DEERE JOHN CAPITAL CORP
424B5, 1997-06-19
SHORT-TERM BUSINESS CREDIT INSTITUTIONS
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<PAGE>
   
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(TO PROSPECTUS DATED JUNE 18, 1997)
    
 
   
                              U.S. $2,263,850,000
    
                         JOHN DEERE CAPITAL CORPORATION
                          MEDIUM-TERM NOTES, SERIES C
                DUE FROM 9 MONTHS TO 30 YEARS FROM DATE OF ISSUE
                              -------------------
 
   
    John  Deere Capital Corporation  (the "Capital Corporation")  may offer from
time to time  its Medium-Term  Notes, Series C,  (the "Notes")  at an  aggregate
initial offering price of up to U.S. $2,263,850,000, or the equivalent in one or
more  Currencies, subject  to reduction as  a result  of the sale  of other Debt
Securities (including the sale of  Debt Securities having substantially  similar
terms  to the  Notes outside the  United States  or the sale  of Debt Securities
pursuant to another  prospectus supplement) or  Debt Warrants. Unless  otherwise
specified  in the applicable pricing supplement, the Notes will bear interest at
either fixed or floating rates or a combination thereof and will have a Maturity
Date from 9 months  to 30 years  from the date of  issue. The principal  amount,
Currency  of denomination and  payment, Maturity Date,  redemption and repayment
provisions, if any, and price  to public of a  Note, together with the  interest
rate or the interest rate basis, as adjusted by any Spread, Spread Multiplier or
other  formula,  as  the  case  may  be,  will  be  established  by  the Capital
Corporation and set forth in the applicable pricing supplement.
    
 
    For a description of  other terms of the  Notes, see "Description of  Notes"
herein.
 
                             ---------------------
 
THESE  SECURITIES HAVE NOT  BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED  BY THE SECURITIES AND
 EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR   ANY  STATE  SECURITIES   COMMISSION  NOR  HAS   THE
  SECURITIES  AND  EXCHANGE  COMMISSION OR  ANY  STATE  SECURITIES COMMISSION
   PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR  ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT,  ANY
    PRICING  SUPPLEMENT HERETO OR THE PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE
     CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                 PRICE TO                AGENTS' DISCOUNTS                    PROCEEDS TO THE
                                PUBLIC (1)              AND COMMISSIONS (2)              CAPITAL CORPORATION (2)(3)
<S>                      <C>                       <C>                             <C>
Per Note...............            100%                     .125%--.675%                      99.875%--99.325%
Total (4)..............       $2,263,850,000           $2,829,813--15,280,988          $2,261,020,187--2,248,569,012
</TABLE>
    
 
(1) Unless otherwise specified in  the applicable pricing supplement, each  Note
    will be issued at 100% of its principal amount.
 
(2)  The  Capital Corporation  will pay  a  commission to  Merrill Lynch  & Co.,
    Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Goldman, Sachs & Co.  or
    Salomon  Brothers  Inc (each,  an "Agent"),  in  the form  of a  discount or
    otherwise, ranging from .125% to .675% of the price to public of any  Senior
    Note  sold through them as Agent depending  upon the maturity of such Senior
    Note. The schedule of commissions payable in connection with sales of Senior
    Notes will also apply to sales of Subordinated Notes unless otherwise agreed
    to by the Capital Corporation and  the Agents. The Capital Corporation  also
    may  sell the Notes to  an Agent, as principal,  for resale to investors and
    other purchasers at varying prices  relating to prevailing market prices  at
    the time of resale as determined by the applicable Agent or, if so specified
    in  the applicable pricing supplement, for resale at a fixed public offering
    price. None of the proceeds  from such resale of  Notes will be received  by
    the  Capital  Corporation.  Unless  otherwise  specified  in  the applicable
    pricing supplement, any Note sold to an Agent as principal will be purchased
    by such Agent at a price equal to  100% of the price to public of such  Note
    less  a percentage of  such price equal  to the commission  applicable to an
    agency sale of a Note of identical maturity and rank.
 
(3) Before deduction of estimated expenses of $1,391,000.
 
(4) Or the equivalent thereof in one or more Currencies.
                             ---------------------
 
    The Notes are being offered on a continuing basis by the Capital Corporation
through the  Agents,  who have  agreed  to use  their  best efforts  to  solicit
purchases  of such Notes, and also  may be sold to an  Agent or other person, as
principal, for resale. The  Capital Corporation reserves the  right to sell  the
Notes  directly to  investors on its  own behalf. The  Notes may be  sold at the
price to the public set  forth above to dealers who  later resell such Notes  to
investors. Such dealers may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. There can be no assurance that the Notes
offered  hereby will be  sold or that there  will be a  secondary market for the
Notes. The Capital Corporation reserves the right to withdraw, cancel or  modify
the  offer made hereby without notice. The Capital Corporation or the applicable
Agent, if it solicited such offer, may reject any offer in whole or in part.
 
                             ---------------------
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
 
                              GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
                                                            SALOMON BROTHERS INC
                                  ------------
 
   
            The date of this prospectus supplement is June 18, 1997.
    
<PAGE>
    IN  CONNECTION WITH AN OFFERING OF NOTES  PURCHASED BY ONE OR MORE AGENTS AS
PRINICPAL ON A FIXED-PRICE BASIS, SUCH AGENT(S) MAY ENGAGE IN TRANSACTIONS  THAT
STABILIZE,   MAINTAIN  OR  OTHERWISE  AFFECT  THE   PRICE  OF  THE  NOTES.  SUCH
TRANSACTIONS MAY INCLUDE STABILIZING  AND THE PURCHASE OF  NOTES TO COVER  SHORT
POSITIONS  OF SUCH AGENT(S). FOR A DESCRIPTION OF THESE ACTIVITIES, SEE "PLAN OF
DISTRIBUTION."
 
                              DESCRIPTION OF NOTES
 
    The following description of  the Notes offered  hereby supplements and,  to
the extent inconsistent therewith, replaces the description of the general terms
and  provisions of the Debt Securities  set forth under the heading "Description
of Debt Securities" in the  accompanying prospectus. The following  descriptions
will  apply to  each Note unless  otherwise specified in  the applicable pricing
supplement. UNLESS DEFINED HEREIN, CAPITALIZED TERMS ARE USED AS DEFINED IN  THE
ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS OR IN THE INDENTURES.
 
    The  following summaries do not purport to  be complete, and are subject to,
and qualified by reference to, the  provisions of the Indentures, including  the
definitions therein.
 
CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS
 
    Unless  otherwise  specified  in  the  applicable  pricing  supplement,  the
following terms shall have the meanings ascribed thereto below:
 
    "Business Day": with respect to any Note, any day that is not a Saturday  or
Sunday  and  that is  not  a day  on  which banking  institutions  are generally
authorized or obligated by law  or executive order to close  in The City of  New
York;  PROVIDED  that, with  respect to  Notes  denominated in  or indexed  to a
Currency other than U.S. dollars,  such day is also not  a day on which  banking
institutions  are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to
close in the  city which is  the Principal  Financial Center of  the country  or
countries  of such Currency (or, in the  case of Notes denominated in or indexed
to a composite European currency, Brussels); and, PROVIDED, FURTHER, that,  with
respect to LIBOR Notes, such day is also a London Banking Day.
 
    "Designated  LIBOR  Currency"  means  the  currency  or  composite  currency
specified in  the applicable  Pricing  Supplement as  to  which LIBOR  shall  be
calculated  or, if no  such currency or  composite currency is  specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement, U.S. Dollars.
 
    "Designated LIBOR Page"  means (a)  if "LIBOR-Reuters" is  specified in  the
applicable  Pricing Supplement,  the display on  the Reuter  Monitor Money Rates
Service (or  any  successor service)  on  the  page specified  in  such  Pricing
Supplement  (or any other page as may replace such page on such service) for the
purpose of  displaying  LIBOR for  the  Designated  LIBOR Currency,  or  (b)  if
"LIBOR-Telerate"  is  specified  in  the applicable  Pricing  Supplement,  or if
neither LIBOR-Reuters nor LIBOR-Telerate is specified in the applicable  Pricing
Supplement  as the method  for calculating LIBOR,  the display on  the Dow Jones
Telerate Service  (or any  successor  service) on  the  page specified  in  such
Pricing  Supplement (or any other page as may replace such page on such service)
for the purpose of displaying the London interbank rates of major banks for  the
Designated LIBOR Currency.
 
    "Exchange  Rate Agent":  the agent of  the Capital  Corporation specified as
such in an applicable pricing supplement.
 
    "Fixed Rate Note": a Note that bears interest at a fixed rate, as more fully
described herein.
 
    "Floating Rate Note": a Note that bears interest at a floating rate, as more
fully described herein.
 
    "Foreign Currency Note":  any Note  denominated or  payable in  one or  more
Currencies other than the U.S. dollar.
 
    "Indexed  Note": a Note as to which  all or certain interest payments and/or
the principal  (and premium,  if  any) payable  at  Maturity are  determined  by
reference  to  prices,  changes in  prices,  or differences  between  prices, of
securities, Currencies, intangibles, goods, articles  or commodities or by  such
other  objective  price, economic  or  other measures  as  are specified  in the
applicable pricing supplement.
 
    "Interest Payment Date": each date on which interest is payable on a Note.
 
                                      S-2
<PAGE>
    "LIBOR": London interbank offered rate for deposits in a specific  Currency,
calculated  as  provided  herein  or  as  provided  in  the  applicable  pricing
supplement.
 
    "London Banking Day": any day on which dealings in deposits in the  relevant
Currency are transacted in the London interbank market.
 
    "Maturity":  the date  on which  the principal of  a Note  or an installment
thereof becomes due and payable, whether on the Maturity Date or by  declaration
of  acceleration, call  for redemption, exercise  of an option  for repayment or
otherwise.
 
    "Maturity Date": the date on which a  Note will mature, as specified in  the
applicable pricing supplement.
 
    "Original Issue Discount Note": a Note, including any zero-coupon note, that
is  issued at an  issue price lower  than the principal  amount thereof and that
provides that upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof an amount less than  the
principal amount thereof shall become due and payable.
 
   
    "Principal  Financial  Center" means  (i) the  capital  city of  the country
issuing the Specified Currency or (ii) the capital city of the country to  which
the  Designated LIBOR Currency relates (or, in  the case of a composite European
currency, Brussels), except, in  each case, that with  respect to United  States
dollars,  Australian dollars, Canadian dollars,  Deutsche marks, Dutch guilders,
Italian lire and Swiss Francs the "Principal Financial Center" shall be The City
of New York, Sydney, Toronto, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Milan (solely in the case of
clause (i) above) and Zurich, respectively.
    
 
    "Senior Note": a Note issued under the Senior Indenture.
 
    "Specified Currency": the Currency in which a Note is denominated.
 
    "Subordinated Note": a Note issued under the Subordinated Indenture.
 
    "U.S. $", "$" and "U.S. dollar": the lawful currency of the United States.
 
GENERAL
 
    The Notes will be offered on a continuous basis and may be issued as  Senior
Notes or Subordinated Notes.
 
   
    The  Notes  offered by  this  prospectus supplement  will  be limited  to an
aggregate initial  offering  price of  U.S.  $2,263,850,000, or  the  equivalent
thereof  in one or  more Specified Currencies  other than U.S.  dollars, less an
amount equal to the aggregate principal face amount of any other Debt Securities
issued at their principal face amount, the aggregate issue price rather than the
principal face amount  of any  other Debt  Securities issued  at original  issue
discount,  the  aggregate issue  price of  any Debt  Warrants and  the aggregate
exercise price of any Debt Securities  issuable upon exercise of Debt  Warrants,
in  any such case that  are covered by the  registration statement of which this
prospectus supplement is  a part and  are sold by  the Capital Corporation.  The
U.S.  dollar equivalent of Notes denominated  in a Specified Currency other than
U.S. dollars will  be determined on  the applicable trade  date by the  Exchange
Rate  Agent on the basis of the noon buying rate for cable transfers in The City
of New York, as  determined by the  Federal Reserve Bank of  New York, for  such
Currency on the applicable trade date.
    
 
   
    The  Medium-Term Notes, Series C, Due from 9 Months to 30 Years from Date of
Issue issued under the  Senior Indenture, of which  the Senior Notes offered  by
this  prospectus supplement will form a part, constitute one series of Indenture
Securities, unlimited  as  to  principal  amount,  established  by  the  Capital
Corporation  pursuant to  the Senior Indenture.  At the date  of this prospectus
supplement, there were $1.705 billion aggregate principal amount of  Medium-Term
Notes, Series C, outstanding.
    
