The information in this preliminary pricing supplement is not complete and may be changed. A registration statement relating to these notes has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This preliminary pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, underlying supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus are not an offer to sell these notes, nor are they soliciting an offer to buy these notes, in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted. SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED AUGUST 28, 2018

Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.

September-----, 2018 Medium-Term Senior Notes, Series N Pricing Supplement No. 2018-USNCH1422 Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2) Registration Statement Nos. 333-216372 and 333-216372-01

Market-Linked Notes Based on a Basket of Three Underliers Due September-----, 2021

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The notes offered by this pricing supplement are unsecured senior debt securities issued by Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc. and guaranteed by Citigroup Inc. Unlike conventional debt securities, the notes do not pay interest and do not guarantee the full repayment of principal at maturity. Instead, the notes offer the potential for a positive return at maturity based on the performance of a basket (the “basket”) consisting of the following three basket components (with the weightings indicated parenthetically): the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust (1/3), the EURO STOXX 50® Index (1/3) and the shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (1/3).

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The notes provide 1-to-1 exposure to the performance of the basket within a limited range of potential appreciation or depreciation. If the basket appreciates from its initial basket level to its final basket level, you will receive a positive return at maturity equal to that appreciation, subject to the maximum return at maturity specified below. However, if the basket depreciates, you will incur a loss at maturity equal to that depreciation, subject to a maximum loss of 10% of the stated principal amount. Even if the basket appreciates from the initial basket level to the final basket level so that you do receive a positive return at maturity, there is no assurance that your total return at maturity on the notes will compensate you for the effects of inflation or be as great as the yield you could have achieved on a conventional debt security of ours of comparable maturity. In exchange for the capped loss potential if the basket depreciates, investors in the notes must be willing to forgo (i) any return on the notes in excess of the maximum return at maturity and (ii) any dividends paid on the stocks included in or held by the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust, the EURO STOXX 50® Index or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF over the term of the notes. If the basket does not appreciate from the pricing date to the valuation date, you will not receive any return on your investment in the notes, and you may lose up to 10% of your investment.

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In order to obtain the modified exposure to the basket that the notes provide, investors must be willing to accept (i) an investment that may have limited or no liquidity and (ii) the risk of not receiving any amount due under the notes if we and Citigroup Inc. default on our obligations. All payments on the notes are subject to the credit risk of Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc. and Citigroup Inc.

KEY TERMS
Issuer:	Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Citigroup Inc.
Guarantee:	All payments due on the notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Citigroup Inc.
Basket:	Basket Component		Weighting		Initial Component Value*
	Shares of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust (ticker symbol: “DIA”)		1/3
	EURO STOXX 50® Index (ticker symbol: “SX5E”)		1/3
	Shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (ticker symbol: “EEM”)		1/3
	*  The initial component value for each basket component will be the closing level or closing price, as applicable, of that basket component on the pricing date
Aggregate stated principal amount:	$
Stated principal amount:	$1,000 per note
Pricing date:	September     , 2018 (expected to be September 25, 2018)
Issue date:	September     , 2018 (three business days after the pricing date). See “Supplemental Plan of Distribution” in this pricing supplement for additional information.
Valuation date:	September     , 2021 (expected to be September 27, 2021), subject to postponement if such date is not a scheduled trading day or if certain market disruption events occur with respect to a basket component
Maturity date:	September     , 2021 (expected to be September 30, 2021)
Payment at maturity:	For each $1,000 stated principal amount note you hold at maturity, you will receive an amount in cash determined as follows:  • If the final basket level is greater than the initial basket level:  $1,000 + ($1,000 × basket return), subject to the maximum return at maturity  • If the final basket level is less than or equal to the initial basket level:  $1,000 + ($1,000 × basket return), subject to the minimum payment at maturity  If the final basket level depreciates from the initial basket level, you will be exposed to the first 10% of that depreciation and your payment at maturity will be less than the stated principal amount per note. You should not invest in the notes unless you are willing and able to bear the risk of losing up to $100 per note.
Initial basket level:	100
Final basket level:	100 × [1 + (component return of DIA × 1/3) + (component return of SX5E × 1/3) + (component return of EEM × 1/3)]
Basket return	The final basket level minus the initial basket level, divided by the initial basket level
Maximum return at maturity:	The maximum return at maturity will be determined on the pricing date and will be between $300.00 and $320.00 per note (30.00% to 32.00% of the stated principal amount) (to be determined on the pricing date). The payment at maturity per note will not exceed $1,000.00 plus the maximum return at maturity.
Minimum payment at maturity:	$900.00 per note (90.00% of the stated principal amount)
Component return:	For each basket component, (i) its final component value minus its initial component value, divided by (ii) its initial component value
Final component value:	For each basket component, the closing level or closing price, as applicable, of that basket component on the valuation date.
Listing:	The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange
CUSIP / ISIN:	17326Y5Z5 / US17326Y5Z54
Underwriter:	Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”), an affiliate of the issuer, acting as principal
Underwriting fee and issue price:	Issue price(1)(2)	Underwriting fee(3)		Proceeds to issuer
Per note:	$1,000.00	$20.00		$980.00
Total:	$	$		$

(1) Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc. currently expects that the estimated value of the notes on the pricing date will be at least $917.50 per note, which will be less than the issue price. The estimated value of the notes is based on CGMI’s proprietary pricing models and our internal funding rate. It is not an indication of actual profit to CGMI or other of our affiliates, nor is it an indication of the price, if any, at which CGMI or any other person may be willing to buy the notes from you at any time after issuance. See “Valuation of the Notes” in this pricing supplement.

(2) The issue price for investors purchasing the notes in fee-based advisory accounts will be $980.00 per note, assuming no custodial fee is charged by a selected dealer, and up to $985.00 per note, assuming the maximum custodial fee is charged by a selected dealer. See “Supplemental Plan of Distribution” in this pricing supplement.

(3) CGMI will receive an underwriting fee of $20.00 for each $1,000 note sold in this offering.  Selected dealers affiliated with CGMI and their financial advisors will collectively receive from CGMI a selling concession of $20.00 for each $1,000 note they sell.  Selected dealers not affiliated with CGMI and their financial advisors will collectively receive from CGMI a selling concession of $20.00 for each $1,000 note they sell.  In addition, CGMI will pay selected dealers not affiliated with CGMI a structuring fee of up to $5 for each note they sell.  We may also engage other firms to provide marketing or promotional services in connection with the distribution of the notes.  CGMI will pay these service providers a fee of up to $5 per note in consideration for providing marketing, education, structuring or referral services with respect to financial advisors or selected dealers.  For more information on the distribution of the notes, see “Supplemental Plan of Distribution” in this pricing supplement.  In addition to the underwriting fee, CGMI and its affiliates may profit from expected hedging activity related to this offering, even if the value of the notes declines. See “Use of Proceeds and Hedging” in the accompanying prospectus.

Investing in the notes involves risks not associated with an investment in conventional debt securities. See “Summary Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-5.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the notes or determined that this pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, underlying supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. 

You should read this pricing supplement together with the accompanying product supplement, underlying supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus, each of which can be accessed via the hyperlinks below. 

Product Supplement No. EA-02-06 dated April 7, 2017       Underlying Supplement No. 7 dated July 16, 2018 

Prospectus Supplement and Prospectus each dated April 7, 2017 

The notes are not bank deposits and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, nor are they obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank.

