SEC Form FWP filed by Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

The amount that you will be paid on your securities at stated maturity is based on the performance of a weighted basket composed of the EURO STOXX 50® Index (40.00% weighting), TOPIX (25.00% weighting), the FTSE® 100 Index (17.50% weighting), the Swiss Market Index (10.00% weighting) and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (7.50% weighting) as measured from the pricing date to and including the valuation date.

The initial basket value is 100, and the final basket value (the basket closing value on the valuation date) will equal the sum of the products, as calculated separately for each index, of: (i) the index closing value of such index on the valuation date multiplied by (ii) its multiplier. The multiplier will equal, for each index, the quotient of (i) the weighting of such index multiplied by 100 divided by (ii) its initial basket component value.

At maturity, if the final basket value is greater than or equal to the upside threshold value, the return on your securities will be positive and equal to the product of the leverage factor multiplied by the basket percent change. If the final basket value is less than the upside threshold value but greater than or equal to the initial basket value, the return on your securities will be positive and equal to the upside payment. If the final basket value is less than the initial basket value, you will lose a portion of your investment. Declines in one index may offset increases in the other indices. Due to the unequal weighting of each index, the performance of the index with greater weight will have a significantly larger impact on the return on your securities than the performances of the indices with lesser weights.

The securities are for investors who seek the potential to earn a minimum return of 25% if the basket appreciates or does not depreciate from the initial basket value to the final basket value and at least 1.75-to-1 participation in any basket appreciation from the initial basket value if such appreciation is greater than or equal to 25%, are willing to forgo interest payments and are willing to risk losing their entire investment if the final basket value has declined from the initial basket value.

GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. have filed a registration statement (including a prospectus, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement, underlier supplement no. 49, general terms supplement no. 17,745 and preliminary pricing supplement listed below) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus, prospectus supplement, underlier supplement no. 49, general terms supplement no. 17,745 and preliminary pricing supplement and any other documents relating to this offering that GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. have filed with the SEC for more complete information about us and this offering. You may get these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC web site at sec.gov. Alternatively, we will arrange to send you the prospectus, prospectus supplement, underlier supplement no. 49, general terms supplement no. 17,745 and preliminary pricing supplement if you so request by calling (212) 357-4612.

The securities are notes that are part of the Medium-Term Notes, Series F program of GS Finance Corp. and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. This document should be read in conjunction with the following:

An investment in the securities is subject to risks. Many of the risks are described in the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement, accompanying general terms supplement no. 17,745, accompanying underlier supplement no. 49, accompanying prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. Below we have provided a list of certain risk factors discussed in such documents. In addition to the below, you should read in full “Risk Factors” in the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement, “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes” in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 17,745, “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Securities” in the accompanying underlier supplement no. 49, as well as the risks and considerations described in the accompanying prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. Your securities are a riskier investment than ordinary debt securities. Also, your securities are not equivalent to investing directly in the underlying index stocks, i.e., with respect to an underlying index to which your securities are linked, the stocks comprising such underlying index. You should carefully consider whether the offered securities are appropriate given your particular circumstances.

The following risk factors are discussed in greater detail in the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement:

Risks Related to Structure, Valuation and Secondary Market Sales

Risks Related to Conflicts of Interest

Additional Risks Related to the Underlying Indices

Risks Related to Tax

The following risk factors are discussed in greater detail in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 17,745:

Risks Related to Structure, Valuation and Secondary Market Sales

Risks Related to Conflicts of Interest

Risks Related to Tax

The following risk factors are discussed in greater detail in the accompanying underlier supplement no. 49:

Additional Risks Relating to Securities Linked to Underliers that are Equity Indices

Additional Risks Relating to Securities Linked to Underliers Denominated in Foreign Currencies or that Contain Foreign Stocks

The following risk factors are discussed in greater detail in the accompanying prospectus supplement:

The following risk factors are discussed in greater detail in the accompanying prospectus:

For details about the license agreement between the underlying index publishers for the EURO STOXX 50® Index, the FTSE® 100 Index, the Swiss Market Index and the S&P/ASX 200 Index and the issuer, see “The Underliers — EURO STOXX 50® Index”, “The Underliers — FTSE® 100 Index”, “The Underliers — Swiss Market Index” and “The Underliers — S&P/ASX 200 Index” on pages S-36, S-42, S-153 and S-110 of the accompanying underlier supplement no. 49, respectively.

TOPIX Value and TOPIX Marks are subject to the proprietary rights owned by JPXI and JPXI owns all rights and know-how relating to TOPIX such as calculation, publication and use of TOPIX Value and relating to TOPIX Marks. JPXI shall reserve the rights to change the methods of calculation or publication, to cease the calculation or publication of TOPIX Value or to change TOPIX Marks or cease the use thereof. JPXI makes no warranty or representation whatsoever, either as to the results stemmed from the use of TOPIX Value and TOPIX Marks or as to the figure at which TOPIX Value stands on any particular day. JPXI gives no assurance regarding accuracy or completeness of TOPIX Value and data contained therein. Further, JPXI shall not be liable for the miscalculation, incorrect publication, delayed or interrupted publication of TOPIX Value. No securities are in any way sponsored, endorsed or promoted by JPXI JPXI shall not bear any obligation to give an explanation of the securities or an advice on investments to any purchaser of the securities or to the public. JPXI neither selects specific stocks or groups thereof nor takes into account any needs of the issuing company or any purchaser of the securities, for calculation of TOPIX Value. Including but not limited to the foregoing, JPXI shall not be responsible for any damage resulting from the issue and sale of the securities.

You should review carefully the discussion in the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement under the caption “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the securities, and you should consult your tax advisor.