 
    The Medium-Term Notes, Series C, issued under the Subordinated Indenture, of
which  the Subordinated Notes offered by  this prospectus supplement will form a
part, constitute one series of  Indenture Securities, unlimited as to  principal
amount,  established by  the Capital  Corporation, pursuant  to the Subordinated
Indenture. At  the date  of this  prospectus supplement,  no Medium-Term  Notes,
Series C, were outstanding under the Subordinated Indenture.
 
                                      S-3
<PAGE>
    The  Notes will be direct unsecured  obligations of the Capital Corporation.
The Senior Notes will rank equally  with all other unsecured and  unsubordinated
indebtedness  of  the  Capital  Corporation.  The  Subordinated  Notes  will  be
subordinated in right  of payment to  the prior  payment in full  of the  Senior
Indebtedness  of the Capital Corporation as described under "Description of Debt
Securities -- Subordinated Indenture Provisions" in the accompanying prospectus.
At April 30, 1997, subordinated indebtedness and unsubordinated indebtedness  of
the Capital Corporation were $300 million and $5.110 billion, respectively.
 
    The   defeasance  and  covenant  defeasance  provisions  of  the  Indentures
described under "Description of Debt Securities -- Provisions Applicable to Both
the Senior and Subordinated Indentures -- Satisfaction and Discharge, Defeasance
and Covenant Defeasance" in the accompanying prospectus will apply to the Notes.
 
    The Notes will be denominated in U.S. dollars and all payments on the  Notes
will be made in U.S. dollars. For further information regarding Foreign Currency
Notes  see "Special Provisions  Relating To Foreign  Currency Notes", "Important
Currency Exchange Information" and "Foreign Currency Considerations". Payment of
the purchase price of the Notes must be made in immediately available funds.
 
    A Note may be issued as  a Fixed Rate Note or a  Floating Rate Note or as  a
Note that combines fixed and floating rate terms.
 
    The  Notes may be issued  (a) as Currency Indexed  Notes (as defined below),
the principal  amount of  which payable  on  the date  of Maturity,  and/or  the
interest  on which  payable on  each Interest  Payment Date  and on  the date of
Maturity, will be determined  by reference to the  rate of exchange between  the
Specified Currency and another Currency (the "Indexed Currency") or (b) as other
Indexed  Notes the principal  amount of which  payable on the  date of Maturity,
and/or the interest on which  payable on each Interest  Payment Date and on  the
date  of Maturity, will be determined by reference to prices, changes in prices,
or differences between  prices, of securities,  intangibles, goods, articles  or
commodities  or by such  other objective price, economic  or other measures. See
"Currency Indexed Notes" and "Other  Indexed Notes and Certain Terms  Applicable
to All Indexed Notes".
 
    Each Note will be issued in fully registered form and will be represented by
either  one or more Global Securities ("Global Notes") registered in the name of
a nominee of DTC or another depository  (DTC or such other depository is  herein
referred  to as the "Depository"), or a certificate issued in definitive form (a
"Certificated Note"). A single  Global Note will represent  all Notes issued  on
the  same day and  having the same  terms, including, but  not limited to, rank,
Interest Payment Dates, interest rate  or formula, Maturity Date and  redemption
and  repayment provisions, if any; PROVIDED that  one Global Note will be issued
with respect  to  each  $200 million  principal  amount  of such  Notes  and  an
additional  Global Note will  be issued with respect  to any remaining principal
amount of such Notes. A beneficial interest  in a Global Note will be shown  on,
and  transfers thereof will be effected  only through, records maintained by the
Depository  and  its  participants.  See  "Description  of  Debt  Securities  --
Book-Entry  Debt Securities" in the accompanying prospectus for a description of
the Depository's  procedures with  respect to  Book-Entry Notes.  Except as  set
forth  under "Description of  Debt Securities --  Book-Entry Debt Securities" in
the accompanying prospectus, Global Notes  will not be issuable in  certificated
form.
 
    The  authorized denominations of  Notes denominated in  U.S. dollars will be
$1,000 and  any  integral  multiple thereof.  The  authorized  denominations  of
Foreign Currency Notes will be set forth in the applicable pricing supplement.
 
    Interest  rates offered  with respect  to Notes  may differ  depending upon,
among other things,  the aggregate principal  amount of Notes  purchased in  any
single  transaction. Notes  with similar  variable terms  but different interest
rates,  as  well  as  Notes  with  different  variable  terms,  may  be  offered
concurrently  to different investors. Interest rates or formulas and other terms
of Notes are subject to change from time to time, but no such change will affect
any Note already issued or as to which an offer to purchase has been accepted.
 
    Payments of principal  of (and, premium,  if any) and  interest, if any,  on
Notes  represented  by a  Global  Note will  be made  in  same-day funds  to the
Depository in accordance with arrangements then in effect between the applicable
Trustee and the Depository.
 
                                      S-4
<PAGE>
    Certificated Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or exchange
in the case of the Senior Notes, at the corporate trust office of the Trustee in
The City  of New  York  and, in  the  case of  the  Subordinated Notes,  at  the
corporate  trust office of  the Trustee in The  City of Chicago  or an office or
agency of the Trustee in The City of New York.
 
    Payments in  U.S. dollars  of  interest on  Certificated Notes  (other  than
interest  payable on the Maturity Date  or upon earlier redemption or repayment)
will be made  by mailing a  check to the  holder at the  address of such  holder
appearing  on  the security  register for  the Notes  on the  applicable Regular
Record Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon receipt of appropriate  written
instructions  from a holder of $10,000,000 or more in aggregate principal amount
of Certificated  Notes  issued  under  one of  the  Indentures  (whether  having
identical  or different  terms and provisions)  by the applicable  Trustee on or
prior to a Regular Record Date, such Trustee will make such payments of interest
commencing with  the  next  succeeding  Interest Payment  Date  by  transfer  of
immediately  available funds to an account at a bank in The City of New York (or
another bank consented to by the Capital Corporation) designated by such holder,
but only if such bank has the appropriate facilities therefor.
 
    All payments  on  Notes  payable  on  the  Maturity  Date  or  upon  earlier
redemption  or repayment  of Certificated  Notes will be  made to  the holder in
immediately available  funds upon  surrender  of the  applicable Notes,  at  the
corporate trust office of the relevant Trustee in The City of New York.
 
    Notes may be issued in the form of zero-coupon notes that will be offered at
a  discount from the principal  amount thereof due on  the Maturity Date of such
Notes. There will be no periodic  payments of interest on zero-coupon notes.  In
the event of an acceleration of the maturity of an Original Issue Discount Note,
the  amount payable to  the holder of  such Note upon  such acceleration will be
determined in accordance with the  terms of the Note,  but generally will be  an
amount  less than the  amount payable on  the Maturity Date  of the principal of
such Note. In addition, a Note issued at a discount may, for federal income  tax
purposes,  be  considered an  original issue  discount  note, regardless  of the
amount payable  upon acceleration  of the  maturity of  such Note.  See  "United
States Taxation -- United States Persons -- Discount Notes".
 
    For  a  description of  the rights  attaching to  Debt Securities  under the
applicable Indenture, see "Description of  Debt Securities" in the  accompanying
prospectus.  References to interest payments and interest-related information do
not apply to zero-coupon notes.
 
INTEREST AND INTEREST RATES
 
    Each Note, other than  an Original Issue Discount  Note, will bear  interest
from  its date of issue at the annual  rate, or at a rate determined pursuant to
an interest rate formula, stated in the applicable pricing supplement, until the
principal thereof is paid or duly  made available for payment. Interest will  be
payable  on each Interest Payment Date and  at Maturity. Any interest other than
at Maturity  will  be payable  to  the  person in  whose  name a  Note  (or  any
predecessor  Note) is registered at the close  of business on the Regular Record
Date next  preceding the  relevant  Interest Payment  Date, subject  to  certain
exceptions; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, if a Note is issued between a Regular Record Date
and  the Interest Payment Date pertaining  thereto, the initial interest payment
will be made on the Interest Payment Date following the next succeeding  Regular
Record  Date to  the holder  on such  Regular Record  Date. Interest  payable at
Maturity will be paid to  the person to whom the  principal of the Note will  be
paid.
 
    All  percentages resulting from any calculation in respect of the Notes will
be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a  percentage
point,  with five  one-millionths of  a percentage  point rounded  upward (e.g.,
7.123455% (or 0.07123455) being rounded to 7.12346% (or 0.0712346) and 7.123454%
(or 0.07123454)  being rounded  to 7.12345%  (or 0.0712345)),  and all  currency
amounts  used in or resulting  from any such calculation  will be rounded to the
nearest one-hundredth  of a  unit (with  five one-thousandths  of a  unit  being
rounded upwards).
 
    The  interest rate on the Notes will in  no event be higher than the maximum
rate permitted by New York law as the same may be modified by United States  law
of general application. Under present New York law, the maximum rate of interest
is  25% per annum on a simple interest  basis. This limit may not apply to Notes
in which $2,500,000 or more has been invested.
 
                                      S-5
<PAGE>
FIXED RATE NOTES
 
    The "Interest Payment Dates" for  Fixed Rate Notes will  be on March 15  and
September  15 of each year  and the "Regular Record  Dates" for Fixed Rate Notes
will be the  March 1  and September  1, respectively,  immediately preceding  an
Interest  Payment  Date.  Interest on  Fixed  Rate  Notes will  accrue  from and
including the date of  issue or from and  including the next preceding  Interest
Payment  Date to which interest has been duly  paid or provided for, as the case
may be, to but excluding the relevant Interest Payment Date or date of Maturity,
as the  case may  be. Any  payment  of principal  of (or,  premium, if  any)  or
interest,  if any, on a Fixed Rate Note required to be made on a day that is not
a Business Day  need not  be made  on such day,  but will  be made  on the  next
succeeding  Business Day with the  same force and effect as  if made on such day
and no interest will  accrue as a  result of such  delayed payment. Interest  on
Fixed  Rate Notes will  be computed and paid  on the basis of  a 360-day year of
twelve 30-day months.
 
    AMORTIZING NOTES
 
    The Capital Corporation may  from time to time  offer Fixed Rate Notes  (the
"Amortizing  Notes") that pay  certain amounts in respect  of both principal and
interest over  the life  of such  Fixed  Rate Notes.  Payments with  respect  to
Amortizing  Notes will be applied first to  interest due and payable thereon and
then  to  the  reduction  of  the  unpaid  principal  amount  thereof.   Further
information   concerning  additional  terms  and  conditions  of  any  issue  of
Amortizing Notes will be provided in the applicable pricing supplement.
 
FLOATING RATE NOTES
 
    The applicable  pricing  supplement  will  designate  one  or  more  of  the
following  interest rate bases as applicable to each Floating Rate Note: (a) the
CD Rate (a "CD Rate Note"), (b)  the Commercial Paper Rate (a "Commercial  Paper
Rate Note"), (c) the Federal Funds Rate (a "Federal Funds Rate Note"), (d) LIBOR
(a  "LIBOR Note"), (e)  the Prime Rate  (a "Prime Rate  Note"), (f) the Treasury
Rate (a "Treasury Rate Note"), (g)  the Constant Maturity Treasury Rate (a  "CMT
Rate  Note") or  (h) such  other interest  rate basis  as is  set forth  in such
pricing supplement.
 
    The interest rate on  each Floating Rate  Note will be equal  to (i) in  the
case  of the period,  if any, commencing  on the date  of issue up  to the first
Interest Reset Date  (as defined  below), an  interest rate  established by  the
Capital  Corporation as described in the  applicable pricing supplement and (ii)
in the case of  each period commencing  on an Interest  Reset Date, an  interest
rate (the "Floating Interest Rate") equal to (a) the interest rate determined by
reference to the specified interest rate basis plus or minus the Spread, if any,
(b)  the interest  rate calculated by  reference to the  specified interest rate
basis multiplied by  the Spread  Multiplier, if any,  or (c)  the interest  rate
calculated  by reference to  the specified interest  rate basis determined under
such other formula or adjusted in such  other manner as may be specified in  the
applicable   pricing  supplement.  If  the  specified  interest  rate  basis  is
determined by reference to a specified heading or caption, such reference  shall
include any successor heading or caption.
 
    The  "Spread"  is the  number of  basis points  specified in  the applicable
pricing supplement as being applicable to  a Floating Rate Note and the  "Spread
Multiplier"  is the percentage specified in the applicable pricing supplement as
being applicable to a Floating Rate Note. The specified interest rate basis will
be based on the Index Maturity. The  "Index Maturity" is the period to  maturity
of the instrument or obligation on which the interest rate formula is based. Any
Floating  Rate Note may also have either or both of the following: (i) a maximum
numerical interest rate limitation,  or ceiling, on the  rate at which  interest
may  accrue during  any Interest  Period, as defined  below, and  (ii) a minimum
numerical interest rate limitation, or floor, on the rate at which interest  may
accrue during any Interest Period.
 