 

Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.

Market-Linked Notes Based on a Basket of Three Underliers Due September-----, 2021

 

Additional Information

 

General. The terms of the notes are set forth in the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus, as supplemented by this pricing supplement. The accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus contain important disclosures that are not repeated in this pricing supplement. For example, certain events may occur that could affect your payment at maturity. These events, including market disruption events and other events affecting the basket components, and their consequences are described in the accompanying product supplement in the sections “Description of the Notes—Certain Additional Terms for Notes Linked to ETF Shares or Company Shares—Consequences of a Market Disruption Event; Postponement of a Valuation Date,” “—Dilution and Reorganization Adjustments” and “—Delisting, Liquidation or Termination of an Underlying ETF” with respect to the basket component that is an ETF and in the sections “Description of the Notes—Certain Additional Terms for Notes Linked to an Underlying Index—Consequences of a Market Disruption Event; Postponement of a Valuation Date” and “—Discontinuance or Material Modification of an Underlying Index” with respect to the basket components that are indices. The accompanying underlying supplement contains important disclosures regarding the basket components that are not repeated in this pricing supplement. It is important that you read the accompanying product supplement, underlying supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus together with this pricing supplement before deciding whether to invest in the notes. Certain terms used but not defined in this pricing supplement are defined in the accompanying product supplement.

 

Postponement of the valuation date. If the valuation date is postponed for a reason that affects less than all of the basket components, the final basket level will be calculated based on (i) for each unaffected basket component, its closing level or closing price, as applicable, on the originally scheduled valuation date and (ii) for each affected basket component, its closing level or closing price, as applicable, on the valuation date as postponed (or, if earlier, the first scheduled trading day for that basket component following the originally scheduled valuation date on which a market disruption event did not occur with respect to that basket component). See “Description of the Notes—Certain Additional Terms for Notes Linked to ETF Shares or Company Shares—Consequences of a Market Disruption Event; Postponement of a Valuation Date” and “Description of the Notes—Certain Additional Terms for Notes Linked to an Underlying Index—Consequences of a Market Disruption Event; Postponement of a Valuation Date” in the accompanying product supplement.

 

Dilution and reorganization adjustments. The initial component value with respect to the shares of the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust and shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF is a “Relevant Price” for purposes of the section “Description of the Notes—Certain Additional Terms for Notes Linked to ETF Shares or Company Shares—Dilution and Reorganization Adjustments” in the accompanying product supplement. Accordingly, the initial component value with respect to the shares of the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust and shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of any of the events described in that section.

 

 

Hypothetical Examples

 

The diagram below illustrates your payment at maturity for a range of hypothetical percentage changes from the initial basket level to the final basket level. The diagram and examples below are based on a hypothetical maximum return at maturity of 30.00%. The actual maximum return at maturity will be determined on the pricing date.

 

Investors in the notes will not receive any dividends that may be paid on the securities included in or held by the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust, the EURO STOXX 50^® Index or the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF. The examples below do not show any effect of lost dividend yield over the term of the notes. See “Summary Risk Factors—Investing in the notes is not equivalent to investing in the basket components” below.

 

Market-Linked Notes Payment at Maturity Diagram

 

Your actual payment at maturity per note will depend on the actual maximum return at maturity, which will be determined on the pricing date, and the actual final basket level. The examples below are intended to illustrate how your payment at maturity will depend on whether the final basket level is greater than or less than the initial basket level and by how much.

 

Example 1—Upside Scenario A. The hypothetical final basket level is 106.00 (a 6.00% increase from the initial basket level), which is greater than the initial basket level.

 

Basket Component	Hypothetical Initial Component Value	Hypothetical Final Component Value	Hypothetical Component Return
SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust	$300.00	$327.00	9%
EURO STOXX 50® Index	3,500.00	3,710.00	6%
Shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	$50.00	$51.50	3%
Hypothetical Final Basket Level:	100.00 × [1 + (9% × 1/3) + (6% × 1/3) + (3% × 1/3)] = 106.00

 

Payment at maturity per note = $1,000 + ($1,000 × basket return), subject to the hypothetical maximum return at maturity of $300 per note

 

= $1,000 + ($1,000 × 6%), subject to the hypothetical maximum return at maturity of $300 per note

 

= $1,000 + $60, subject to the hypothetical maximum return at maturity of $300 per note

 

= $1,060

 

 

In this scenario, because the basket appreciated by 6.00% from the initial basket level to the hypothetical final basket level and that appreciation does not exceed the hypothetical maximum return at maturity of 30.00%, you would receive a total return at maturity equal to the appreciation of the basket.

 

Example 2—Upside Scenario B. The hypothetical final basket level is 247.00 (a 147.00% increase from the initial basket level), which is greater than the initial basket level.

 

Basket Component	Hypothetical Initial Component Value	Hypothetical Final Component Value	Hypothetical Component Return
SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust	$300.00	$759.00	153%
EURO STOXX 50® Index	3,500.00	8,645.00	147%
Shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	$50.00	$120.50	141%
Hypothetical Final Basket Level:	100.00 × [1 + (153% × 1/3) + (147% × 1/3) + (141% × 1/3)] = 247.00

 

Payment at maturity per note = $1,000 + ($1,000 × basket return), subject to the hypothetical maximum return at maturity of $300 per note

 

= $1,000 + ($1,000 × 147%), subject to the hypothetical maximum return at maturity of $300 per note

 

= $1,000 + $1,470, subject to the hypothetical maximum return at maturity of $300 per note

 

= $1,300

 

In this scenario, because the basket appreciated by 147.00% from the initial basket level to the hypothetical final basket level and that appreciation exceeds the hypothetical maximum return at maturity of 30.00%, you would receive the hypothetical maximum return at maturity of 30.00%. In this scenario, an investment in the notes would underperform a hypothetical alternative investment providing 1-to-1 exposure to the appreciation of the basket without a maximum return.

 

Example 3—Downside Scenario A. The hypothetical final basket level is 94.00 (a 6.00% decrease from the initial basket level), which is less than the initial basket level.

 

Basket Component	Hypothetical Initial Component Value	Hypothetical Final Component Value	Hypothetical Component Return
SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust	$300.00	$291.00	-3%
EURO STOXX 50® Index	3,500.00	3,290.00	-6%
Shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	$50.00	$45.50	-9%
Hypothetical Final Basket Level:	100.00 × [1 + (-3% × 1/3) + (-6% × 1/3) + (-9% × 1/3)] = 94.00

 

Payment at maturity per note = $1,000 + ($1,000 × basket return), subject to the minimum payment at maturity of $900 per note

 

= $1,000 + ($1,000 × -6%), subject to the minimum payment at maturity of $900 per note

 

= $1,000 + -$60, subject to the minimum payment at maturity of $900 per note

 

= $940

 

In this scenario, because the basket depreciated from the initial basket level to the hypothetical final basket level, but not by more than 10.00%, your payment at maturity would reflect 1-to-1 exposure to the negative performance of the basket and you would incur a loss at maturity of 6.00%.

 

Example 4—Downside Scenario B. The hypothetical final basket level is 84.00 (a 16.00% decrease from the initial basket level), which is less than the initial basket level.

