BGN(125)9N14930/12/2009iShares••AACAAPACAAPCAAPAiShares300AETFiSharesiSharesCAAPCAAPCAAPA•QFIICAAP•CAAP10%CAAPCAAP•CAAPCAAPCAAPCAAPCAAPCAAP•QFIIAQFIICAAPCAAPCAAP10%•iShares300AETFiSharesiShares300AETFiShares••iShares571104iShares300AETF2846iSharesAETF3050iSharesAETF3039iSharesAETF2829iSharesAETF3006iSHARESASIATRUSTAHongKongUnittrustauthorisedunderSection104oftheSecuritiesandFuturesOrdinance(Cap.571)ofHongKongPROSPECTUSiSharesCSI300A-ShareIndexETF(StockCode:2846)iSharesCSIA-ShareEnergyIndexETF(StockCode:3050)iSharesCSIA-ShareMaterialsIndexETF(StockCode:3039)iSharesCSIA-ShareFinancialsIndexETF(StockCode:2829)iSharesCSIA-ShareInfrastructureIndexETF(StockCode:3006)(“IndexFunds”)TheStockExchangeofHongKongLimited,HongKongExchangesandClearingLimited,HongKongSecuritiesClearingCompanyLimitedandtheHongKongSecuritiesandFuturesCommissiontakenoresponsibilityforthecontentsofthisProspectus,makenorepresentationastoitsaccuracyorcompletenessandexpresslydisclaimanyliabilitywhatsoeverforanylosshowsoeverarisingfromorinrelianceuponthewholeoranypartofthecontentsofthisProspectus.TheiSharesAsiaTrustandeachoftheIndexFundshavebeenauthorisedascollectiveinvestmentschemesbytheHongKongSecuritiesandFuturesCommission.Authorisationdoesnotimplyofficialapprovalorarecommendation.ListingAgentandManagerBlackRockAssetManagementNorthAsiaLimited21December2009•EachfunddescribedinthisProspectus(calledan“IndexFund”)aimstoprovideinvestmentresultsthat,beforefeesandexpenses,closelycorrespondtotheperformanceofitsunderlyingIndex.EachIndexFundissubjecttoconcentrationriskasaresultofinvestingintoasinglecountryandsector.Additionalrisksareinvolvedininvestmentsconcentratingwithinsectors.Adversedevelopmentswithinsectors/industriesmayaffectthevalueoftheunderlyingSecuritiesinwhichtheIndexFundinvests.•TheIndexFundsdonotinvestdirectlyinChinaASharesbutinsteadgainsaccesstotheAsharemarketbyinvestingintoChinaA-shareAccessProducts(CAAPs),whicharederivativeinstrumentslinkedtoanAshareortheIndexissuedbythirdparties(“CAAPIssuers”)TheiSharesCSI300A-ShareIndexETFalsoinvestsintheiSharesCSISectorIndexFunds,whichinturninvestintoCAAPS.ACAAPrepresentsonlyanobligationofeachCAAPIssuertoprovidetheeconomicperformanceequivalenttoholdingtheunderlyingAShares.•Thequalifiedforeigninstitutionalinvestor(“QFII”)policyandrulesaresubjecttochangeandanysuchchangecouldadverselyimpacttheIndexFunds.Intheworstcasescenario,thiscouldleadtoCAAPsnotbeingabletobeissuedandtheIndexFundshavingtobeterminated.•TheManagerseekstomanagetheexposuretoeachCAAPIssuerto10%oftheNetAssetValueofeachIndexFund.TheManagermayfromtimetotime,inconsultationwiththeTrustee,seekcreditsupport(suchascashorlistedstockcollateral)fromanyCAAPIssuer(oranaffiliate)inmanagingtheexposuretosuchCAAPIssuer.•TheIndexFundsaresubjecttocounterpartyriskassociatedwitheachCAAPIssuerandmaysufferlossespotentiallyequaltothefullvalueoftheCAAPsissuedbyaCAAPIssuerifsuchCAAPIssuerfailstoperformitsobligationsundertheCAAPs.AnylosswouldresultinareductioninthenetassetvalueoftheIndexFundandimpairtheabilityoftheIndexFundtoachieveitsinvestmentobjectivetotracktherelevantIndex.IntheeventofanydefaultbyaCAAPIssuerdealingmaybesuspendedandtheIndexFundmaynotcontinuetotrade.•PRCwithholdingtaxisnotcurrentlyenforcedoncapitalgainsrealisedbyQFIIsonthesaleofA-Shares.ThereisariskthePRCtaxauthoritiesmayseektocollecttaxoncapitalgainswithoutgivinganypriorwarning,andpossibly,onaretrospectivebasis.AnycapitalgainstaxleviedonandpayablebyaQFIImaybepassedontotheIndexFundstotheextentthatthetaxisattributabletotheirholdingsofIndexCAAPs.CertainCAAPIssuersmaywithholdanamountequalto10%ofanygainonaCAAPonaccountofPRCCGT.TaxprovisionsarenotmadeattheIndexFundlevelandthereforeanyretrospectiveenforcementmayresultinasubstantiallosstothefund.•TheiSharesCSI300A-ShareIndexETFissubjecttoadditionaltrackingerrorandinvestmentrisksassociatedwithasignificantallocationtotheiSharesCSISectorIndexFundsincludingliquidity,trading,andregulatoryrisks.Specifically,theiSharesCSI300A-ShareIndexETFissubjecttotheriskofhighertrackingerrorandgreaterdeviationbetweentradingpriceandNAVandwillbeadverselyaffectedbythetradingsuspensionofanyiSharesCSISectorIndexFund.•Generally,investmentsinemergingmarketsaresubjecttoagreaterriskoflossthaninvestmentsinadevelopedmarketduetogreaterpolitical,economic,taxationandregulatoryuncertaintyandriskslinkedtovolatilityandmarketliquidity,etc.•TheIndexFundsaretradedontheSEHK.TheirpricesontheSEHKarebasedonsecondarymarkettradingfactorsandmaydeviatesignificantlyfromthenetassetvalueoftherelevantIndexFund.IMPORTANT:Investmentsinvolverisks,includingthelossofprincipal.InvestorsareadvisedtoconsidertheirowninvestmentobjectivesandcircumstancesindeterminingthesuitabilityofaninvestmentinanyoftheIndexFundsdescribedinthisProspectus.AninvestmentinanIndexFundmaynotbesuitableforeveryone.IfyouareinanydoubtaboutthecontentsofthisProspectus,youshouldconsultyourstockbroker,bankmanager,solicitor,accountantorotherfinancialadviserforindependentfinancialadvice.9n149_Cover.indd a9n149_Cover.indd a2009/12/30 9:58:07 PM2009