    The rate of interest on each Floating Rate Note will be reset daily, weekly,
monthly,  quarterly,  semi-annually  or  annually  or  at  another  interval, as
specified in the applicable pricing supplement.  The date or dates on which  the
interest  rate will reset (each, an "Interest  Reset Date") will be, in the case
of Floating Rate Notes that reset (a) daily, each Business Day, (b) weekly,  the
Wednesday of each week (with the exception of weekly reset Treasury Rate Notes),
(c)  monthly,  the  third Wednesday  of  each  month, (d)  quarterly,  the third
Wednesday of  March,  June, September  and  December  of each  year,  (e)  semi-
annually,  the third  Wednesday of  the two  months specified  in the applicable
pricing supplement and (f) annually, the third Wednesday of the month  specified
in  the applicable pricing supplement. In the  case of a Treasury Rate Note that
resets weekly, the Interest Reset Date will  be the Tuesday of each week  except
that
 
                                      S-6
<PAGE>
if  a Treasury auction falls  on any Interest Reset  Date for such Treasury Rate
Note, then  such Interest  Reset Date  will instead  be the  first Business  Day
immediately  following such Treasury auction. If any Interest Reset Date for any
Floating Rate Note would otherwise be a day that is not a Business Day for  such
Floating  Rate Note, the Interest Reset Date for such Floating Rate Note will be
postponed to the next  succeeding Business Day,  except that, in  the case of  a
LIBOR  Note, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar month, such
Interest Reset Date shall be the immediately preceding Business Day.
 
    The "Interest Determination Date" pertaining to an Interest Reset Date for a
CD Rate Note, a  CMT Rate Note,  a Commercial Paper Rate  Note, a Federal  Funds
Rate  Note and a Prime  Rate Note will be the  second Business Day preceding the
Interest Reset Date; the "Interest Determination Date" pertaining to an Interest
Reset Date for a LIBOR Note will be the second London Banking Day preceding such
Interest Reset  Date unless  the  Designated LIBOR  Currency is  British  pounds
sterling, in which case the "Interest Determination Date" will be the applicable
Interest  Reset Date;  and the  "Interest Determination  Date" pertaining  to an
Interest Reset Date  for a Treasury  Rate Note will  be the day  of the week  in
which  such Interest Reset Date falls on which Treasury bills (as defined below)
would normally  be auctioned.  Treasury bills  are usually  sold at  auction  on
Monday  of each  week, unless  that day is  a legal  holiday, in  which case the
auction is usually held on the  following Tuesday, except that such auction  may
be  held on  the preceding  Friday. If,  as the  result of  a legal  holiday, an
auction is so held  on the preceding  Friday, such Friday  will be the  Interest
Determination  Date pertaining to the Interest  Reset Date occurring in the next
succeeding week.
 
    Interest will be payable in the case  of Floating Rate Notes that reset  (a)
daily,  weekly  or monthly,  the  third Wednesday  of  each month  or  the third
Wednesday of March, June, September and  December of each year, as specified  in
the  applicable pricing supplement, (b) quarterly, the third Wednesday of March,
June, September  and  December  of  each  year,  (c)  semi-annually,  the  third
Wednesday  of the two  months of each  year specified in  the applicable pricing
supplement and (d) annually, the third  Wednesday of the month specified in  the
applicable pricing supplement (each of the foregoing dates, an "Interest Payment
Date");  and, in each case, on the  date of Maturity. Unless otherwise specified
in the applicable pricing  supplement, each Regular Record  Date for a  Floating
Rate  Note will be the  15th day (whether or not  a Business Day) next preceding
each Interest Payment  Date. If the  date of  Maturity of a  Floating Rate  Note
falls  on a day that is  not a Business Day, the  principal of (and, premium, if
any) and interest  required to be  paid on such  date will be  paid on the  next
succeeding  Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such date,
and no  interest shall  accrue  as a  result of  such  delayed payment.  If  any
Interest  Payment Date other than the date  of Maturity for a Floating Rate Note
would otherwise be a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Payment  Date
will  be postponed  to the  next day that  is a  Business Day  and interest will
accrue for the period of such postponement, except that, in the case of a  LIBOR
Note,  if  such Business  Day is  in  the next  succeeding calendar  month, such
Interest Payment Date will be the immediately preceding Business Day.
 
    Interest on Floating Rate Notes will  accrue from and including the date  of
issue  or from and including  the next preceding Interest  Payment Date to which
interest has  been paid  or  duly provided  for,  as the  case  may be,  to  but
excluding  the applicable Interest Payment Date or date of Maturity, as the case
may be; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the case of Floating Rate Notes on which  the
interest  rate is  reset daily  or weekly,  the interest  payments will include,
unless otherwise  specified  in  the  applicable  pricing  supplement,  interest
accrued  only  from but  excluding the  last Regular  Record Date  through which
interest has been paid (or from and including the date of issue, if no  interest
has  been paid  with respect  to such Notes)  through and  including the Regular
Record Date next preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date, except that the
interest payment on the  date of Maturity will  include interest accrued to  but
excluding such date. An "Interest Period" pertaining to a Note means a period of
time during which interest accrues on such Note.
 
    Accrued  interest with respect to a Floating Rate Note will be calculated by
multiplying the  principal amount  of  such Floating  Rate  Note by  an  accrued
interest  factor. Such  accrued interest factor  will be computed  by adding the
interest factor calculated for each day in the Interest Period or from the  last
date  from which accrued  interest is being calculated.  The interest factor for
each such day is computed by dividing the interest rate in effect on such day by
360, in the case of  CD Rate Notes, Commercial  Paper Rate Notes, Federal  Funds
Rate Notes, Prime Rate Notes and LIBOR Notes, or by the actual number of days in
the year, in the case of Treasury Rate Notes and CMT Rate Notes.
 
                                      S-7
<PAGE>
    The  calculation agent (the "Calculation Agent") for purposes of determining
the rate of interest payable on Floating Rate Notes will be The Chase  Manhattan
Bank  for Senior Notes and  The First National Bank  of Chicago for Subordinated
Notes. If the  applicable Calculation Agent  is unwilling or  unable to so  act,
another  institution  will  be selected  by  the Capital  Corporation.  Upon the
request of  the holder  of a  Floating  Rate Note,  the Calculation  Agent  will
provide  the interest rate then in effect  and, if determined, the interest rate
that will become effective on the next Interest Reset Date with respect to  such
Floating  Rate Note. The "Calculation Date", where applicable, pertaining to any
Interest Determination Date is the date by which the applicable interest rate is
calculated and is the earlier of (i) the tenth calendar day after such  Interest
Determination  Date  or,  if  any such  day  is  not a  Business  Day,  the next
succeeding Business  Day and  (ii)  the Business  Day preceding  the  applicable
Interest Payment Date or date of Maturity, as the case may be.
 
    The  applicable pricing supplement will specify the particular terms of each
Floating Rate Note, including, but not  limited to, the interest rate basis  and
the  Spread, Spread Multiplier or other formula,  if any, the maximum or minimum
interest rate limitation, if any, the Index Maturity, the initial interest rate,
the Interest  Payment  Dates,  the  Regular Record  Dates,  the  Maturity  Date,
redemption and repayment provisions, if any, and any other applicable terms with
respect to such Note.
 
    CD RATE NOTES
 
    CD  Rate Notes  will bear  interest at  the interest  rates (calculated with
reference to the CD Rate and the Spread, Spread Multiplier or other formula,  if
any) specified in the applicable pricing supplement.
 
    "CD  Rate" means, with respect  to any Interest Determination  Date for a CD
Rate Note, the rate on such  date for negotiable certificates of deposit  having
the  Index Maturity designated in the applicable pricing supplement as published
in "Statistical Release  H.15(519), Selected Interest  Rates", or any  successor
publication   of  the  Board   of  Governors  of   the  Federal  Reserve  System
("H.15(519)"), under  the  caption  "CDs  (secondary market)"  or,  if  not  yet
published  by 3:00 P.M., New York City  time, on the Calculation Date pertaining
to such Interest  Determination Date,  the rate on  such Interest  Determination
Date for negotiable certificates of deposit having the Index Maturity designated
in  the  applicable pricing  supplement as  published  in the  daily statistical
release  entitled   "Composite  3:30   P.M.  Quotations   for  U.S.   Government
Securities", or any successor publication, published by the Federal Reserve Bank
of  New  York  ("Composite  Quotations")  under  the  caption  "Certificates  of
Deposit". If  by  3:00  P.M.,  New  York City  time,  on  the  Calculation  Date
pertaining to such Interest Determination Date such rate is not yet published in
either  H.15(519)  or  Composite  Quotations,  the  CD  Rate  on  such  Interest
Determination Date will be calculated by  the Calculation Agent and will be  the
arithmetic mean of the secondary market offered rates as of 10:00 A.M., New York
City  time,  on  such Interest  Determination  Date, of  three  leading non-bank
dealers in negotiable  U.S. dollar certificates  of deposit in  The City of  New
York  (which may  include the Agents)  selected by the  Calculation Agent (after
consultation with  the  Capital  Corporation)  for  negotiable  certificates  of
deposit of major United States money market banks of the highest credit standing
(in  the  market  for negotiable  certificates  of deposit)  having  a remaining
maturity closest  to the  Index Maturity  designated in  the applicable  pricing
supplement  in a  denomination of  $5,000,000; PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that,  if the
dealers selected  as aforesaid  by  the Calculation  Agent  are not  quoting  as
mentioned  in this sentence, the interest rate  for the period commencing on the
Interest Reset  Date following  such  Interest Determination  Date will  be  the
interest rate in effect on such Interest Determination Date.
 
    CD  Rate Notes, like other Notes, are  not deposit obligations of a bank and
are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
 
    COMMERCIAL PAPER RATE NOTES
 
    Commercial Paper  Rate  Notes  will  bear interest  at  the  interest  rates
(calculated  with reference to the Commercial  Paper Rate and the Spread, Spread
Multiplier or  other  formula,  if  any) specified  in  the  applicable  pricing
supplement.
 
    "Commercial  Paper Rate" means,  with respect to  any Interest Determination
Date for a  Commercial Paper Rate  Note, the Money  Market Yield (calculated  as
described  below) of the rate on such date for commercial paper having the Index
Maturity designated  in  the  applicable  pricing  supplement  as  published  in
H.15(519) under the caption "Commercial paper;" or, if such caption is no longer
available, the rate
 
                                      S-8
<PAGE>
published  in H.15(519)  for commercial  paper placed  for non-financial issuers
whose bond  rating  is "AA"  or  the  equivalent from  a  nationally  recognized
securities  rating agency; or if  not yet published by  3:00 P.M., New York City
time, on the Calculation  Date pertaining to  such Interest Determination  Date,
the  Money Market  Yield of  the rate  on such  Interest Determination  Date for
commercial paper having the Index Maturity designated in the applicable  pricing
supplement  as published in  Composite Quotations under  the caption "Commercial
Paper". If by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date  pertaining
to  such Interest Determination  Date such rate  is not yet  published in either
H.15(519) or Composite Quotations,  the Commercial Paper  Rate on such  Interest
Determination  Date will be calculated by the  Calculation Agent and will be the
Money Market Yield of the arithmetic mean of the offered rates as of 11:00 A.M.,
New York City time, on such Interest Determination Date of three leading dealers
of commercial paper in The  City of New York  selected by the Calculation  Agent
(after  consultation with the Capital  Corporation), for commercial paper having
the Index Maturity designated in the applicable pricing supplement placed for  a
non-financial  issuer  whose bond  rating  is "AA",  or  the equivalent,  from a
nationally recognized securities rating agency; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, if  the
dealers  selected  as aforesaid  by  the Calculation  Agent  are not  quoting as
mentioned in this sentence, the interest  rate for the period commencing on  the
Interest  Reset  Date following  such Interest  Determination  Date will  be the
interest rate in effect on such Interest Determination Date.
 
    "Money Market Yield" will be a yield (expressed as a percentage)  calculated
in accordance with the following formula:
 
                            D X 360
Money Market Yield =   -----------------   X 100
                         360 - (D X M)
 
where  "D" refers to the  per annum rate for commercial  paper, quoted on a bank
discount basis and expressed as a decimal;  and "M" refers to the actual  number
of days in the Interest Period for which interest is being calculated.
 