 

Basket Component	Hypothetical Initial Component Value	Hypothetical Final Component Value	Hypothetical Component Return
SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust	$300.00	$309.00	3%
EURO STOXX 50® Index	3,500.00	3,605.00	3%
Shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	$50.00	$23.00	-54%
Hypothetical Final Basket Level:	100.00 × [1 + (3% × 1/3) + (3% × 1/3) + (-54% × 1/3)] = 84.00

 

Payment at maturity per note = $1,000 + ($1,000 × basket return), subject to the minimum payment at maturity of $900 per note

 

= $1,000 + ($1,000 × -16%), subject to the minimum payment at maturity of $900 per note

 

= $1,000 + -$160, subject to the minimum payment at maturity of $900 per note

 

= $900

 

 

In this scenario, because the basket depreciated from the initial basket level to the hypothetical final basket level by more than 10.00%, you would incur a loss at maturity equal to the maximum loss of 10.00%. In this scenario, even though the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust and the EURO STOXX 50^® Index appreciated, that appreciation is more than offset by the depreciation of the shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF.

 

Summary Risk Factors

 

An investment in the notes is significantly riskier than an investment in conventional debt securities. The notes are subject to all of the risks associated with an investment in our conventional debt securities (guaranteed by Citigroup Inc.), including the risk that we and Citigroup Inc. may default on our obligations under the notes, and are also subject to risks associated with the basket components. Accordingly, the notes are suitable only for investors who are capable of understanding the complexities and risks of the notes. You should consult your own financial, tax and legal advisors as to the risks of an investment in the notes and the suitability of the notes in light of your particular circumstances.

 

The following is a summary of certain key risk factors for investors in the notes. You should read this summary together with the more detailed description of risks relating to an investment in the notes contained in the section “Risk Factors Relating to the Notes” beginning on page EA-6 in the accompanying product supplement. You should also carefully read the risk factors included in the accompanying prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus, including Citigroup Inc.’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which describe risks relating to the business of Citigroup Inc. more generally.

 

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You may not receive any return on your investment in the notes and may lose up to 10% of your investment. You will receive a positive return on your investment in the notes only if the basket appreciates from the initial basket level to the final basket level. If the final basket level is less than the initial basket level, you will lose 1% of the stated principal amount of the notes for every 1% by which the final basket level is less than the initial basket level, subject to a maximum loss of 10% of your investment. As the notes do not pay any interest, if the basket does not appreciate sufficiently from the initial basket level to the final basket level over the term of the notes or if the basket depreciates from the initial basket level to the final basket level, the overall return on the notes may be less than the amount that would be paid on our conventional debt securities of comparable maturity.

 

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The notes do not pay interest. Unlike conventional debt securities, the notes do not pay interest or any other amounts prior to maturity. You should not invest in the notes if you seek current income during the term of the notes.

 

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Your potential return on the notes is limited. Your potential total return on the notes at maturity is limited to the maximum return at maturity of 30.00% to 32.00%, which is equivalent to a maximum return at maturity of $300.00 to $320.00 per note. The actual maximum return at maturity will be determined on the pricing date. As a result, the return on an investment in the notes may be less than a hypothetical alternative investment providing 1-to-1 exposure to the appreciation of the basket without a maximum return.

 

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The notes are designed for investors who seek exposure to the basket components but who are willing to forgo any dividends on the basket components and any return in excess of the maximum return at maturity in exchange for the repayment of principal at maturity if the basket depreciates. You should understand that, for purposes of measuring the performance of the basket components, the levels and prices used will not reflect the receipt or reinvestment of dividends on the basket components or their underlying securities. Dividend yields on the basket components would be expected to represent a significant portion of the overall return on a direct investment in the basket components, but will not be reflected in the performance of the basket components as measured for purposes of the notes (except to the extent that dividends reduce the levels or prices of the basket components).

 

In addition, in no event will the return on the notes exceed the maximum return at maturity.

 

For these reasons, your return on the notes may be significantly less than the return that could be achieved on a direct investment in the basket components. This is an important trade-off that investors in the notes must be willing to make in exchange for the capped loss potential if the basket declines.

 

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Although the notes limit your loss at maturity to 10%, you may nevertheless suffer additional losses on your investment in real value terms if the basket declines or does not appreciate sufficiently from the initial basket level to the final basket level. This is because inflation may cause the real value of the stated principal amount to be less at maturity than it is at the time you invest, and because an investment in the notes represents a forgone opportunity to invest in an alternative asset that does generate a positive real return. This potential loss in real value terms is significant given the 3-year term of the notes. You should carefully consider whether an investment that may not provide for any return on your investment, or may provide a return that is lower than the return on alternative investments, is appropriate for you.

 

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Investing in the notes is not equivalent to investing in the basket components. You will not have voting rights, rights to receive any dividends or distributions or any other rights with respect to the basket components or the securities included in or held by the basket components. The payment scenarios described in this pricing supplement do not show any effect of lost dividend yield over the term of the notes. In addition, in no event will the return on the notes exceed the maximum return at maturity.

 

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Your payment at maturity depends on the closing levels or closing prices, as applicable, of the basket components on a single day. Because your payment at maturity depends solely on the closing levels or closing prices, as applicable, of the basket

 

 

components on the valuation date, you are subject to the risk that the closing levels or closing prices on that day may be lower, and possibly significantly lower, than on one or more other dates during the term of the notes. If you had invested directly in the basket components, or if the payment at maturity were based on an average of the closing levels or closing prices, as applicable, of the basket components throughout the term of the notes, you might have achieved better returns.

 

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The notes are subject to the credit risk of Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc. and Citigroup Inc. If we default on our obligations under the notes and Citigroup Inc. defaults on its guarantee obligations, you may not receive anything owed to you under the notes.

 

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The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange and you may not be able to sell them prior to maturity. The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. Therefore, there may be little or no secondary market for the notes. CGMI currently intends to make a secondary market in relation to the notes and to provide an indicative bid price for the notes on a daily basis. Any indicative bid price for the notes provided by CGMI will be determined in CGMI’s sole discretion, taking into account prevailing market conditions and other relevant factors, and will not be a representation by CGMI that the notes can be sold at that price, or at all. CGMI may suspend or terminate making a market and providing indicative bid prices without notice, at any time and for any reason. If CGMI suspends or terminates making a market, there may be no secondary market at all for the notes because it is likely that CGMI will be the only broker-dealer that is willing to buy your notes prior to maturity. Accordingly, an investor must be prepared to hold the notes until maturity.

 

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The estimated value of the notes on the pricing date, based on CGMI’s proprietary pricing models and our internal funding rate, will be less than the issue price. The difference is attributable to certain costs associated with selling, structuring and hedging the notes that are included in the issue price. These costs include (i) the selling concessions paid in connection with the offering of the notes, (ii) hedging and other costs incurred by us and our affiliates in connection with the offering of the notes and (iii) the expected profit (which may be more or less than actual profit) to CGMI or other of our affiliates in connection with hedging our obligations under the notes. These costs adversely affect the economic terms of the notes because, if they were lower, the economic terms of the notes would be more favorable to you. The economic terms of the notes are also likely to be adversely affected by the use of our internal funding rate, rather than our secondary market rate, to price the notes. See “The estimated value of the notes would be lower if it were calculated based on our secondary market rate” below.

