHETICAL INFORMATION IS THAT IT IS GENERALLY PREPARED WITH THE BENEFIT OF HINDSIGHT. TO THE EXTENT THAT INFORMATION PRESENTED HEREIN RELATES TO THE PERIOD SEPTEMBER 1997 THROUGH JUNE 2006, THE INDEX CLOSING LEVELS REFLECT THE APPLICATION OF THE INDEX METHODOLOGY, AND SELECTION OF INDEX COMMODITIES, IN HINDSIGHT.

NO HYPOTHETICAL RECORD CAN COMPLETELY ACCOUNT FOR THE IMPACT OF FINANCIAL RISK IN ACTUAL TRADING. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE NUMEROUS FACTORS, INCLUDING THOSE DESCRIBED UNDER ITEM 1A. “RISK FACTORS” SET FORTH IN THE FUND’S ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014, RELATED TO THE COMMODITIES MARKETS IN GENERAL OR TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FUND’S EFFORTS TO TRACK THE INDEX OVER TIME WHICH CANNOT BE, AND HAVE NOT BEEN, ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE PREPARATION OF THE INDEX INFORMATION SET FORTH ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES, ALL OF WHICH CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT ACTUAL PERFORMANCE RESULTS FOR THE FUND. FURTHERMORE, THE INDEX INFORMATION DOES NOT INVOLVE FINANCIAL RISK OR ACCOUNT FOR THE IMPACT OF FEES AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FUND.

THE MANAGING OWNER AND ITS TRADING PRINCIPALS HAVE LIMITED EXPERIENCE MANAGING THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS FOR THE FUND AND, PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE, HAD ONLY MANAGED AN EXCHANGE-TRADED FUND THAT RELATES TO A BROAD-BASED COMMODITY INDEX FOR A SHORT PERIOD. BECAUSE THERE ARE LIMITED ACTUAL PERFORMANCE RESULTS OF THE MANAGING OWNER THAT ARE COMPARABLE TO THE INDEX CLOSING LEVELS SET FORTH HEREIN, PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD BE PARTICULARLY WARY OF PLACING UNDUE RELIANCE ON INDEX RESULTS IN RESPECT OF ANY PERIOD. FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, NONE OF THE PERFORMANCE RELATED INFORMATION THAT IS COVERED BY THE PERIOD OF THIS REPORT UP TO AND EXCLUDING THE CLOSING DATE CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE MANAGING OWNER.

THE PREDECESSOR MANAGING OWNER, AN INDIRECT WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF DEUTSCHE BANK AG, COMMENCED OPERATIONS IN JANUARY 2006. AS THE PREDECESSOR MANAGING OWNER, THE PREDECESSOR MANAGING OWNER AND ITS TRADING PRINCIPALS MANAGED THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS FOR THE FUND FROM INCEPTION UP TO AND EXCLUDING THE CLOSING DATE. BECAUSE THERE ARE LIMITED ACTUAL TRADING RESULTS TO COMPARE TO THE INDEX CLOSING LEVELS SET FORTH HEREIN, PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD BE PARTICULARLY WARY OF PLACING UNDUE RELIANCE ON INDEX RESULTS IN RESPECT OF ANY PERIOD. FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, NONE OF THE PERFORMANCE RELATED INFORMATION THAT IS COVERED BY THE PERIOD OF THIS REPORT ON AND AFTER THE CLOSING DATE CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE PREDECESSOR MANAGING OWNER.

THE FUND’S PERFORMANCE INFORMATION FROM INCEPTION UP TO AND EXCLUDING THE CLOSING DATE IS A REFLECTION OF THE PERFORMANCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PREDECESSOR MANAGING OWNER. THE MANAGING OWNER HAS SERVED AS MANAGING OWNER OF THE FUND SINCE THE CLOSING DATE, AND THE FUND’S PERFORMANCE INFORMATION SINCE THE CLOSING DATE IS A REFLECTION OF THE PERFORMANCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE MANAGING OWNER. PAST PERFORMANCE OF THE FUND IS NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE.

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2015 COMPARED TO THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2014

Fund Share Price Performance

For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015, the NYSE Arca market value of each Share decreased 4.65% from $15.91 per Share to $15.17 per Share. The Share price high and low for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015 and related change from the Share price on December 31, 2014 was as follows: Shares traded from a high of $15.94 per Share (+0.19%) on January 2, 2015 to a low of $14.66 per Share (-7.86%) on March 11, 2015.