    FEDERAL FUNDS RATE NOTES
 
    Federal   Funds  Rate  Notes  will  bear  interest  at  the  interest  rates
(calculated with reference  to the  Federal Funds  Rate and  the Spread,  Spread
Multiplier  or  other  formula,  if any)  specified  in  the  applicable pricing
supplement.
 
    "Federal Funds Rate" means, with respect to any Interest Determination  Date
for  a Federal  Funds Rate  Note, the  rate on  such date  for federal  funds as
published in H.15(519) under the caption "Federal funds (effective)" or, if  not
so  published  by  3:30  P.M.,  New York  City  time,  on  the  Calculation Date
pertaining to  such  Interest Determination  Date,  the rate  on  such  Interest
Determination  Date  as  published  in Composite  Quotations  under  the caption
"Federal Funds/Effective Rate".  If,  by 3:30 P.M., New  York City time, on  the
Calculation Date pertaining to such Interest Determination Date such rate is not
yet  published in  either H.15(519) or  Composite Quotations,  the Federal Funds
Rate for such Interest Determination Date will be calculated by the  Calculation
Agent  and will be the arithmetic mean of  the rates for the last transaction in
overnight federal  funds arranged  by  three leading  dealers of  federal  funds
transactions  in The City of  New York, which dealers  have been selected by the
Calculation Agent (after consultation with the Capital Corporation), as of  9:00
A.M.,  New  York  City  time, on  such  Interest  Determination  Date; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that if the dealers selected as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent  are
not  quoting as  mentioned in  this sentence, the  interest rate  for the period
commencing on the Interest Reset Date following such Interest Determination Date
will remain the interest rate in effect on such Interest Determination Date.
 
    LIBOR NOTES
 
    LIBOR Notes  will  bear interest  at  the interest  rates  (calculated  with
reference  to LIBOR and the Spread, Spread  Multiplier or other formula, if any)
specified in the applicable pricing supplement.
 
    LIBOR with respect  to LIBOR  Notes will  be determined  by the  Calculation
Agent  in accordance with the following  provisions under LIBOR-Reuters or under
LIBOR-Telerate, as specified in the applicable pricing supplement:
 
                                      S-9
<PAGE>
        (i) If LIBOR-Reuters is specified  in the applicable pricing  supplement
    for  a LIBOR  Note as the  method for  determining LIBOR with  respect to an
    Interest Determination Date for such LIBOR Note, LIBOR will be determined on
    the basis of the offered rates for deposits in the Designated LIBOR Currency
    having the Index  Maturity specified in  the applicable pricing  supplement,
    commencing  on  the  applicable Interest  Reset  Date, which  appear  on the
    Designated LIBOR  Page as  of  11:00 A.M.,  London  time, on  such  Interest
    Determination  Date.  If  at least  two  such  offered rates  appear  on the
    Designated LIBOR Page, LIBOR  for such Interest  Determination Date will  be
    the  arithmetic mean of such offered  rates as determined by the Calculation
    Agent. If fewer  than two  offered rates appear,  LIBOR in  respect of  such
    Interest Determination Date will be determined as described in (iii) below.
 
        (ii) If LIBOR-Telerate is specified in the applicable pricing supplement
    for  a LIBOR Note as the method for  determining LIBOR or if no other method
    is specified in the  applicable pricing supplement for  a LIBOR Note as  the
    method  for determining LIBOR with respect to an Interest Determination Date
    for such LIBOR Note, LIBOR will be  the rate for deposits in the  Designated
    LIBOR  Currency  having  the  Index Maturity  designated  in  the applicable
    pricing supplement, commencing on the applicable Interest Reset Date,  which
    appears  on the Designated LIBOR Page as of 11:00 A.M., London time, on such
    Interest Determination Date. If such rate does not appear on the  Designated
    LIBOR Page, LIBOR for such Interest Determination Date will be determined as
    described in (iii) below.
 
       (iii) With respect to an Interest Determination Date, if LIBOR-Reuters is
    the  applicable interest rate basis for determining LIBOR and fewer than two
    offered rates appear on the Designated LIBOR Page as specified in (i)  above
    or  if LIBOR-Telerate is the applicable  interest rate basis for determining
    LIBOR and no  rate appears  on Designated LIBOR  Page as  specified in  (ii)
    above,  then LIBOR  will be  determined on  the basis  of the  rate at which
    deposits in the Designated LIBOR Currency are offered by four major banks in
    the  London  interbank  market,  which  banks  have  been  selected  by  the
    Calculation  Agent (after  consultation with  the Capital  Corporation) (the
    "Reference Banks"),  at  approximately  11:00 A.M.,  London  time,  on  such
    Interest  Determination Date,  commencing on  the applicable  Interest Reset
    Date, to  prime  banks in  the  London  interbank market  having  the  Index
    Maturity  designated in the applicable pricing supplement and in a principal
    amount equal  to  an  amount  of  not less  than  U.S.  $1,000,000  (or  the
    equivalent  in the Designated  LIBOR Currency) that  is representative for a
    single transaction in such market at  such time. The Calculation Agent  will
    request  the  principal London  office of  each of  such Reference  Banks to
    provide a  quotation  of its  rate.  If at  least  two such  quotations  are
    provided,  LIBOR in respect of such  Interest Determination Date will be the
    arithmetic mean  of  such  quotations.  If fewer  than  two  quotations  are
    provided,  LIBOR in respect of such  Interest Determination Date will be the
    arithmetic mean of the rates quoted  by three major banks in the  applicable
    Principal   Financial  Center  selected  by  the  Calculation  Agent  (after
    consultation with the Capital Corporation)  at approximately 11:00 A.M.,  in
    the  applicable Principal  Financial Center, on  such Interest Determination
    Date for loans in the Designated  LIBOR Currency to leading European  banks,
    having  the Index Maturity designated  in the applicable pricing supplement,
    commencing on the applicable Interest Reset Date, and in a principal  amount
    equal  to an amount of  not less than U.S.  $1,000,000 (or the equivalent in
    the  Designated  LIBOR  Currency)  that  is  representative  for  a   single
    transaction  in such  market at such  time; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,  that, if the
    banks in the applicable Principal Financial Center selected as aforesaid  by
    the  Calculation Agent  are not quoting  as mentioned in  this sentence, the
    interest rate for the period commencing on the Interest Reset Date following
    such Interest Determination Date will be the interest rate in effect on such
    Interest Determination Date.
 
    PRIME RATE NOTES
 
    Prime Rate Notes will bear interest  at the interest rates (calculated  with
reference  to the Prime Rate and the Spread, Spread Multiplier or other formula,
if any) specified in the applicable pricing supplement.
 
    "Prime Rate" means, with  respect to any Interest  Determination Date for  a
Prime  Rate Note,  the rate  on such  date as  published in  H.15(519) under the
caption "Bank prime loan" or  if not yet published by  9:00 A.M., New York  City
time,  on the Calculation  Date pertaining to  such Interest Determination Date,
the Prime Rate  will be  determined by  the Calculation  Agent and  will be  the
arithmetic  mean of the rates of interest  publicly announced by each bank named
on the "Reuters Screen USPRIME1 Page" as such bank's prime rate or base  lending
rate  as  in  effect  for  such  Interest  Determination  Date.  "Reuters Screen
 
                                      S-10
<PAGE>
USPRIME1 Page" means the  display designated as page  "USPRIME1" on the  Reuters
Monitor Money Rates Service (such term to include such other page as may replace
the  USPRIME1 page on that service for  the purpose of displaying prime rates or
base lending rates of major United States banks). If fewer than four such  rates
appear on the Reuters Screen USPRIME1 Page for such Interest Determination Date,
the  Prime Rate  will be  determined by  the Calculation  Agent and  will be the
arithmetic mean of the prime rates quoted  on the basis of the actual number  of
days  in the year  divided by 360 as  of the close of  business on such Interest
Determination Date by  four major money  center banks  in The City  of New  York
selected   by  the  Calculation  Agent  (after  consultation  with  the  Capital
Corporation).  If  fewer  than  four  major  money  center  banks  provide  such
quotations, such Prime Rate will be calculated by the Calculation Agent and will
be  the arithmetic mean  of four prime rates  quoted on the  basis of the actual
number of days in the year  divided by 360 as of  the close of business on  such
Interest  Determination Date as furnished  in The City of  New York by the major
money center banks that have provided quotations and by as many substitute banks
or trust companies as  necessary, which are organized  and doing business  under
the  laws of the United States, or any  state thereof, in each case having total
equity capital of at least U.S. $500 million and being subject to supervision or
examination by federal  or state  authority, selected by  the Calculation  Agent
(after consultation with the Capital Corporation) to provide such rate or rates;
PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that, if the banks  or trust companies selected as aforesaid
by the Calculation  Agent are  not quoting as  mentioned in  this sentence,  the
interest  rate for  the period commencing  on the Interest  Reset Date following
such Interest Determination  Date will be  the interest rate  in effect on  such
Interest Determination Date.
 
    TREASURY RATE NOTES
 
    Treasury Rate Notes will bear interest at the interest rate (calculated with
reference  to  the Treasury  Rate  and the  Spread,  Spread Multiplier  or other
formula, if any) specified in the applicable pricing supplement.
 
    "Treasury Rate" means, with respect to any Interest Determination Date for a
Treasury Rate Note, the rate (expressed as a bond equivalent, on the basis of  a
year  of 365 or 366 days,  as applicable, and applied on  a daily basis) for the
auction of direct obligations  of the United States  ("Treasury bills") held  on
such  Interest Determination  Date having the  Index Maturity  designated in the
applicable pricing  supplement  as  published in  H.15(519)  under  the  caption
"Treasury  bills-Auction average" or, if not so published by 3:00 P.M., New York
City time, on  the Calculation  Date pertaining to  such Interest  Determination
Date,  the rate for the applicable Index Maturity on such Interest Determination
Date displayed under  the caption "Average  Investment Yield" on  the Dow  Jones
Telerate  Service ("Telerate") on page 56 or 57 or any successor page or, if not
so displayed,  the auction  average rate  for such  Interest Determination  Date
(expressed  as a bond equivalent, on the basis of  a year of 365 or 366 days, as
applicable, and applied on a daily  basis) as otherwise announced by the  United
States  Department of the Treasury. In the event that the results of the auction
of Treasury bills having the Index Maturity designated in the applicable pricing
supplement are not otherwise reported as  provided above by 3:00 P.M., New  York
City  time, on such Calculation Date or displayed on Telerate or no such auction
is held in a particular week, then  the Treasury Rate will be calculated by  the
Calculation  Agent  and  will  be  a yield  to  maturity  (expressed  as  a bond
equivalent on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable, and applied
on a daily basis) of the arithmetic  mean of the secondary market bid rates,  as
of  3:30 P.M., New York City time, on such Interest Determination Date, of three
leading primary  United States  government securities  dealers selected  by  the
Calculation  Agent (after  consultation with  the Capital  Corporation), for the
issue of Treasury bills with a remaining maturity closest to the Index  Maturity
specified  in the applicable pricing supplement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, if the
dealers selected  as aforesaid  by  the Calculation  Agent  are not  quoting  as
mentioned  in this sentence, the interest rate  for the period commencing on the
Interest Reset  Date following  such  Interest Determination  Date will  be  the
interest rate in effect on such Interest Determination Date.
 
    CMT RATE NOTES
 
    CMT  Rate Notes  will bear  interest at  the interest  rate (calculated with
reference to  the  Constant  Maturity  Treasury  Rate  and  the  Spread,  Spread
Multiplier  or  other  formula,  if any)  specified  in  the  applicable pricing
supplement.
 