 

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The estimated value of the notes was determined for us by our affiliate using proprietary pricing models. CGMI derived the estimated value disclosed on the cover page of this pricing supplement from its proprietary pricing models. In doing so, it may have made discretionary judgments about the inputs to its models, such as the volatility of the basket components, the correlation among the basket components, dividend yields on the basket components or the securities included in or held by the basket components and interest rates. CGMI’s views on these inputs may differ from your or others’ views, and as an underwriter in this offering, CGMI’s interests may conflict with yours. Both the models and the inputs to the models may prove to be wrong and therefore not an accurate reflection of the value of the notes. Moreover, the estimated value of the notes set forth on the cover page of this pricing supplement may differ from the value that we or our affiliates may determine for the notes for other purposes, including for accounting purposes. You should not invest in the notes because of the estimated value of the notes. Instead, you should be willing to hold the notes to maturity irrespective of the initial estimated value.

 

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The estimated value of the notes would be lower if it were calculated based on our secondary market rate. The estimated value of the notes included in this pricing supplement is calculated based on our internal funding rate, which is the rate at which we are willing to borrow funds through the issuance of the notes. Our internal funding rate is generally lower than our secondary market rate, which is the rate that CGMI will use in determining the value of the notes for purposes of any purchases of the notes from you in the secondary market. If the estimated value included in this pricing supplement were based on our secondary market rate, rather than our internal funding rate, it would likely be lower. We determine our internal funding rate based on factors such as the costs associated with the notes, which are generally higher than the costs associated with conventional debt securities, and our liquidity needs and preferences. Our internal funding rate is not an interest rate that we will pay to investors in the notes, which do not bear interest.

 

Because there is not an active market for traded instruments referencing our outstanding debt obligations, CGMI determines our secondary market rate based on the market price of traded instruments referencing the debt obligations of Citigroup Inc., our parent company and the guarantor of all payments due on the notes, but subject to adjustments that CGMI makes in its sole discretion. As a result, our secondary market rate is not a market-determined measure of our creditworthiness, but rather reflects the market’s perception of our parent company’s creditworthiness as adjusted for discretionary factors such as CGMI’s preferences with respect to purchasing the notes prior to maturity.

 

▪

The estimated value of the notes is not an indication of the price, if any, at which CGMI or any other person may be willing to buy the notes from you in the secondary market. Any such secondary market price will fluctuate over the term of the notes based on the market and other factors described in the next risk factor. Moreover, unlike the estimated value included in this pricing supplement, any value of the notes determined for purposes of a secondary market transaction will be based on our secondary market rate, which will likely result in a lower value for the notes than if our internal funding rate were used. In addition, any secondary market price for the notes will be reduced by a bid-ask spread, which may vary depending on the aggregate stated principal amount of the notes to be purchased in the secondary market transaction, and the expected cost of unwinding related hedging transactions. As a result, it is likely that any secondary market price for the notes will be less than the issue price.

 

 

▪

The value of the notes prior to maturity will fluctuate based on many unpredictable factors. The value of your notes prior to maturity will fluctuate based on the levels or prices, as applicable, of the basket components and a number of other factors, including the volatility of the basket components, the correlation among the basket components, the dividend yields on the basket components or the securities included in or held by the basket components, the volatility of the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the euro, the correlation between that exchange rate and the level of the EURO STOXX 50® Index, changes in the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and each of the currencies in which the stocks that are held by the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF trade, interest rates generally, the time remaining to maturity and our and/or Citigroup Inc.’s creditworthiness, as reflected in our secondary market rate. Changes in the levels or prices, as applicable, of the basket components may not result in a comparable change in the value of your notes. You should understand that the value of your notes at any time prior to maturity may be significantly less than the issue price.

 

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Immediately following issuance, any secondary market bid price provided by CGMI, and the value that will be indicated on any brokerage account statements prepared by CGMI or its affiliates, will reflect a temporary upward adjustment. The amount of this temporary upward adjustment will steadily decline to zero over the temporary adjustment period. See “Valuation of the Notes” in this pricing supplement.

 

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The basket components may offset each other. The performance of one basket component may not correlate with the performance of the other basket components. If one of the basket components appreciates, the other basket components may not appreciate as much or may even depreciate. In such event, the appreciation of one of the basket components may be moderated, wholly offset or more than offset by lesser appreciation or by depreciation in the value of one or more of the other basket components.

 

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The basket components may be highly correlated in decline. The performances of the basket components may become highly correlated during periods of declining prices. This may occur because of events that have broad effects on markets generally or on the markets that the basket components track. If the basket components become correlated in decline, the depreciation of one basket component will not be offset by the performance of the other basket components and, in fact, each basket component may contribute to an overall decline from the initial basket level to the final basket level.

 

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The EURO STOXX 50® Index and the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF are subject to risks associated with non-U.S. markets. Investments in securities linked to the value of non-U.S. markets involve risks associated with the securities markets in those countries, including risks of volatility in those markets, governmental intervention in those markets and cross-shareholdings in companies in certain countries. Also, there is generally less publicly available information about companies in some of these jurisdictions than about U.S. companies that are subject to the reporting requirements of the SEC. Further, non-U.S. companies are generally subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements and securities trading rules that are different from those applicable to U.S. reporting companies. The prices of securities in foreign markets may be affected by political, economic, financial and social factors in those countries, or global regions, including changes in government, economic and fiscal policies and currency exchange laws. Moreover, the economies in such countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the economy of the United States in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources and self-sufficiency.

 

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The performance of the EURO STOXX 50® Index will not be adjusted for changes in the currency exchange rate between the euro and the U.S. dollar. The EURO STOXX 50® Index is composed of stocks traded in euro, the value of which may be subject to a high degree of fluctuation relative to the U.S. dollar. However, the performance of the EURO STOXX 50® Index will not be adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations. If the euro appreciates relative to the U.S. dollar over the term of the notes, the performance of the EURO STOXX 50® Index as measured for purposes of the notes will be less than it would have been if it offered exposure to that appreciation in addition to the change in the euro price of its constituent stocks.

 

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Investing in the notes exposes investors to risks associated with emerging markets equity securities. The stocks composing the MSCI Emerging Markets Index and that are generally tracked by the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF have been issued by companies in various emerging markets. Countries with emerging markets may have relatively unstable governments, present the risks of nationalization of businesses, have restrictions on foreign ownership and prohibitions on the repatriation of assets and have less protection of property rights than more developed countries. The economies of countries with emerging markets may be based on only a few industries, be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions and suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates. Local securities markets may trade a small number of securities and be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of holdings difficult or impossible at times.

 

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Fluctuations in exchange rates will affect the price of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF. Because the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF invests in stocks that are traded in non-U.S. currencies, while the net asset value of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF is based on the U.S. dollar value of those stocks, holders of the notes will be exposed to currency exchange rate risk with respect to each of the currencies in which those stocks trade. If the U.S. dollar generally strengthens against the currencies in which those stocks trade, the price of the shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF will be adversely affected for that reason alone and the payment at maturity on the notes may be reduced.