For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2014, the NYSE Arca market value of each Share decreased 5.82% from $16.84 per Share to $15.86 per Share. The Share price high and low for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2014 and related change from the Share price on December 31, 2013 was as follows: Shares traded from a high of $16.85 per Share (+0.06%) on January 2, 2014, to a low of $15.36 per Share (-8.79%) on March 20, 2014.

Fund Share Net Asset Performance

For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015, the net asset value of each Share decreased 4.94% from $15.99 per Share to $15.20 per Share. A decrease in the commodity futures contract prices for zinc, aluminum and copper during the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015 resulted in an overall 4.36% decrease in the level of the DBIQ Optimum Yield Industrial Metals Index Total Return™.

Net loss for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015 was $9.7 million, primarily resulting from net realized loss of $14.3 million and net change in unrealized gain of $5.0 million, and operating expenses of $0.4 million.

For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2014, the net asset value of each Share decreased 5.54% from $16.78 per Share to $15.85 per Share. A decrease in the commodity futures contract prices for zinc, copper and aluminum during the Three Months Ended March 31, 2014 resulted in an overall 5.10% decrease in the level of the DBIQ Optimum Yield Industrial Metals Index Total Return™.

Net loss for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2014 was $16.0 million, primarily resulting from net realized loss of $12.7 million, net change in unrealized loss of $2.8 million, and operating expenses of $0.5 million.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements and Contractual Obligations

In the normal course of its business, the Fund is a party to financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk. The term “off-balance sheet risk” refers to an unrecorded potential liability that, even though it does not appear on the balance sheet, may result in a future obligation or loss. The financial instruments used by the Fund are commodity futures contracts, whose values are based upon an underlying asset and generally represent future commitments which have a reasonable possibility to be settled in cash or through physical delivery. The financial instruments are traded on an exchange and are standardized contracts.

The Fund has not utilized, nor does it expect to utilize in the future, special purpose entities to facilitate off-balance sheet financing arrangements and has no loan guarantee arrangements or off-balance sheet arrangements of any kind, other than agreements entered into in the normal course of business noted above, which may include indemnification provisions related to certain risks service providers undertake in performing services which are in the best interests of the Fund. While the Fund’s exposure under such indemnification provisions cannot be estimated, these general business indemnifications are not expected to have a material impact on the Fund’s financial position.

The Fund’s contractual obligations are with the Managing Owner and the Commodity Broker. Management Fee payments made to the Managing Owner are calculated as a fixed percentage of the Fund’s net asset value. Commission payments to the Commodity Broker are on a contract-by-contract, or round-turn, basis. As such, the Managing Owner cannot anticipate the amount of payments that will be required under these arrangements for future periods as net asset values are not known until a future date. These agreements are effective for one-year terms, renewable automatically for additional one-year terms unless terminated. Additionally, these agreements may be terminated by either party for various reasons. For the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of the reporting period up to and excluding the Closing Date, all Management Fees and commission payments were paid to the Predecessor Managing Owner. Since the Closing, the Managing Owner has served as managing owner of the Fund and Management Fee accruals since the Closing Date have been paid to the Managing Owner.

Market risk

As filed, 10,084 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.

INTRODUCTION

The Fund is designed to replicate positions in a commodity index. The market sensitive instruments held by it are subject to the risk of trading loss. Unlike an operating company, the risk of market sensitive instruments is integral, not incidental, to the Fund’s main line of business.

Market movements can produce frequent changes in the fair market value of the Fund’s open positions and, consequently, in its earnings and cash flow. The Fund’s market risk is primarily influenced by changes in the price of commodities.

Value at Risk, or VaR, is a measure of the maximum amount which the Fund could reasonably be expected to lose in a given market sector. However, the inherent uncertainty in the markets in which the Fund trades and the recurrence in the markets traded by the Fund of market movements far exceeding expectations could result in actual trading or non-trading losses far beyond the indicated VaR or the Fund’s experience to date (i.e., “risk of ruin”). In light of this, as well as the risks and uncertainties intrinsic to all future projections, the inclusion of the quantification included in this section should not be considered to constitute any assurance or representation that the Fund’s losses in any market sector will be limited to VaR or by the Fund’s attempts to manage its market risk.