                                      S-11
<PAGE>
    "CMT Rate" means, with respect to any Interest Determination Date for a  CMT
Rate  Note, the rate displayed  on the Designated CMT  Telerate Page (as defined
below) under  the  caption "...Treasury  Constant  Maturities...Federal  Reserve
Board  Release H.15...Mondays Approximately 3:45 P.M.", under the column for the
Designated CMT Maturity Index (as defined  below) for (i) if the Designated  CMT
Telerate  Page  is  7055  or  any successor  page,  the  rate  on  such Interest
Determination Date and (ii) if the Designated  CMT Telerate Page is 7052 or  any
successor  page,  the rate  for  the week  or  the month,  as  applicable, ended
immediately preceding the week in which the related Interest Determination  Date
occurs.  If such  rate is no  longer displayed on  the relevant page,  or if not
displayed by 3:00 P.M., New York  City time, on the Calculation Date  pertaining
to  such Interest Determination  Date, then the interest  rate for such Interest
Determination Date will  be the rate  for the Designated  CMT Maturity Index  as
published  in H.15(519)  under the caption  "U.S. government securities/Treasury
constant maturities." If such rate is  no longer published, or if not  published
by  3:00 P.M., New  York City time,  on the Calculation  Date pertaining to such
Interest  Determination  Date,  then  the   interest  rate  for  such   Interest
Determination  Date will be the  rate for the Designated  CMT Maturity Index (or
other United States Treasury rate for the Designated CMT Maturity Index) as  may
then be published by either the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
or  the  United States  Department of  the Treasury  that the  Calculation Agent
determines (with the concurrence of the Capital Corporation) to be comparable to
the rate formerly displayed on the Designated CMT Telerate Page and published in
H.15(519). If such information is not provided by 3:00 P.M., New York City time,
on the Calculation Date pertaining to such Interest Determination Date, then the
interest rate for  such Interest Determination  Date will be  calculated by  the
Calculation  Agent and will be a yield to maturity, based on the arithmetic mean
of the secondary market closing offer side prices as of approximately 3:30 P.M.,
New York  City time,  on such  Interest Determination  Date, reported  by  three
leading  primary United States government securities dealers (each, a "Reference
Dealer") in  The  City  of  New  York,  for  the  most  recently  issued  direct
noncallable  fixed rate obligations of the United States ("U.S. Treasury Notes")
with an original maturity of approximately the Designated CMT Maturity Index and
a remaining term to maturity of not less than such Designated CMT Maturity index
minus one  year. The  three Reference  Dealers  will be  determined by  (i)  the
selection of five Reference Dealers by the Calculation Agent (after consultation
with  the Capital Corporation) and (ii) the elimination of the Reference Dealers
providing the highest (or,  in the event  of equality, one  of highest) and  the
lowest  (or, in the  event of equality,  one of the  lowest) quotations for such
Interest Determination Date. If the  Calculation Agent cannot obtain three  such
U.S. Treasury Note quotations, the interest rate for such Interest Determination
Date will be calculated by the Calculation Agent and will be a yield to maturity
based  on the arithmetic  mean of the  secondary market offer  side prices as of
approximately 3:30 P.M., New York City time, on the Interest Determination Date,
reported by three Reference  Dealers in The  City of New  York, selected in  the
manner described above, for U.S. Treasury Notes with an original maturity of the
number  of years that is  the next highest to  the Designated CMT Maturity Index
and a remaining term  to maturity closest to  the Designated CMT Maturity  index
and  in an amount of at least $100 million. If only three or four such Reference
Dealers are quoting as described above, then the interest rate will be based  on
the arithmetic mean of the offer side prices so obtained from all such Reference
Dealers, without eliminating the Reference Dealers providing the highest and the
lowest of such quotes. If fewer than three such Reference Dealers are quoting as
described  above, then the interest rate will be  the CMT Rate in effect on such
Interest Determination  Date. If  two such  U.S. Treasury  Notes have  remaining
terms to maturity equally close to the Designated CMT Maturity Index, the quotes
for  the U.S. Treasury Note with the  shorter remaining term to maturity will be
used.
 
    "Designated CMT Telerate Page" means the  display on the Dow Jones  Telerate
Service  on the  page designated  in the  applicable pricing  supplement (or any
other page  as  may  replace such  page  on  that service  for  the  purpose  of
displaying  treasury constant maturities  as reported in  H.15(519)). If no such
page is so specified,  the Designated CMT  Telerate Page shall  be 7052 for  the
most recent week.
 
    "Designated CMT Maturity Index" means the original period to maturity of the
U.S.  Treasury securities  specified in  the applicable  pricing supplement with
respect to which  the CMT Rate  will be calculated.  If no such  maturity is  so
specified, the Designated CMT Maturity Index shall be 2 years.
 
                                      S-12
<PAGE>
    INVERSE FLOATING RATE NOTES
 
    Any  Floating  Rate  Note  may  be  designated  in  the  applicable  pricing
supplement as an "Inverse Floating Rate Note", in which event the interest  rate
on  such Floating  Rate Note  will be  equal to  (i) in  the case  of the period
commencing on the date  of issue up  to the first Interest  Reset Date, a  fixed
rate  of interest  established by  the Capital  Corporation as  described in the
applicable pricing supplement and (ii) in the case of each period commencing  on
an  Interest Reset Date,  a fixed rate  of interest specified  in the applicable
pricing supplement  minus  the interest  rate  determined by  reference  to  the
Floating  Interest Rate; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that  the interest rate thereon will
not be less than zero.
 
FLOATING RATE/FIXED RATE NOTES
 
    The applicable pricing supplement may provide that a Note will be a Floating
Rate Note for a portion of its term and  a Fixed Rate Note for a portion of  its
term, in which event the interest rate on such Note will be determined as herein
provided  as if it were a Floating Rate Note and a Fixed Rate Note hereunder for
each  specified  period,  as  shall  be  set  out  in  such  applicable  pricing
supplement.
 
CURRENCY INDEXED NOTES
 
    The  Capital  Corporation may  from time  to time  offer Indexed  Notes, the
principal amount of which  payable on the date  of Maturity and/or the  interest
payable  on  each Interest  Payment Date  and on  the date  of Maturity  will be
determined by reference to the rate  of exchange between the Specified  Currency
and  the  other Currency  specified as  the Indexed  Currency in  the applicable
pricing supplement, or is determined in such other manner as may be specified in
the applicable pricing  supplement ("Currency  Indexed Notes").  Subject to  the
limitations  set forth under "Payment of  Principal and Interest" below, holders
of Currency Indexed  Notes will be  entitled to receive  (i) a principal  amount
exceeding  the amount designated as the face  amount (the "Face Amount") of such
Currency Indexed Note and/or an amount of interest at an interest rate exceeding
the stated  rate of  interest,  if, on  the date  of  Maturity or  the  relevant
Interest Payment Date, the rate at which the Specified Currency can be exchanged
for the Indexed Currency is greater than the rate of such exchange designated as
the  Base Exchange Rate, expressed in units of the Indexed Currency per one unit
of the  Specified Currency,  in  the applicable  pricing supplement  (the  "Base
Exchange  Rate"), or (ii) a  principal amount less than  the Face Amount of such
Currency Indexed Note and/or an amount of interest at an interest rate less than
the stated rate of interest if, on the date of Maturity or the relevant Interest
Payment Date, the rate at which the Specified Currency can be exchanged for  the
Indexed  Currency is less than such Base  Exchange Rate, in each case determined
as described below under "Payment of Principal and Interest". Information as  to
the  relative historical  value (which is  not necessarily  predictive of future
value) of  the  applicable Specified  Currency  against the  applicable  Indexed
Currency, any exchange controls applicable to such Specified Currency or Indexed
Currency  and  certain tax  consequences to  holders  will be  set forth  in the
applicable pricing supplement. See "Foreign Currency Considerations" below.
 
    The term "Exchange Rate  Day" means any  day that is a  Business Day in  The
City  of  New York  and,  if the  Specified Currency  or  Indexed Currency  is a
Currency other than the  U.S. dollar, in the  principal financial center of  the
country of such Specified Currency or Indexed Currency.
 
    PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST
 
    Interest  on  a  Currency Indexed  Note,  if  indexed, will  be  payable and
calculated in  the  manner  set  forth herein  and  in  the  applicable  pricing
supplement.
 
    Principal  of a Currency  Indexed Note, if  indexed, will be  payable in the
Specified Currency on the date of Maturity in an amount equal to the Face Amount
of the Currency Indexed Note, plus or minus an amount of the Specified  Currency
determined  by  the  determination  agent specified  in  the  applicable pricing
supplement (the "Determination  Agent") by reference  to the difference  between
the  Base Exchange  Rate and  the rate  at which  the Specified  Currency can be
exchanged for the Indexed Currency as determined on the second Exchange Rate Day
(the "Determination  Date") prior  to  the date  of  Maturity of  such  Currency
Indexed  Note by the Determination  Agent based upon the  arithmetic mean of the
open market spot offer quotations for the Indexed Currency (spot bid  quotations
for  the  Specified  Currency)  obtained by  the  Determination  Agent  from the
Reference Dealers (as defined below) in The City of New York at 11:00 A.M.,  New
York  City time, on  the Determination Date,  for an amount  of Indexed Currency
equal to the Face Amount  of such Currency Indexed  Note multiplied by the  Base
Exchange  Rate, in terms of the Specified Currency for settlement on the date of
Maturity (such rate of exchange, as so determined and
 
                                      S-13
<PAGE>
expressed in  units  of the  Indexed  Currency per  one  unit of  the  Specified
Currency,  is hereinafter  referred to as  the "Spot Rate").  If such quotations
from the Reference Dealers  are not available on  the Determination Date due  to
circumstances beyond the control of the Capital Corporation or the Determination
Agent,  the  Spot Rate  will be  determined on  the basis  of the  most recently
available quotations from  the Reference  Dealers. The principal  amount of  the
Currency  Indexed Notes determined  by the Determination Agent  to be payable on
the date of Maturity will  be payable to the holders  thereof in the manner  set
forth  herein and in the applicable pricing supplement. As used herein, the term
"Reference Dealers" shall mean the three banks or firms specified as such in the
applicable pricing supplement or, if any of them shall be unwilling or unable to
provide the requested quotations, such other major money center bank or banks in
The City of New York, selected by the Capital Corporation, in consultation  with
the  Determination Agent, to  act as Reference Dealer  or Dealers in replacement
therefor.  In  the  absence  of   manifest  error,  the  determination  by   the
Determination  Agent  of the  Spot  Rate and  the  principal amount  of Currency
Indexed Notes payable on the date of Maturity thereof will be final and  binding
on the Capital Corporation and the holders of such Currency Indexed Notes.
 
    PROSPECTIVE  INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN FINANCIAL AND LEGAL ADVISORS
AS TO THE RISKS  ENTAILED BY AN INVESTMENT  IN CURRENCY INDEXED NOTES.  CURRENCY
INDEXED   NOTES  ARE  NOT  AN  APPROPRIATE  INVESTMENT  FOR  INVESTORS  WHO  ARE
UNSOPHISTICATED WITH RESPECT TO FOREIGN CURRENCY MATTERS.
 
OTHER INDEXED NOTES AND CERTAIN TERMS APPLICABLE TO ALL INDEXED NOTES
 
    The Capital Corporation  may from time  to time offer  Indexed Notes,  other
than  Currency Indexed Notes, the principal amount (or premium, if any) of which
payable on the date  of Maturity and/or  the interest on  which payable on  each
Interest Payment Date and at Maturity will be determined by reference to prices,
changes  in prices, or  differences between prices,  of securities, intangibles,
goods, articles or  commodities or by  such other objective  price, economic  or
other  measures. The  pricing supplement relating  to such an  Indexed Note will
describe, as applicable, the method by which the amount of interest, premium and
principal payable in respect  of such Indexed Note  will be determined,  certain
special tax consequences to holders of such Notes, certain risks associated with
an investment in such Notes and other information relating to such Notes.
 
    For  the purpose of  determining whether holders  of the requisite principal
amount of Debt Securities outstanding under the applicable Indenture have made a
demand or given a notice  or waiver or taken  any other action, the  outstanding
principal  amount of Indexed Notes will be deemed to be the Face Amount thereof.
In the  event  of an  acceleration  of the  maturity  of an  Indexed  Note,  the
principal  amount payable to the  holder of such Note  upon acceleration will be
the principal  amount  determined by  reference  to  the formula  by  which  the
principal  amount of such Note would be determined on the Maturity Date thereof,
as if the date of acceleration were the Maturity Date.
 
    PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN FINANCIAL AND LEGAL  ADVISORS
AS  TO THE RISKS ENTAILED  BY AN INVESTMENT IN  INDEXED NOTES. INDEXED NOTES ARE
NOT AN APPROPRIATE INVESTMENT FOR INVESTORS WHO ARE UNSOPHISTICATED WITH RESPECT
TO FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS, COMMODITY  PRICES AND COMMODITY AND  FINANCIAL
OR NON-FINANCIAL INDICES.
 