 

Exchange rate movements for a particular currency are volatile and are the result of numerous factors specific to the relevant country, including the supply of, and the demand for, those currencies, as well as government policy, intervention or actions, but are also influenced significantly from time to time by political or economic developments, and by macroeconomic factors and

 

 

speculative actions related to each applicable region. An investor’s net exposure will depend on the extent to which the currencies of the applicable countries strengthen or weaken against the U.S. dollar and the relative weight of each currency. Of particular importance to potential currency exchange risk are: existing and expected rates of inflation; existing and expected interest rate levels; the balance of payments; and the extent of governmental surpluses or deficits in the applicable countries and the United States. All of these factors are in turn sensitive to the monetary, fiscal and trade policies pursued by the governments of the applicable countries and the United States and other countries important to international trade and finance.

 

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Even if the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF pays a dividend that it identifies as special or extraordinary, no adjustment will be required under the notes for that dividend unless it meets the criteria specified in the accompanying product supplement. In general, an adjustment will not be made under the terms of the notes for any cash dividend paid on shares of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF unless the amount of the dividend per share, together with any other dividends paid in the same quarter, exceeds the dividend paid per share in the most recent quarter by an amount equal to at least 10% of the closing price of the shares of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, as applicable, on the date of declaration of the dividend. Any dividend will reduce the closing price of the shares of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF by the amount of the dividend per share. If the issuer of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF pays any dividend for which an adjustment is not made under the terms of the notes, holders of the notes will be adversely affected. See “Description of the Securities—Certain Additional Terms for Securities Linked to ETF Shares or Company Shares—Dilution and Reorganization Adjustments—Certain Extraordinary Cash Dividends” in the accompanying product supplement.

 

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An adjustment will not be made for all events that may have a dilutive effect on or otherwise adversely affect the market price of the shares of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF. For example, we will not make any adjustment for ordinary dividends or extraordinary dividends that do not meet the criteria described above. Moreover, the adjustments we do make may not fully offset the dilutive or adverse effect of the particular event. Investors in the notes may be adversely affected by such an event in a circumstance in which a direct holder of shares of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF would not.

 

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The notes may become linked to shares of an ETF other than the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF upon the occurrence of a reorganization event or upon the delisting of the shares of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF. For example, if the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF enters into a merger agreement that provides for holders of its shares to receive shares of another entity, the shares of such other entity will become the applicable basket component for all purposes of the notes upon consummation of the merger. Additionally, if the shares of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF are delisted, or the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF are otherwise terminated, the calculation agent may, in its sole discretion, select shares of another ETF to be the applicable basket component. See “Description of the Securities—Certain Additional Terms for Securities Linked to ETF Shares or Company Shares—Dilution and Reorganization Adjustments” and “—Delisting, Liquidation or Termination of an Underlying ETF” in the accompanying product supplement.

 

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The price and performance of shares of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust and shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF may not completely track the performance of the indices they seek to track or the net asset values per share of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust and the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF. The SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust and the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF do not fully replicate the indices that they seek to track (each, an “ETF underlying index”) and may hold securities different from those included in their respective ETF underlying indices. In addition, the performance of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust and the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF reflect additional transaction costs and fees that are not included in the calculation of their respective ETF underlying indices. All of these factors may lead to a lack of correlation between the performance of shares of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust and shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF and their respective ETF underlying indices. In addition, corporate actions with respect to the equity securities constituting the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust’s or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF’s respective ETF underlying indices or held by the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (such as mergers and spin-offs) may impact the variance between the performance of shares of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust and shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF and their respective ETF underlying indices. Finally, because shares of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust and shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF are traded on NYSE Arca, Inc. and are subject to market supply and investor demand, the market value of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust and the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF may differ from their net asset values per share.

 

During periods of market volatility, securities underlying the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust or the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF may be unavailable in the secondary market, market participants may be unable to calculate accurately the net asset value per share of the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust or the iShares^® MSCI

 

 

Emerging Markets ETF and the liquidity of shares of the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust or shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF may be adversely affected. This kind of market volatility may also disrupt the ability of market participants to create and redeem shares of the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust or shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF. Further, market volatility may adversely affect, sometimes materially, the price at which market participants are willing to buy and sell shares of the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust or shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF. As a result, under these circumstances, the market value of shares of the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust or shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF may vary substantially from their net asset value per share. For all of the foregoing reasons, the performance of shares of the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust and shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF might not correlate with the performance of their respective ETF underlying indices and/or their net asset values per share, which could materially and adversely affect the value of the notes in the secondary market and/or reduce your payment at maturity.

 

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Changes made by the investment adviser to or the sponsor of a basket component may affect the basket component. We are not affiliated with the investment adviser to the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF or with the sponsors of the EURO STOXX 50® Index or the ETF underlying indices. Changes that affect the basket components may affect the value of your notes. The sponsor of an index may add, delete or substitute the securities that constitute the index or make other methodological changes that could affect the level of the index. In addition, the investment adviser to the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF may change the manner in which the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF operates or its investment objectives at any time. We are not affiliated with any such index sponsor or investment adviser and, accordingly, we have no control over any changes any such index sponsor or investment adviser may make. Such changes could be made at any time and could adversely affect the performance of the basket components and the value of and your payment at maturity on the notes.

 

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Our offering of the notes does not constitute a recommendation of the basket or the basket components. The fact that we are offering the notes does not mean that we believe that investing in an instrument linked to the basket or any of the basket components is likely to achieve favorable returns. In fact, as we are part of a global financial institution, our affiliates may have positions (including short positions) in the basket components or the securities included in or held by the basket components or in instruments related to the basket components or such securities, and may publish research or express opinions, that in each case are inconsistent with an investment linked to the basket components. These and other activities of our affiliates may affect the levels or prices, as applicable, of the basket components in a way that has a negative impact on your interests as a holder of the notes.

 

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The level or price, as applicable, of a basket component may be adversely affected by our or our affiliates’ hedging and other trading activities. We expect to hedge our obligations under the notes through CGMI or other of our affiliates, who may take positions directly in the basket components or the securities included in or held by the basket components and other financial instruments related to the basket components or such securities and may adjust such positions during the term of the notes. Our affiliates also trade the basket components or the securities included in or held by the basket components and other financial instruments related to the basket components or such securities on a regular basis (taking long or short positions or both), for their accounts, for other accounts under their management or to facilitate transactions on behalf of customers. These activities could affect the levels and prices, as applicable, of the basket components in a way that negatively affects the value of the notes. They could also result in substantial returns for us or our affiliates while the value of the notes declines.

 

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We and our affiliates may have economic interests that are adverse to yours as a result of our affiliates’ business activities. Our affiliates may currently or from time to time engage in business with the issuers of the securities included in or held by the basket components, the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, including extending loans to, making equity investments in or providing advisory services to such issuers or the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF. In the course of this business, we or our affiliates may acquire non-public information about such issuers, or the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, which we will not disclose to you. Moreover, if any of our affiliates is or becomes a creditor of any such issuer, they may exercise any remedies against such issuer that are available to them without regard to your interests.

 

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The calculation agent, which is an affiliate of ours, will make important determinations with respect to the notes. If certain events occur, such as market disruption events, the discontinuance of the EURO STOXX 50® Index or events with respect to the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF that may require a dilution adjustment or the delisting of the shares of the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust or the shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, CGMI, as calculation agent, will be required to make discretionary judgments that could significantly affect your payment at maturity. In making these judgments, the calculation agent’s interests as an affiliate of ours could be adverse to your interests as a holder of the notes.