Standard of Materiality

Materiality as used in this section, “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk,” is based on an assessment of reasonably possible market movements and the potential losses caused by such movements, taking into account the effects of margin, and any other multiplier features, as applicable, of the Fund’s market sensitive instruments.

QUANTIFYING THE FUND’S TRADING VALUE AT RISK

Quantitative Forward-Looking Statements

The following quantitative disclosures regarding the Fund’s market risk exposures contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor from civil liability provided for such statements by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (set forth in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Exchange Act). All quantitative disclosures in this section are deemed to be forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor, except for statements of historical fact (such as the dollar amount of maintenance margin required for market risk sensitive instruments held at the end of the reporting period).

Value at risk, or VaR, is a statistical measure of the value of losses that would not be expected to be exceeded over a given time horizon and at a given probability level arising from movement of underlying risk factors. Loss is measured as a decline in the fair value of the portfolio as a result of changes in any of the material variables by which fair values are determined. VaR is measured over a specified holding period (1 day) and to a specified level of statistical confidence (99th percentile). However, the inherent uncertainty in the markets in which the Fund trades and the recurrence in the markets traded by the Fund of market movements far exceeding expectations could result in actual trading or non-trading losses far beyond the indicated VaR or the Fund’s experience to date (i.e., “risk of ruin”). In light of this, as well as the risks and uncertainties intrinsic to all future projections, the inclusion of the quantification included in this section should not be considered to constitute any assurance or representation that the Fund’s losses in any market sector will be limited to VaR or by the Fund’s attempts to manage its market risk.

THE FUND’S TRADING VALUE AT RISK

The Fund calculates VaR using the actual historical market movements of the Fund’s net assets.

The following table indicates the trading VaR associated with the Fund’s net assets as of March 31, 2015.

Description Net Assets Daily Volatility VaR* (99 Percentile) Three Months Ended March 31, 2015 Number of times VaR Exceeded
PowerShares DB Base Metals Fund $203,715,751 0.89% $4,243,269 10

29

The following table indicates the trading VaR associated with the Fund’s net assets as of December 31, 2014.

Description Net Assets Daily Volatility VaR* (99 Percentile) For the Year Ended December 31, 2014 Number of times VaR Exceeded
PowerShares DB Base Metals Fund $220,647,504 0.84% $4,323,687 22

* The VaR represents the one day downside risk, under normal market conditions, with a 99% confidence level. It is calculated using historical market moves of the Fund’s net assets and uses a one year look-back.

NON-TRADING RISK

The Fund has non-trading market risk as a result of investing in short-term United States Treasury Obligations. As such, the market risk represented by these investments is expected to be immaterial.

QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES REGARDING PRIMARY TRADING RISK EXPOSURES

The following qualitative disclosures regarding the Fund’s market risk exposures — except for those disclosures that are statements of historical fact — constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. The Fund’s primary market risk exposures are subject to numerous uncertainties, contingencies and risks. Government interventions, defaults and expropriations, illiquid markets, the emergence of dominant fundamental factors, political upheavals, changes in historical price relationships, an influx of new market participants, increased regulation and many other factors could result in material losses as well as in material changes to the risk exposures of the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s current market exposure will not change materially. Investors may lose all or substantially all of their investment in the Fund.

The following were the primary trading risk exposures of the Fund as of March 31, 2015 by Index Commodity:

Aluminum

The price of aluminum is volatile. The price movement of aluminum may be influenced by a variety of factors, including the level of global industrial activity and demand, especially relating to the transportation, packaging and building sectors, each of which significantly influences the demand, and in turn, the price of aluminum. Prices for aluminum are influenced by a number of factors including the level of economic activity in large aluminum consuming markets, political uncertainties, economic concerns and the rate of supply of new metal from producers. The production of aluminum is a power intensive process that requires large amounts of inexpensive power. Disruptions in the amount of energy available to aluminum producers could affect the supply of aluminum.