    An  investment  in  Indexed Notes  entails  significant risks  that  are not
associated with similar investments in a conventional fixed-rate debt  security.
If  the interest  rate is indexed,  the interest  payable may be  less than that
payable on a  conventional fixed-rate  debt security  issued at  the same  time,
including  the possibility that no interest will  be paid, and, if the principal
(or premium, if any) is  indexed, the amount of  principal (or premium, if  any)
payable  in respect thereof may  be less than the  original purchase price (when
allowed pursuant to the terms thereof),  including the possibility that no  such
interest  will be paid. The  secondary market for Indexed  notes, as well as the
market value of  such Indexed Notes,  will be  affected by a  number of  factors
independent of the creditworthiness of the Capital Corporation. The value of the
applicable  index will  depend on  a number  of interrelated  factors, including
economic, financial and political events, over which the Capital Corporation has
no control.  Additionally,  if the  formula  used  to determine  the  amount  of
principal  (or  premium, if  any) and  interest payable  contains a  multiple or
leverage factor,  the effect  of any  change  in the  applicable index  will  be
magnified.  The  historical  experience  of  the  relevant  indices  should  not
 
                                      S-14
<PAGE>
be taken  as an  indication of  future performance  of such  indices. In  recent
years,  values of certain indices have  been highly volatile and such volatility
may be expected to continue in  the future. Past fluctuations in any  particular
index  are not necessarily  indicative, however, of  fluctuations that may occur
during the term of any Indexed Notes. The credit ratings assigned to the Capital
Corporation's  medium-term  note  program  are  a  reflection  of  the   Capital
Corporation's  credit status  and, in  no way, are  a reflection  of a potential
impact of the factors discussed above, or any other factors, on the market value
of the Notes.
 
SUBSEQUENT INTEREST PERIODS
 
    The pricing  supplement relating  to  each Note  will indicate  whether  the
Capital  Corporation  has the  option with  respect  to such  Note to  reset the
interest rate, in the case of a Fixed Rate Note, or to reset the Spread,  Spread
Multiplier  or  other  formula by  which  the  interest rate  basis  is adjusted
(collectively, the "Floating  Rate Formula"),  in the  case of  a Floating  Rate
Note, and, if so, the date or dates on which such interest rate or such Floating
Rate Formula, as the case may be, may be reset (each, an "Optional Reset Date").
If  the  Capital Corporation  has  such option  with  respect to  any  Note, the
following procedures will apply.
 
    The Capital Corporation may exercise such  option with respect to a Note  by
notifying  the applicable Trustee of such exercise at least 45 but not more than
60 days prior to an  Optional Reset Date for such  Note. Not later than 40  days
prior  to such  Optional Reset  Date, the  applicable Trustee  will mail  to the
holder of such Note a notice (the "Reset Notice") setting forth (i) the election
of the Capital Corporation to  reset the interest rate, in  the case of a  Fixed
Rate  Note, or the Floating  Rate Formula, in the case  of a Floating Rate Note,
(ii) such new interest rate or such  new Floating Rate Formula, as the case  may
be, and (iii) the provisions, if any, for redemption during the period from such
Optional Reset Date to the next Optional Reset Date or, if there is no such next
Optional  Reset Date,  to the Maturity  Date of  such Note (each  such period, a
"Subsequent Interest  Period"), including  the date  or dates  on which  or  the
period  or periods during which and the price or prices at which such redemption
may occur during such Subsequent Interest Period.
 
    Notwithstanding the foregoing, not later than  20 days prior to an  Optional
Reset  Date  for  a  Note,  the Capital  Corporation  may,  if  provided  in the
applicable pricing supplement, at its option,  revoke the interest rate, in  the
case  of a  Fixed Rate  Note, or  the Floating  Rate Formula,  in the  case of a
Floating Rate Note,  provided for  in the Reset  Notice and  establish a  higher
interest  rate, in  the case of  a Fixed Rate  Note, or a  Floating Rate Formula
providing for higher interest rates,  in the case of  a Floating Rate Note,  for
the Subsequent Interest Period commencing on such Optional Reset Date by causing
the  applicable  Trustee to  transmit  notice of  such  higher interest  rate or
Floating Rate Formula,  as the case  may be, to  the holder of  such Note.  Such
notice will be irrevocable. All Notes with respect to which the interest rate or
Floating  Rate Formula is reset on an  Optional Reset Date will bear such higher
interest rate, in  the case of  a Fixed Rate  Note, or a  Floating Rate  Formula
providing for higher interest rates, in the case of a Floating Rate Note.
 
    If the Capital Corporation elects to reset the interest rate of a Fixed Rate
Note  or the Floating Rate Formula of  a Floating Rate Note, as described above,
the holder  of  such  Note  may,  if provided  for  in  the  applicable  pricing
supplement,  have the  option to  elect repayment  of such  Note by  the Capital
Corporation on any Optional Reset Date at a price equal to the principal  amount
thereof  plus any accrued interest  to such Optional Reset  Date. In order for a
Note to be so repaid on an  Optional Reset Date, the holder thereof must  follow
the  procedures set  forth below under  "Repayment and  Repurchase" for optional
repayment, except that the period for  delivery of such Note or notification  to
the  applicable Trustee will be at  least 25 but not more  than 35 days prior to
such Optional Reset Date and  except that a holder who  has tendered a Note  for
repayment  pursuant to a  Reset Notice may,  by written notice  to such Trustee,
revoke any such tender for  repayment until the close  of business on the  tenth
day prior to such Optional Reset Date.
 
EXTENSION OF MATURITY
 
    The  pricing  supplement relating  to each  Note  will indicate  whether the
Capital Corporation has the option to extend the Maturity Date of such Note  for
one or more periods (each an "Extension Period") up to, but not beyond, the date
(the "Final Maturity Date") specified in such pricing supplement. If the Capital
Corporation  has such option with respect  to any Note, the following procedures
will apply.
 
    The Capital Corporation may exercise such  option with respect to a Note  by
notifying  the applicable Trustee of such exercise at least 45 but not more than
60 days prior to the Maturity Date of such Note in effect prior to the  exercise
of  such option (the "Original  Maturity Date"). No later  than 40 days prior to
the
 
                                      S-15
<PAGE>
Original Maturity Date, the applicable Trustee  will mail to the holder of  such
Note  a  notice  (the "Extension  Notice")  relating to  such  Extension Period,
setting forth (i) the election of the Capital Corporation to extend the Original
Maturity Date of such Note, (ii) the new  Maturity Date, (iii) in the case of  a
Fixed Rate Note, the interest rate applicable to the Extension Period or, in the
case  of  a Floating  Rate Note,  the  Floating Rate  Formula applicable  to the
Extension Period, and  (iv) the provisions,  if any, for  redemption during  the
Extension  Period, including the date or dates on which or the period or periods
during which and the price  or prices at which  such redemption may occur.  Upon
the  transmittal by the applicable Trustee of  an Extension Notice to the holder
of  a  Note,  the  Original  Maturity  Date  of  such  Note  will  be   extended
automatically,  and, except as modified by the Extension Notice and as described
in the  next paragraph,  such Note  will have  the same  terms as  prior to  the
transmittal of such Extension Notice.
 
    Notwithstanding  the foregoing, not later than 20 days prior to the Original
Maturity Date  for a  Note, the  Capital  Corporation may,  if provided  in  the
applicable  pricing supplement, at  its option, reset the  interest rate, in the
case of a  Fixed Rate  Note, or  the Floating  Rate Formula,  in the  case of  a
Floating  Rate Note, provided for in the Extension Notice and establish a higher
interest rate, in  the case of  a Fixed Rate  Note, or a  Floating Rate  Formula
providing  for higher interest rates,  in the case of  a Floating Rate Note, for
the Extension Period  by causing the  applicable Trustee to  transmit notice  of
such  higher interest rate or Floating Rate Formula,  as the case may be, to the
holder of such Note. Such notice will be irrevocable. All Notes with respect  to
which  the Maturity Date is extended will bear such higher interest rate, in the
case of a  Fixed Rate  Note, or  a Floating  Rate Formula  providing for  higher
interest rates, in the case of a Floating Rate Note, for the Extension Period.
 
    If  the Capital Corporation elects to extend the Original Maturity Date of a
Note, the  holder  of such  Note  may, if  provided  in the  applicable  pricing
supplement,  have the  option to  elect repayment  of such  Note by  the Capital
Corporation on the  Original Maturity  Date at a  price equal  to the  principal
amount thereof plus any accrued interest to such date. In order for a Note to be
so  repaid on  the Original  Maturity Date, the  holder thereof  must follow the
procedures set  forth  below  under  "Repayment  and  Repurchase"  for  optional
repayment,  except that the period for delivery  of such Note or notification to
the applicable Trustee will be  at least 25 but not  more than 35 days prior  to
the  Original Maturity Date and except that a holder who has tendered a Note for
repayment pursuant  to  an  Extension  Notice may,  by  written  notice  to  the
applicable  Trustee, revoke  any such  tender for  repayment until  the close of
business on the tenth day prior to the Original Maturity Date.
 
REDEMPTION
 
    The pricing supplement relating  to each Note will  indicate when such  Note
will be subject to redemption by the Capital Corporation and, if so, the initial
redemption  date applicable to such Note  (the "Initial Redemption Date"). If no
Initial Redemption Date is indicated with respect to a Note, such Note will  not
be  redeemable prior to the  Maturity Date. On and  after the Initial Redemption
Date with respect to any Note, such Note will be redeemable at any time in whole
or in part in increments of $1,000 (provided that any remaining principal amount
of such Note will not be less  than the minimum authorized denomination of  such
Note)  at  the option  of the  Capital  Corporation at  a redemption  price (the
"Redemption Price")  determined  in  accordance with  the  following  paragraph,
together  with interest accrued to  the date of redemption,  on notice given not
more than 60 nor less than 30 days prior to the date of redemption.
 
    The Redemption Price for each Note subject to redemption shall be (i) in the
case of Notes  other than Original  Issue Discount Notes,  the unpaid  principal
amount  of such  Note or  the portion thereof  redeemed or  (ii) in  the case of
Original Issue  Discount Notes,  an amount  equal  to the  issue price  of  such
Original Issue Discount Note plus accrued original issue discount to the date of
redemption,  minus any amounts considered as part of the stated redemption price
at Maturity of such Note previously paid, in either case multiplied by a certain
percentage not  less than  100%, which  will initially  be the  percentage  (the
"Initial  Redemption Percentage") specified in the applicable pricing supplement
and which will decline at each  anniversary of the Initial Redemption Date  with
respect  to  such  Note  by  a  percentage  (the  "Annual  Redemption Percentage
Reduction"), if any, of the principal amount (or, in the case of Original  Issue
Discount  Notes, such lesser amount as specified above) to be redeemed until the
Redemption Price is 100% of such  amount. The Initial Redemption Percentage  and
any  Annual Redemption Percentage Reduction with respect to each Note subject to
redemption prior to  the Maturity Date  will be fixed  at the time  of sale  and
specified in the applicable pricing supplement.
 
                                      S-16
<PAGE>
    The Notes will not be subject to any sinking fund.
 
REPAYMENT AND REPURCHASE
 
    The  pricing supplement relating  to each Note will  indicate when such Note
will be subject to repayment  at the option of the  holders thereof and, if  so,
the  terms of such repayment option  and the optional repayment dates applicable
to such Note (the "Optional Repayment Dates"). If no Optional Repayment Date  is
specified  with respect to a Note, such Note will not be repayable at the option
of the holder prior to  the Maturity Date. On  any Optional Repayment Date  with
respect  to  any Note,  such  Note will  be  repayable in  whole  or in  part in
increments of $1,000 (provided that any remaining principal amount of such  Note
will  not be less than the minimum  authorized denomination of such Note) at the
option of the holder  thereof at a repayment  price specified in the  applicable
pricing  supplement  together  with  interest accrued  thereon  to  the  date of
repayment.
 
    In order for a Note to be repaid at the option of the holder, the applicable
Trustee must receive the Note, at least 30 days but not more than 45 days  prior
to  the repayment date, with the section entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" on
the reverse of the Note duly completed.
 
    With respect  to  a  Global  Note, the  Depository's  nominee  that  is  the
registered  holder of such Global Note will be the only entity that can exercise
a right to  repayment. In  order to  ensure the timely  exercise of  a right  to
repayment, the owner of a beneficial interest in a Global Note must instruct the
broker  or  other  direct or  indirect  participant  through which  it  owns its
interest in such Global Note to notify the Depository of its desire to  exercise
such  right. Each beneficial owner should consult  the broker or other direct or
indirect participant through  which it  owns its interest  in a  Global Note  in
order  to ascertain the deadline  by which such an  instruction must be given in
order for timely notice to be delivered by the applicable broker or  participant
to the Depository.
 
    The  Capital Corporation may purchase Notes at  any price in the open market
or otherwise.  Notes  so  purchased  by the  Capital  Corporation  may,  at  the
discretion  of the  Capital Corporation, be  held, resold or  surrendered to the
applicable Trustee for cancellation.
 
             SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO FOREIGN CURRENCY NOTES
 
GENERAL
 
    The principal of  (and premium,  if any) and  interest, if  any, on  Foreign
Currency  Notes  will be  paid in  U.S. dollars  (converted from  such Specified
Currency in  the manner  described in  the next  paragraph) unless  such  holder
elects to be paid in such Specified Currency.
 
    The  amount of U.S. dollar payments to be  received by a holder of a Foreign
Currency Note will  be based on  the bid quotation  in The City  of New York  at
approximately  11:00  A.M.,  New York  City  time,  on the  second  Business Day
preceding the  applicable  payment date  by  the  Exchange Rate  Agent  for  the
purchase  by the Exchange Rate Agent of  the Specified Currency for U.S. dollars
for settlement on  such payment date  in the aggregate  amount of the  Specified
Currency  payable to all holders of  Foreign Currency Notes scheduled to receive
U.S. dollar payments and at which the  Exchange Rate Agent commits to execute  a
contract.  If such bid quotation is not  available, payments will be made in the
Specified Currency.
 
    A holder of Foreign Currency Notes may elect to receive payment of principal
of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on the Foreign Currency Notes  in
the  Specified Currency  (subject to  certain conditions,  see "Foreign Currency
Considerations -- Payment Currency" below) by transmitting a written request for
such payment in the case of the  Senior Notes, to the corporate trust office  of
the  Trustee in The City of New York and, in the case of the Subordinated Notes,
to the corporate trust office of the Trustee in the City of Chicago or an office
or agency of the  Trustee in The  City of New  York on or  prior to the  Regular
Record  Date or at least 16 days prior to  the date of Maturity, as the case may
be. Such request may be in writing (mailed or hand delivered) or by cable, telex
or other form of facsimile transmission. A holder of a Foreign Currency Note may
elect to  receive payment  in  the Specified  Currency  for all  principal  (and
premium,  if any) and  interest, if any,  payments and need  not file a separate
election for each payment. Such election will remain in effect until revoked  by
written  notice  to  the applicable  Trustee,  but  written notice  of  any such
revocation must be received by  such Trustee on or  prior to the Regular  Record
Date or at least 16 days prior
 
                                      S-17
<PAGE>
to  the date of Maturity, as the case  may be. Holders of Foreign Currency Notes
whose Notes are to  be held in the  name of a broker  or nominee should  contact
such  broker or  nominee to  determine whether  and how  an election  to receive
payments in the Specified Currency may be made.
 
    All currency exchange costs will be borne by the Capital Corporation  unless
a  holder of a Note  has made the election to  receive payments in the Specified
Currency referred to in the preceding paragraph. In that case, such holder shall
bear its pro rata portion of currency exchange costs, if any, by deductions from
payments otherwise due to such holder.
 
    Principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on Foreign Currency
Notes paid in U.S. dollars will be paid in the manner specified above for  Notes
denominated  in U.S.  dollars. Interest  on Foreign  Currency Notes  paid in the
Specified Currency, other than interest payable at Maturity, will be paid by the
applicable Trustee on the relevant Interest Payment Date to the holders  thereof
by transfer of immediately available funds to an account at a bank designated by
such  holders, but  only if such  bank has the  appropriate facilities therefor.
Unless otherwise specified in the  applicable pricing supplement, the  principal
of  (and  premium, if  any)  on Foreign  Currency  Notes paid  in  the Specified
Currency, together with  interest accrued  and unpaid thereon,  due at  Maturity
will  be paid in immediately available funds upon surrender of such Notes in the
case of the Senior Notes,  at the corporate trust office  of the Trustee in  The
City  of New York. and, in the case  of the Subordinated Notes, at the corporate
trust office of the Trustee in the City of Chicago or an office or agency of the
Trustee in The City of New York.
 
    The pricing  supplement relating  to  a Note  denominated  or payable  in  a
Specified  Currency other than U.S. dollars  will set forth specific information
relating to such Specified Currency,  including a description of such  Currency,
historical exchange rates and any exchange controls relating thereto and, in the
case  of a composite  Currency, a description  of provisions for  payment in the
event such composite Currency is  no longer used for  the purposes for which  it
was established. See "Foreign Currency Considerations" below.
 
PAYMENT FOR NOTES
 
    Purchasers  are  required  to  pay  for  Notes  in  the  Specified Currency.
Currently, there are limited facilities in  the United States for conversion  of
U.S.  dollars into foreign currencies and VICE  VERSA and banks do not generally
offer non-U.S.  dollar checking  or  savings account  facilities in  the  United
States. However, if requested by a prospective purchaser of Notes denominated in
a  Currency other than U.S. dollars, the  Agent soliciting the offer to purchase
may arrange for the conversion of  U.S. dollars into such Specified Currency  to
enable  the purchaser  to pay for  such Notes. Such  request must be  made on or
before the fifth Business Day preceding the date of delivery of the Notes, or by
such other date as is  determined by the Agent that  presents such offer to  the
Capital  Corporation. Each such conversion will be made by the relevant Agent on
such terms and subject to such conditions, limitations and charges as such Agent
may from time to time establish in accordance with its regular foreign  exchange
practice. All costs of exchange will be borne by the purchasers of the Notes.
 
GOVERNING LAW AND JUDGMENTS
 
    The  Indentures  and  the  Notes  will  be  governed  by,  and  construed in
accordance with, the  laws of the  State of New  York. An action  based upon  an
obligation  payable in  a currency  other than  U.S. dollars  can be  brought in
courts in  the United  States. However,  courts in  the United  States have  not
customarily  rendered judgments  for money  damages denominated  in any currency
other than U.S. dollars. In addition, it is not clear, whether in granting  such
judgment,  the rate of conversion would be determined with reference to the date
of default, the date judgment is rendered or such other date. The Judiciary  Law
of  the  State of  New  York provides,  however, that  an  action based  upon an
obligation payable in a currency other than U.S. dollars will be rendered in the
foreign currency of the underlying obligation and converted into U.S. dollars at
a rate  of exchange  prevailing on  the date  of the  entry of  the judgment  or
decree.  In such cases, holders of Foreign Currency Notes would bear the risk of
exchange rate fluctuations between the time the amount of judgment is calculated
and the time the Specified Currency was converted into U.S. dollars and paid  to
such holders.
 
                                      S-18
<PAGE>
                        FOREIGN CURRENCY CONSIDERATIONS
 
EXCHANGE RATES AND EXCHANGE CONTROLS
 
    An  investment in Foreign Currency Notes  and Currency Indexed Notes entails
significant risks that are not  associated with investments in debt  instruments
denominated  in  U.S.  dollars.  Such  risks  include,  without  limitation, the
possibility of significant  changes in  the rate  of exchange  between the  U.S.
dollar  and the Specified Currency or Indexed  Currency and the rate of exchange
between the Specified Currency in which  a Currency Indexed Note is  denominated
and  the Indexed Currency and the  possibility of the imposition or modification
of foreign exchange controls by either the United States or foreign governments,
which risks generally  depend on economic  and political events  over which  the
Capital  Corporation has no control. In  recent years, rates of exchange between
the U.S.  dollar and  certain foreign  currencies have  been volatile  and  such
volatility  may  continue in  the future.  Past  fluctuations in  any particular
exchange rate are not  necessarily indicative, however,  of fluctuations in  the
rate  that may occur  during the term  of any Foreign  Currency Note or Currency
Indexed Note.  Fluctuations in  exchange  rates against  the U.S.  dollar  could
result  in a  decrease in the  U.S. dollar-equivalent yield  of Foreign Currency
Notes or Currency  Indexed Notes,  in the  U.S. dollar-equivalent  value of  the
principal  repayable  at Maturity  of  such Notes  and,  generally, in  the U.S.
dollar-equivalent market value of such Notes. The currency risks with respect to
Foreign Currency Notes or Currency Indexed Notes may be further described in the
applicable pricing supplement.
 
    Foreign  exchange  rates  can  either   float  or  be  fixed  by   sovereign
governments. Exchange rates of most economically developed nations are permitted
to  fluctuate in value relative to  the U.S. dollar. Governments, however, often
do not  voluntarily  allow their  currencies  to  float freely  in  response  to
economic  forces.  Instead, governments  use a  variety  of techniques,  such as
intervention by that  country's central  bank, or the  imposition of  regulatory
controls  or taxes, to affect the exchange rate of their currencies. Governments
may also issue  a new  currency to  replace an  existing currency  or alter  the
exchange  rate  or  relative  exchange  characteristics  by  the  devaluation or
revaluation of a currency. Thus, a  special risk in purchasing Foreign  Currency
Notes  or Currency  Indexed Notes  is that  their U.S.  dollar-equivalent yields
could be affected by  governmental actions that could  change or interfere  with
theretofore  freely determined  currency valuation, fluctuations  in response to
other market forces and the movement of currencies across borders. There will be
no adjustment or change in the terms  of the Foreign Currency Notes or  Currency
Indexed  Notes in the event  that exchange rates should  become fixed, or in the
event of  any devaluation  or revaluation  or imposition  of exchange  or  other
regulatory  controls or taxes, or in  the event of other developments, affecting
the U.S. dollar or any applicable Currency.
 
    Notes denominated in a Specified Currency  other than U.S. dollars will  not
be  sold in, or to residents of, the country of such Specified Currency in which
such Notes  are  denominated.  The  information set  forth  in  this  prospectus
supplement is directed to prospective purchasers who are residents of the United
States  and is not directed at persons who are residents of countries other than
the United States.  Persons who are  not residents of  the United States  should
consult their own legal advisors with regard to such matters.
 
    It  is presently  anticipated that, on  January 1, 1999,  the European Union
will commence a new stage of economic and monetary union for those member states
that satisfy the convergence criteria set forth in the Treaty on European Union.
Part of this stage is the introduction of a single currency (the "Euro"),  which
will  be legal  tender in  such member states  in substitution  for the national
currencies of the member states that adopt the Euro. It is anticipated that  the
Council of European Union and the member states will adopt regulations providing
specific  rules for the introduction of  the Euro. Investors in Foreign Currency
Notes should  recognize  that, if  the  Euro is  adopted,  it will  replace  the
national  currencies of those member states.  The Company cannot predict when or
if the Euro will be adopted or what  effect the adoption of the Euro might  have
on any Foreign Currency Note denominated in the currency of any member state.
 
    AS  INDICATED ABOVE,  AN INVESTMENT  IN FOREIGN  CURRENCY NOTES  OR CURRENCY
INDEXED NOTES INVOLVES  SUBSTANTIAL RISKS,  AND THE  EXTENT AND  NATURE OF  SUCH
RISKS  CHANGE  CONTINUOUSLY.  PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS  SHOULD  CONSULT  THEIR OWN
FINANCIAL AND  LEGAL ADVISORS  AS TO  THE  RISKS ENTAILED  IN AN  INVESTMENT  IN
FOREIGN  CURRENCY  NOTES  OR  CURRENCY  INDEXED NOTES.  SUCH  NOTES  ARE  NOT AN
APPROPRIATE INVESTMENT FOR PROSPECTIVE  PURCHASERS WHO ARE UNSOPHISTICATED  WITH
RESPECT TO FOREIGN CURRENCY MATTERS.
 
                                      S-19
<PAGE>
PAYMENT CURRENCY
 
    Except  as set forth  below, if an applicable  Specified Currency other than
U.S. dollars is not available for the payment of principal (or premium, if  any)
or  interest, if any, with respect to Foreign Currency Notes or Currency Indexed
Notes, as the case may be, due  to the imposition of exchange controls or  other
circumstances  beyond the  control of the  Capital Corporation, or  is no longer
used by  the  government  of  the  country issuing  such  Currency  or  for  the
settlement of transactions by public institutions of or within the international
banking  community,  the Capital  Corporation will  be  entitled to  satisfy its
obligations to holders of such Notes by  making such payment in U.S. dollars  on
the  basis of the Market Exchange Rate on  the second Business Day prior to such
payment or, if such Market Exchange Rate is then not available, on the basis  of
the most recently available Market Exchange Rate or as otherwise indicated in an
applicable  pricing  supplement. The  "Market Exchange  Rate"  will be  the noon
buying rate  in The  City of  New York  for cable  transfers of  such  Specified
Currency  as certified for customs  purposes by the Federal  Reserve Bank of New
York.
 
    All determinations referred to above made by the Exchange Rate Agent will be
at its  sole  discretion (except  to  the  extent expressly  provided  that  any
determination  is subject  to approval by  the Capital Corporation)  and, in the
absence of manifest error,  will be conclusive for  all purposes and binding  on
holders  of the Foreign Currency  Notes and Currency Indexed  Notes, as the case
may be, and the Exchange Rate Agent will have no liability therefor.
 