 

 

Hypothetical Historical Information About the Basket

 

Because the basket exists solely for purposes of the notes, historical information on the performance of the basket does not exist for dates prior to the pricing date. The graph below sets forth the hypothetical historical daily closing levels of the basket for the period from January 2, 2013 to August 23, 2018, assuming that the basket was created on January 2, 2013 with the same basket components and corresponding weights and with a level of 100 on that date. The hypothetical performance of the basket is based on the actual closing levels and closing prices, as applicable, of the basket components on the applicable dates. We obtained these closing levels and closing prices from Bloomberg L.P., without independent verification. Any historical trend in the level of the basket during the period shown below is not an indication of the performance of the basket during the term of the notes.

 

Hypothetical Historical Basket Performance January 2, 2013 to August 23, 2018

 

Information About the Basket Components

 

SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust

 

The SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust is an exchange-traded fund that seeks to provide investment results, before expenses, that generally correspond to the performance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average^TM. The ETF is managed by State Street Bank and Trust Company (“SSBTC”), as trustee of the ETF and PDR Services LLC (“PDRS”), as sponsor of the ETF. Information provided to or filed with the SEC by the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, can be located by reference to SEC file numbers 333-31247 and 811-09170, respectively, through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, information may be obtained from other sources including, but not limited to, press releases, newspaper articles and other publicly disseminated documents. The SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust trades on the NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol “DIA.”

 

Historical Information

 

The graph below shows the closing price of the shares of the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust for each day such price was available from January 2, 2013 to August 23, 2018. The table that follows shows the high and low closing prices of, and dividends paid on, the shares of the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust for each quarter in that same period. We obtained the closing prices and other information below from Bloomberg L.P., without independent verification. You should not take the historical prices of the shares of the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust as an indication of future performance.

 

SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust – Historical Closing Prices January 2, 2013 to August 23, 2018

 

SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial AverageSM ETF Trust	High	Low	Dividends
2013
First Quarter	$145.42	$133.12	$0.91512
Second Quarter	$153.88	$145.14	$0.87204
Third Quarter	$156.80	$147.47	$0.89315
Fourth Quarter	$165.47	$147.53	$0.77171
2014
First Quarter	$164.96	$153.39	$0.96254
Second Quarter	$169.35	$160.02	$0.83565
Third Quarter	$172.61	$163.55	$0.80427
Fourth Quarter	$180.19	$160.98	$1.00356
2015
First Quarter	$182.68	$171.48	$1.02182
Second Quarter	$182.93	$175.64	$0.83231
Third Quarter	$181.07	$156.49	$1.20265
Fourth Quarter	$179.14	$162.49	$0.98115
2016
First Quarter	$176.95	$156.78	$1.10604
Second Quarter	$180.75	$171.17	$1.11650
Third Quarter	$186.51	$178.21	$1.14617
Fourth Quarter	$199.42	$178.71	$1.06766
2017
First Quarter	$211.02	$197.28	$1.18598
Second Quarter	$214.92	$203.85	$1.19840
Third Quarter	$223.90	$213.14	$1.15861
Fourth Quarter	$248.13	$225.24	$1.20225
2018
First Quarter	$265.91	$235.13	$1.34910
Second Quarter	$253.39	$236.15	$1.28323
Third Quarter (through August 23, 2018)	$258.07	$241.66	$0.69438

 

The closing price of the shares of the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust on August 23, 2018 was $256.49.

 

On August 16, 2018, the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust declared a cash dividend of $0.53847 per share payable on September 17, 2018. We make no representation as to the amount of dividends, if any, that may be paid on the shares of the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust in the future. In any event, as an investor in the securities, you will not be entitled to receive dividends, if any, that may be payable on the shares of the SPDR^® Dow Jones^® Industrial Average^SM ETF Trust.

 

 

EURO STOXX 50^® Index

 

The EURO STOXX 50^® Index is composed of 50 component stocks of market sector leaders from within the 19 EURO STOXX^® Supersector indices, which represent the Eurozone portion of the STOXX Europe 600^® Supersector indices. The STOXX Europe 600^® Supersector indices contain the 600 largest stocks traded on the major exchanges of 18 European countries. The EURO STOXX 50^® Index is reported by Bloomberg L.P. under the ticker symbol “SX5E.”

 

STOXX Limited (“STOXX”) and its licensors and CGMI have entered into a non-exclusive license agreement providing for the license to CGMI and its affiliates, in exchange for a fee, of the right to use the EURO STOXX 50^® Index, which is owned and published by STOXX, in connection with certain financial instruments, including the notes. For more information, see “Equity Index Descriptions—The EURO STOXX 50^® Index—License Agreement” in the accompanying underlying supplement.

 

Please refer to the section “Equity Index Descriptions—The EURO STOXX 50^® Index” in the accompanying underlying supplement for important disclosures regarding the EURO STOXX 50^® Index.

 

Historical Information

 

The closing level of the EURO STOXX 50^® Index on August 23, 2018 was 3,419.26.

 

The graph below shows the closing level of the EURO STOXX 50^® Index for each day such level was available from January 2, 2013 to August 23, 2018. We obtained the closing levels from Bloomberg L.P., without independent verification. You should not take the historical levels of the EURO STOXX 50^® Index as an indication of future performance.

 

EURO STOXX 50® Index – Historical Closing Levels January 2, 2013 to August 23, 2018

 

iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF

 

The iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF is an exchange-traded fund that seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in emerging markets, as measured by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. However, for purposes of the securities, the performance of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF will reflect only its price performance, as any dividends paid on the shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF will not be factored into a determination of the closing price of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index was developed by MSCI Inc. as an equity benchmark for international stock performance, and is designed to measure equity market performance in the global emerging markets.

 

The iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF is an investment portfolio managed by iShares^® Inc. BlackRock Fund Advisors is the investment adviser to the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF. iShares^®, Inc. is a registered investment company that consists of numerous separate investment portfolios, including the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF. Information provided to or filed with the SEC by iShares^®, Inc. pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, can be located by reference to SEC file numbers 033-97598 and 811-09102, respectively, through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, information may be obtained from other sources including, but not limited to, press releases, newspaper articles and other publicly disseminated documents. The iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF trades on the NYSE Arca, Inc. under the ticker symbol “EEM.”

 

Please refer to the section “Fund Descriptions—The iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF” in the accompanying underlying supplement for important disclosures regarding the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF.

 

Historical Information

 

The graph below shows the closing price of the shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF for each day such price was available from January 2, 2013 to August 23, 2018. The table that follows shows the high and low closing prices of, and dividends paid on, the shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF for each quarter in that same period. We obtained the closing prices and other information below from Bloomberg L.P., without independent verification. You should not take the historical prices of the shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF as an indication of future performance.

