Note 5
— Investment Transactions
For the six months ended March 31, 2024, the Trust
had in-kind contributions, in-kind redemptions, purchases and sales of investment securities of $342,234,562,967, $308,366,263,179, $4,661,170,545, and $4,734,187,681, respectively. Net realized gain (loss) on investment transactions in the
Statement of Operations includes net gains resulting from in-kind transactions of $33,337,210,897.
Note 6
— Equity Investing and Market Risk
An investment in the Trust involves risks similar to
those of investing in any fund of equity securities, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates, perceived trends in securities prices, war, acts of terrorism, the spread of
infectious disease or other public health issues. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious disease or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the
Trust and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Trust’s net asset value. For example, conflict, loss of life and disaster connected to ongoing armed conflicts between Ukraine and Russian in Europe and
Israel and Hamas in the Middle East could have severe adverse effects on their respective regions, including significant adverse effects on the regional or global economies and the markets for certain securities. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has
resulted in sanctions against Russian governmental institutions, Russian entities, and Russian individuals that may result in the devaluation of Russian currency; a downgrade in the country’s credit rating; a freeze of Russian foreign assets;
and a decline in the value and liquidity of Russian securities, properties, or interests. These Russian-related sanctions as well as the potential for military escalation and other corresponding events in Europe and the Middle East, and the
resulting disruption of the Russian and Israeli economies, may cause volatility in other regional and global markets and may negatively impact the performance of various sectors and industries, as well as companies in other countries, which could
have a negative effect on the performance of the Trust, even if the Trust does not have direct exposure to securities of Russian or Israeli issuers.
An investment in the Trust is subject to the risks of
any investment in a broadly based portfolio of equity securities, including the risk that the general level of stock prices may decline, thereby adversely affecting the value of such investment. The value of common stocks actually held by the Trust
and that make up the Trust’s portfolio (the “Portfolio Securities”) may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of the issuers of Portfolio Securities, the value of equity securities generally and other
factors. The identity and weighting of common stocks that are included in the S&P 500® Index and the Portfolio Securities change from time to time.
The financial condition of issuers of Portfolio
Securities may become impaired or the general condition of the stock market may deteriorate, either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the Trust’s portfolio and thus in the value of Units. Since the Trust is not actively managed,
the adverse financial condition of an issuer will not result in its elimination from the Trust’s portfolio unless such issuer is removed from the S&P 500® Index.
Equity securities are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. These investor perceptions are based on various and
unpredictable factors, including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies, inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and