Zinc

The price of zinc is volatile and is affected by numerous factors. The price of zinc is primarily affected by the global demand for and supply of zinc. Demand for zinc is significantly influenced by the level of global industrial economic activity. The galvanized steel industrial sector is particularly important given that the use of zinc in the manufacture of galvanized steel accounts for approximately 50% of world-wide zinc demand. The galvanized steel sector is in turn heavily dependent on the automobile and construction sectors. An additional, but highly volatile component of demand, is adjustments to inventory in response to changes in economic activity and/or pricing levels. The supply of zinc concentrate (the raw material) is dominated by China, Australia, North America and Latin America. The supply of zinc is also affected by current and previous price levels, which will influence investment decisions in new mines and smelters. It is not possible to predict the aggregate effect of all or any combination of these factors.

Copper

The price of copper is volatile. The price of copper is primarily affected by the global demand for and supply of copper. Demand for copper is significantly influenced by the level of global industrial economic activity. Industrial sectors which are particularly important include the electrical and construction sectors. In recent years demand has been supported by strong consumption from newly industrializing countries, which continue to be in a copper-intensive period of economic growth as they develop their infrastructure (such as China). An additional, but highly volatile, component of demand is adjustments to inventory in response to changes in economic activity and/or pricing levels. Apart from the United States, Canada and Australia, the majority of copper concentrate supply (the raw material) comes from outside the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. Chile is the largest producer of copper concentrate. In previous years, copper supply has been affected by strikes, financial problems and terrorist activity. Output has fallen particularly sharply in the “African Copperbelt” and in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. Any political turmoil in these countries may cause copper supply to fall.

QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES REGARDING NON-TRADING RISK EXPOSURE

General

The Fund is unaware of any (i) anticipated known demands, commitments or capital expenditures; (ii) material trends, favorable or unfavorable, in its capital resources; or (iii) trends or uncertainties that will have a material effect on operations.

QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES REGARDING MEANS OF MANAGING RISK EXPOSURE

Under ordinary circumstances, the Managing Owner’s discretionary power is limited to determining whether the Fund will make a distribution. Under emergency or extraordinary circumstances, the Managing Owner’s discretionary powers increase, but remain circumscribed. These special circumstances, for example, include the unavailability of the Index or certain natural or man-made disasters. The Managing Owner does not actively manage the Fund to avoid losses. The Fund initiates positions only on the “long” side of the market and does not employ “stop-loss” techniques.

Controls and procedures

As filed, 1,867 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Under the supervision and with the participation of the management of the Managing Owner, including Andrew Schlossberg, its Principal Executive Officer, and Steven Hill, its Principal Financial and Accounting Officer, Investment Pools, the Fund carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of its disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) or 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this quarterly report, and, based upon that evaluation, Andrew Schlossberg, the Principal Executive Officer, and Steven Hill, the Principal Financial and Accounting Officer, Investment Pools, of the Managing Owner, concluded that the Fund’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective to ensure that information the Fund is required to disclose in the reports that it files or submits with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Fund in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management of the Managing Owner, including its Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer, Investment Pools, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There has been no change in internal control over financial reporting (as defined in the Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that occurred during the Fund’s quarter ended March 31, 2015 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting.

Risk factors

As filed, 164 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.

There are no material changes from risk factors as previously disclosed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, filed March 9, 2015.

Figures reported in this filing

Standardized line items from the XBRL in this filing, for the period ended 2015-03-31. Comparative periods it repeats are left out.

Figures reported in this filing
Line itemPeriodValueXBRL concept
Net income3 months2015-01-01 to 2015-03-31−$9.7mus-gaap:NetIncomeLoss
Basic EPS3 months2015-01-01 to 2015-03-31−$0.79us-gaap:EarningsPerShareBasic
Operating cash flow3 months2015-01-01 to 2015-03-31$37.6mus-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesContinuingOperations
Share repurchases3 months2015-01-01 to 2015-03-31$52.1mus-gaap:PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock
Cash and equivalentsAt period end2015-03-31$57.7mus-gaap:CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
Total assetsAt period end2015-03-31$280.2mus-gaap:Assets
Total liabilitiesAt period end2015-03-31$76.5mus-gaap:Liabilities
Shareholders' equityAt period end2015-03-31$203.7mus-gaap:StockholdersEquity
Shares outstandingAt period end2015-03-3113,400,000 sharesdei:EntityCommonStockSharesOutstanding

Source: SEC EDGAR, the filing index for accession 0001193125-15-181978. Last ingested by Listed: Oct 24, 2026, 15:12 ET. Listed shows no prices and gives no investment advice.