 

iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF – Historical Closing Prices January 2, 2013 to August 23, 2018

 

iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	High	Low	Dividends
2013
First Quarter	$45.20	$41.80	$0.01423
Second Quarter	$44.23	$36.63	$0.00000
Third Quarter	$43.29	$37.34	$0.49260
Fourth Quarter	$43.66	$40.44	$0.36578
2014
First Quarter	$40.99	$37.09	$0.00000
Second Quarter	$43.95	$40.82	$0.00000
Third Quarter	$45.85	$41.56	$0.34063
Fourth Quarter	$42.44	$37.73	$0.53502
2015
First Quarter	$41.07	$37.92	$0.00000
Second Quarter	$44.09	$39.04	$0.00000
Third Quarter	$39.78	$31.32	$0.30125
Fourth Quarter	$36.29	$31.55	$0.50084
2016
First Quarter	$34.28	$28.25	$0.00000
Second Quarter	$35.26	$31.87	$0.26598
Third Quarter	$38.20	$33.77	$0.00000
Fourth Quarter	$38.10	$34.08	$0.39621
2017
First Quarter	$39.99	$35.43	$0.00000
Second Quarter	$41.93	$38.81	$0.19171
Third Quarter	$45.85	$41.05	$0.00000
Fourth Quarter	$47.81	$44.82	$0.69655
2018
First Quarter	$52.08	$45.69	$0.00000
Second Quarter	$48.14	$42.33	$0.28987
Third Quarter (through August 23, 2018)	$45.03	$41.51	$0.00000

 

The closing price of the shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF on August 23, 2018 was $42.58.

 

We make no representation as to the amount of dividends, if any, that may be paid on the shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF in the future. In any event, as an investor in the securities, you will not be entitled to receive dividends, if any, that may be payable on the shares of the iShares^® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF.

 

United States Federal Tax Considerations

 

Prospective investors should note that, other than the discussion under “United States Federal Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders—Possible Withholding Under Section 871(m) of the Code,” the section entitled “United States Federal Tax Considerations” in the accompanying product supplement does not apply to the notes issued under this pricing supplement and is superseded by the following discussion.

 

In the opinion of our counsel, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, based on current market conditions, the notes should be treated as “contingent payment debt instruments” for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as described in the section of the accompanying prospectus supplement called “United States Federal Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders—Notes Treated as Contingent Payment Debt Instruments,” and the remaining discussion is based on this treatment. The discussion herein does not address the consequences to taxpayers subject to special tax accounting rules under Section 451(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

If you are a U.S. Holder (as defined in the accompanying prospectus supplement), you will be required to recognize interest income during the term of the notes at the “comparable yield,” which generally is the yield at which we could issue a fixed-rate debt instrument with terms similar to those of the notes, including the level of subordination, term, timing of payments and general market conditions, but excluding any adjustments for the riskiness of the contingencies or the liquidity of the notes. We are required to construct a “projected payment schedule” in respect of the notes representing a payment the amount and timing of which would produce a yield to maturity on the notes equal to the comparable yield. Assuming you hold the notes until their maturity, the amount of interest you include in income based on the comparable yield in the taxable year in which the notes mature will be adjusted upward or downward to reflect the difference, if any, between the actual and projected payment on the notes at maturity as determined under the projected payment schedule. However, special rules may apply if the payment at maturity on the notes is treated as becoming fixed prior to maturity. See “United States Federal Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders—Notes Treated as Contingent Payment Debt Instruments” in the accompanying prospectus supplement for a more detailed discussion of the special rules.

 

 

Upon the sale, exchange or retirement of the notes prior to maturity, you generally will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the proceeds received and your adjusted tax basis in the notes. Your adjusted tax basis will equal your purchase price for the notes, increased by interest previously included in income on the notes. Any gain generally will be treated as ordinary income, and any loss generally will be treated as ordinary loss to the extent of prior interest inclusions on the note and as capital loss thereafter.

 

We have determined that the comparable yield for a note is a rate of     %, compounded semi-annually, and that the projected payment schedule with respect to a note consists of a single payment of $      at maturity.

 

Neither the comparable yield nor the projected payment schedule constitutes a representation by us regarding the actual amount that we will pay on the notes.

 

Non-U.S. Holders. Subject to the discussions below regarding Section 871(m) and in “United States Federal Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders” and “—FATCA” in the accompanying prospectus supplement, if you are a Non-U.S. Holder (as defined in the accompanying prospectus supplement) of the notes, under current law you generally will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding or income tax in respect of any payment on or any amount received on the sale, exchange or retirement of the notes, provided that (i) income in respect of the notes is not effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States, and (ii) you comply with the applicable certification requirements. See “United States Federal Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders” in the accompanying prospectus supplement for a more detailed discussion of the rules applicable to Non-U.S. Holders of the notes.

 

As discussed under “United States Federal Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders—Possible Withholding Under Section 871(m) of the Code” in the accompanying product supplement, Section 871(m) of the Code and Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder (“Section 871(m)”) generally impose a 30% withholding tax on dividend equivalents paid or deemed paid to Non-U.S. Holders with respect to certain financial instruments linked to U.S. equities (“U.S. Underlying Equities”) or indices that include U.S. Underlying Equities. Section 871(m) generally applies to instruments that substantially replicate the economic performance of one or more U.S. Underlying Equities, as determined based on tests set forth in the applicable Treasury regulations (a “Specified Security”). However, the regulations, as modified by an Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) notice, exempt financial instruments issued in 2018 that do not have a “delta” of one. Based on the terms of the notes and representations provided by us, our counsel is of the opinion that the notes should not be treated as transactions that have a “delta” of one within the meaning of the regulations with respect to any U.S. Underlying Equity and, therefore, should not be Specified Securities subject to withholding tax under Section 871(m).

 

A determination that the notes are not subject to Section 871(m) is not binding on the IRS, and the IRS may disagree with this treatment. Moreover, Section 871(m) is complex and its application may depend on your particular circumstances. For example, if you enter into other transactions relating to a U.S. Underlying Equity, you could be subject to withholding tax or income tax liability under Section 871(m) even if the notes are not Specified Securities subject to Section 871(m) as a general matter. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the potential application of Section 871(m) to the notes.

 

This information is indicative and will be updated in the final pricing supplement or may otherwise be updated by us in writing from time to time. Non-U.S. Holders should be warned that Section 871(m) may apply to the notes based on circumstances as of the pricing date for the notes and, therefore, it is possible that the notes will be subject to withholding tax under Section 871(m).

 

If withholding tax applies to the notes, we will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts withheld.

 

You should read the section entitled “United States Federal Tax Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus supplement and the discussion under “United States Federal Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders—Possible Withholding Under Section 871(m) of the Code” in the accompanying product supplement. The preceding discussion, when read in combination with those sections, constitutes the full opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP regarding the material U.S. federal tax consequences of owning and disposing of the notes.

 

You should also consult your tax adviser regarding all aspects of the U.S. federal tax consequences of an investment in the notes and any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.

 

Supplemental Plan of Distribution

 

CGMI, an affiliate of Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc. and the underwriter of the sale of the notes, is acting as principal and will receive an underwriting fee of $20.00 for each $1,000 note sold in this offering.  The actual underwriting fee will be equal to $20.00 for each $1,000 note sold by CGMI directly to the public and will otherwise be equal to the selling concession provided to selected dealers, as described in this paragraph.  Selected dealers not affiliated with CGMI and their financial advisors will collectively receive from CGMI a selling concession of $20.00 for each note they sell to accounts other than fee-based advisory accounts.  In addition, CGMI will pay selected dealers not affiliated with CGMI a structuring fee of up to $5 for each note they sell to accounts other than fee-based advisory accounts.  Selected dealers not affiliated with CGMI, which may include dealers acting as custodians, will receive from CGMI a selling concession of up to $5 for each $1,000 note they sell to fee-based advisory accounts. Broker-dealers affiliated with CGMI, including Citi International Financial Services, Citigroup Global Markets Singapore Pte. Ltd. and Citigroup Global Markets Asia Limited, and financial

 

 

advisors employed by such affiliated broker-dealers will collectively receive a fixed selling concession of $20.00 for each $1,000 note they sell.  CGMI will pay the registered representatives of CGMI a selling concession of $20.00 for each $1,000 note they sell directly to the public.  We may also engage other firms to provide marketing or promotional services in connection with the distribution of the notes.  CGMI will pay these service providers a fee of up to $5 per note in consideration for providing marketing, education, structuring or referral services with respect to financial advisors or selected dealers.

 

CGMI is an affiliate of ours. Accordingly, this offering will conform with the requirements addressing conflicts of interest when distributing the securities of an affiliate set forth in Rule 5121 of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Client accounts over which Citigroup Inc. or its subsidiaries have investment discretion will not be permitted to purchase the notes, either directly or indirectly, without the prior written consent of the client.

 

Secondary market sales of securities typically settle two business days after the date on which the parties agree to the sale. Because the issue date for the notes is more than two business days after the pricing date, investors who wish to sell the notes at any time prior to the second business day preceding the issue date will be required to specify an alternative settlement date for the secondary market sale to prevent a failed settlement. Investors should consult their own investment advisors in this regard.

 

See “Plan of Distribution; Conflicts of Interest” in the accompanying product supplement and “Plan of Distribution” in each of the accompanying prospectus supplement and prospectus for additional information.

 

A portion of the net proceeds from the sale of the notes will be used to hedge our obligations under the notes. We expect to hedge our obligations under the notes through CGMI or other of our affiliates. CGMI or such other of our affiliates may profit from this expected hedging activity even if the value of the notes declines. This hedging activity could affect the closing levels of the basket components and, therefore, the value of and your return on the notes. For additional information on the ways in which our counterparties may hedge our obligations under the notes, see “Use of Proceeds and Hedging” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

Valuation of the Notes

 

CGMI calculated the estimated value of the notes set forth on the cover page of this pricing supplement based on proprietary pricing models. CGMI’s proprietary pricing models generated an estimated value for the notes by estimating the value of a hypothetical package of financial instruments that would replicate the payout on the notes, which consists of a fixed-income bond (the “bond component”) and one or more derivative instruments underlying the economic terms of the notes (the “derivative component”). CGMI calculated the estimated value of the bond component using a discount rate based on our internal funding rate. CGMI calculated the estimated value of the derivative component based on a proprietary derivative-pricing model, which generated a theoretical price for the instruments that constitute the derivative component based on various inputs, including the factors described under “Summary Risk Factors—The value of the notes prior to maturity will fluctuate based on many unpredictable factors” in this pricing supplement, but not including our or Citigroup Inc.’s creditworthiness. These inputs may be market-observable or may be based on assumptions made by CGMI in its discretionary judgment.

 

The estimated value of the notes is a function of the terms of the notes and the inputs to CGMI’s proprietary pricing models. As of the date of this preliminary pricing supplement, it is uncertain what the estimated value of the notes will be on the pricing date because certain terms of the notes have not yet been fixed and because it is uncertain what the values of the inputs to CGMI’s proprietary pricing models will be on the pricing date.

 

For a period of approximately three months following issuance of the notes, the price, if any, at which CGMI would be willing to buy the notes from investors, and the value that will be indicated for the notes on any brokerage account statements prepared by CGMI or its affiliates (which value CGMI may also publish through one or more financial information vendors), will reflect a temporary upward adjustment from the price or value that would otherwise be determined. This temporary upward adjustment represents a portion of the hedging profit expected to be realized by CGMI or its affiliates over the term of the notes. The amount of this temporary upward adjustment will decline to zero on a straight-line basis over the three-month temporary adjustment period. However, CGMI is not obligated to buy the notes from investors at any time. See “Summary Risk Factors—The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange and you may not be able to sell them prior to maturity.”

 

Certain Selling Restrictions

 

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

 

The contents of this pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, underlying supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus have not been reviewed by any regulatory authority in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (“Hong Kong”). Investors are advised to exercise caution in relation to the offer. If investors are in any doubt about any of the contents of this pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, underlying supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus, they should obtain independent professional advice.

 

The notes have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of any document, other than

 

(i)

to persons whose ordinary business is to buy or sell shares or debentures (whether as principal or agent); or

 

(ii)

to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong (the “Securities and Futures Ordinance”) and any rules made under that Ordinance; or

 

 

(iii)

in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance; and

 

There is no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the notes which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to securities which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made under that Ordinance.

 

Non-insured Product: These notes are not insured by any governmental agency. These notes are not bank deposits and are not covered by the Hong Kong Deposit Protection Scheme.

 

Singapore

 

This pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, underlying supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus have not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and the notes will be offered pursuant to exemptions under the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “Securities and Futures Act”). Accordingly, the notes may not be offered or sold or made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase nor may this pricing supplement or any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale or invitation for subscription or purchase of any notes be circulated or distributed, whether directly or indirectly, to any person in Singapore other than (a) to an institutional investor pursuant to Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, (b) to a relevant person under Section 275(1) of the Securities and Futures Act or to any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the Securities and Futures Act and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the Securities and Futures Act, or (c) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the Securities and Futures Act. Where the notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the Securities and Futures Act by a relevant person which is:

 

(a)

a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or

 

(b)

a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an individual who is an accredited investor, securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the Securities and Futures Act) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interests (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferable for 6 months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the relevant securities pursuant to an offer under Section 275 of the Securities and Futures Act except:

 

(i)

to an institutional investor or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the Securities and Futures Act or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the Securities and Futures Act; or

 

(ii)

where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer; or

 

(iii)

where the transfer is by operation of law; or

 

(iv)

pursuant to Section 276(7) of the Securities and Futures Act; or

 

(v)

as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore.

 

Any notes referred to herein may not be registered with any regulator, regulatory body or similar organization or institution in any jurisdiction.

 

The notes are Specified Investment Products (as defined in the Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products and Notice on the Sale of Investment Product issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore on 28 July 2011) that is neither listed nor quoted on a securities market or a futures market.

 

Non-insured Product: These notes are not insured by any governmental agency. These notes are not bank deposits. These notes are not insured products subject to the provisions of the Deposit Insurance and Policy Owners’ Protection Schemes Act 2011 of Singapore and are not eligible for deposit insurance coverage under the Deposit Insurance Scheme.

 

Prohibition of Sales to EEA Retail Investors

 

The notes may not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area.  For the purposes of this provision:

 

(a)

the expression “retail investor” means a person who is one (or more) of the following:

 

(i)

a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, “MiFID II”); or

 

(ii)

a customer within the meaning of Directive 2002/92/EC, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or

 

 

(iii)

not a qualified investor as defined in Directive 2003/71/EC; and

 

(b)

the expression “offer” includes the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the notes offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the notes.

 

Contact

 

Clients may contact their local brokerage representative. Third-party distributors may contact Citi Structured Investment Sales at (212) 723-7005.

 

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