    Any payment made  in U.S.  dollars under the  circumstances described  above
where  the required payment  is in a  Currency other than  U.S. dollars will not
constitute a default under either Indenture.
 
                             UNITED STATES TAXATION
 
    In the opinion of  Shearman & Sterling, special  tax counsel to the  Capital
Corporation,  the  following summary  accurately  describes the  material United
States  federal  income  tax  consequences  of  the  purchase,  ownership,   and
disposition  of a Note.  Such opinion is  based on the  Internal Revenue Code of
1986,  as  amended  (the  "Code"),  Treasury  Regulations  (including   proposed
Regulations and temporary Regulations) promulgated thereunder, rulings, official
pronouncements  and judicial  decisions, all  as in effect  on the  date of this
prospectus supplement and  all of  which are  subject to  change, possibly  with
retroactive  effect,  or  to different  interpretations.  This  summary provides
general information only  and does  not purport to  address all  of the  federal
income  tax consequences that may  be applicable to a holder  of a Note. It does
not address all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to certain types of
holders subject to special treatment under  the federal income tax law, such  as
individual  retirement and other tax-deferred accounts, dealers in securities or
currencies, life insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, persons  holding
Notes  as a hedge or  hedged against currency risk, as  a position in a straddle
for tax  purposes,  as  part  of a  "synthetic  security"  or  other  integrated
investment  comprised of  a Note  and one  or more  other investments  or United
States persons (as defined  below) whose functional currency  is other than  the
U.S.  dollar.  It  also does  not  discuss  the tax  consequences  to subsequent
purchasers of Notes  and is limited  to investors  who hold Notes  as a  capital
asset.  The federal income tax consequences  of purchasing, holding or disposing
of a particular Note will depend, in part, on the particular terms of such  Note
as  set  forth in  the  applicable pricing  supplement.  The federal  income tax
consequences of purchasing, holding or disposing of certain Floating Rate Notes,
Foreign Currency Notes  (other than  Single Foreign Currency  Notes, as  defined
below),  Amortizing Notes, Floating Rate/Fixed Rate Notes, Inverse Floating Rate
Notes, Currency Indexed  Notes or any  other Indexed Notes  and exchangeable  or
convertible   Debt  Securities  will  be  set  out  in  the  applicable  pricing
supplement. Persons considering the  purchase of Notes  and making any  election
under  the Code or  the Treasury Regulations  with respect to  such Notes should
consult their own tax advisors concerning  the application of the United  States
federal  income  tax law  to  their particular  situations  as well  as  any tax
consequences  arising  under  the  law  of  any  state,  local  or  foreign  tax
jurisdiction.
 
    "Single  Foreign Currency Note"  shall mean a  Note on which  all payments a
holder is entitled to receive are  denominated in or determined by reference  to
the value of a single Foreign Currency. "Foreign Currency" shall mean a currency
or currency unit, other than a hyperinflationary currency or the U.S. dollar.
 
                                      S-20
<PAGE>
UNITED STATES PERSONS
 
   
    For  purposes of the  following discussion, "United  States person" means an
individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, an estate or trust
subject to United States federal income taxation without regard to the source of
its income, or a corporation, partnership  or other entity created or  organized
in  or  under the  law of  the United  States or  any state  or the  District of
Columbia. The following discussion pertains only to a holder of a Note who is  a
beneficial owner of such Note and who is a "United States person".
    
 
    PAYMENTS OF INTEREST ON NOTES THAT ARE NOT DISCOUNT NOTES
 
    Except  as discussed  below under  "Discount Notes"  and "Short-Term Notes",
payments of interest on a Note will be taxable to a holder as ordinary  interest
income  at the time  it is accrued  or received in  accordance with the holder's
method of tax accounting.  If the payment is  denominated in or determined  with
reference  to a single Foreign  Currency, the amount required  to be included in
income by a cash basis holder will be  the U.S. dollar value of the amount  paid
(determined  on  the  basis of  the  "spot rate"  on  the date  such  payment is
received) regardless  of whether  the payment  is in  fact converted  into  U.S.
dollars. No exchange gain or loss will be recognized with respect to the receipt
of such payment.
 
    Except  in the case of a Spot Rate Convention Election (as defined below), a
holder of a  Single Foreign  Currency Note who  is required  to accrue  interest
income  prior to receipt will be required  to include in income for each taxable
year the U.S. dollar value  of the interest that  has accrued during such  year,
determined  by translating such interest at the average rate of exchange for the
period or periods during  which such interest has  accrued. The average rate  of
exchange  for  an interest  accrual  period (or  partial  period) is  the simple
average of the spot exchange rates for each business day of such period (or such
other average  that  is  reasonably  derived and  consistently  applied  by  the
holder).  Upon  receipt  of  an interest  payment,  such  holder  will recognize
ordinary gain or  loss in an  amount equal  to the difference  between the  U.S.
dollar  value of the Foreign  Currency received (determined on  the basis of the
"spot rate" on the date  such payment is received) or,  in the case of  interest
received in U.S. dollars rather than in Foreign Currency, the amount so received
and the U.S. dollar value of the interest income that such holder has previously
included in income with respect to such payment. Any such gain or loss generally
will not be treated as interest income or expense, except to the extent provided
by   administrative  pronouncements   of  the  Internal   Revenue  Service  (the
"Service").
 
    A holder may elect (a "Spot Rate Convention Election") to translate  accrued
interest  into U.S.  dollars at the  "spot rate" on  the last day  of an accrual
period for the interest,  or, in the  case of an accrual  period that spans  two
taxable  years,  at  the  "spot rate"  on  the  last day  of  the  taxable year.
Additionally, if a payment of interest is received within five business days  of
the  last day of  the accrual period,  an electing holder  may instead translate
such accrued  interest into  U.S.  dollars at  the "spot  rate"  on the  day  of
receipt.
 
    For purposes of this discussion, the "spot rate" generally means a rate that
reflects  a fair market  rate of exchange  available to the  public for currency
under a "spot contract" in a free market and involving representative amounts. A
"spot contract"  is a  contract to  buy  or sell  a currency  on or  before  two
business  days following the  date of the  execution of the  contract. If such a
spot rate cannot be demonstrated, the Service has the authority to determine the
spot rate.
 
    PURCHASE, SALE, EXCHANGE OR RETIREMENT OF NOTES
 
    A holder's tax basis in a Note generally will be the U.S. dollar cost of the
Note to such holder (which in the case of a Note purchased with Foreign Currency
will be determined by  translating the purchase  price at the  spot rate on  the
date  of purchase), increased by any original issue discount, market discount or
acquisition discount (all as defined below) previously included in the  holder's
gross  income (as  described below),  and reduced  by any  amortized premium (as
described below) and any principal payments and payments of stated interest that
are not payments of qualified stated interest (as defined below).
 
    Upon the sale,  exchange or retirement  of a Note,  a holder generally  will
recognize  gain or loss equal  to the difference between  the amount realized on
the sale, exchange or retirement (or the  U.S. dollar value at the spot rate  on
the  date of the sale, exchange or  retirement of the amount realized in Foreign
Currency), except to the extent such amount is attributable to accrued interest,
and the holder's  tax basis in  the Note. Except  with respect to  (i) gains  or
losses  attributable  to changes  in exchange  rates (as  described in  the next
paragraph), (ii) gain attributable to  market discount (as described below)  and
(iii) gain on the disposition of
 
                                      S-21
<PAGE>
a  Short-Term Note  (as described  below), gain  or loss  so recognized  will be
capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss, if, at the time
of the sale, exchange or retirement, the  Note was held for more than one  year.
Under  current law,  long-term capital gains  of individuals  are, under certain
circumstances, taxed at lower rates than items of ordinary income.
 
    Gain or loss recognized by a holder on the sale, exchange or retirement of a
Single Foreign Currency Note that is  attributable to changes in exchange  rates
will  be treated as ordinary income or loss and generally will not be treated as
interest income  or expense  except  to the  extent provided  by  administrative
pronouncements  of the Service. Gain or loss attributable to changes in exchange
rates is recognized  on the  sale, exchange or  retirement of  a Single  Foreign
Currency  Note only to the  extent of the total gain  or loss recognized on such
sale, exchange or retirement.
 
    EXCHANGE OF FOREIGN CURRENCY
 
    A holder's tax basis in Foreign  Currency purchased by the holder  generally
will  be the U.S. dollar value thereof at the spot rate on the date such Foreign
Currency is purchased.  A holder's  tax basis  in Foreign  Currency received  as
interest  on,  or on  the  sale, exchange  or  retirement of,  a  Single Foreign
Currency Note will be the U.S. dollar value thereof at the spot rate at the time
such Foreign Currency is received.  The amount of gain  or loss recognized by  a
holder  on a  sale, exchange  or other disposition  of Foreign  Currency will be
equal to the difference between (i) the amount of U.S. dollars, the U.S.  dollar
value at the spot rate of the Foreign Currency, or the fair market value in U.S.
dollars  of the property received  by the holder in  the sale, exchange or other
disposition, and (ii) the holder's tax basis in the Foreign Currency.
 
    Accordingly, a  holder that  purchases  a Note  with Foreign  Currency  will
recognize  gain or loss  in an amount  equal to the  difference, if any, between
such holder's tax basis in the Foreign Currency and the U.S. dollar value at the
spot rate of the Foreign Currency on  the date of purchase. Generally, any  such
gain or loss will be ordinary income or loss and will not be treated as interest
income   or   expense,  except   to  the   extent  provided   by  administrative
pronouncements of the Service.
 
    SUBSEQUENT INTEREST PERIODS AND EXTENSION OF MATURITY
 
    If so specified in  the pricing supplement relating  to a Note, the  Capital
Corporation may have the option (a) to reset the interest rate, in the case of a
Fixed  Rate Note, or to reset the Spread, the Spread Multiplier or other formula
by which the interest  rate basis is  adjusted, in the case  of a Floating  Rate
Note,  and/or (b) to extend the Maturity of such Note. See "Description of Notes
- -- Subsequent  Interest  Periods" and  "Description  of Notes  --  Extension  of
Maturity".  The treatment  of a holder  of Notes  with respect to  which such an
option has been  exercised who does  not elect to  have the Capital  Corporation
repay such Notes on the applicable Optional Reset Date or Original Maturity Date
will  depend on the terms established for  such Notes by the Capital Corporation
pursuant to the exercise of such option (the "revised terms"). Depending on  the
particular  circumstances, such holder may be treated as having surrendered such
Notes for new Notes  with the revised  terms in either a  taxable exchange or  a
recapitalization qualifying for nonrecognition of gain or loss.
 
    DISCOUNT NOTES
 
    The  following summary is  a general description of  U.S. federal income tax
consequences to holders of Notes issued with original issue discount  ("Discount
Notes")  and is based  on the provisions  of the Code  as in effect  on the date
hereof and on  certain Treasury Regulations  promulgated thereunder relating  to
original issue discount (the "OID Regulations").
 
   
    For  U.S. federal income tax purposes, original issue discount is the excess
of the stated redemption price at maturity of each Discount Note over its  issue
price, if such excess is greater than or equal to a DE MINIMIS amount (generally
1/4  of 1% of the Discount Note's stated redemption price at maturity multiplied
by the number  of complete years  to maturity  from the issue  date). The  issue
price  of an issue of Discount  Notes that are issued for  cash will be equal to
the first price  at which a  substantial amount of  such Notes are  sold to  the
public. The stated redemption price at maturity of a Discount Note is the sum of
all  payments provided  by the Discount  Note other than  payments of "qualified
stated  interest".  Under  the  OID  Regulations,  "qualified  stated  interest"
includes  stated interest  that is unconditionally  payable in  cash or property
(other than debt instruments of the issuer) at least annually at a single  fixed
rate  (with  certain exceptions  for lower  rates paid  during some  periods) or
certain variable rates as described below. Interest is payable at a single fixed
    
 
                                      S-22
<PAGE>
   
rate only  if  the rate  appropriately  takes into  account  the length  of  the
interval  between payments. Except as described below with respect to Short-Term
Notes, a holder of a  Discount Note will be  required to include original  issue
discount in taxable income as it accrues before the receipt of cash attributable
to  such  income,  regardless of  such  holder's  method of  accounting  for tax
purposes. Special  rules  for  Variable  Rate  Notes  (as  defined  below  under
"Variable Rate Notes") are described below under "Variable Rate Notes".
    
 
    The  amount of original  issue discount includible in  taxable income by the
initial holder of a Discount Note is  the sum of the daily portions of  original
issue discount with respect to such Note for each day during the taxable year on
which such holder held such Note ("accrued original issue discount"). Generally,
the  daily portion of the original issue discount is determined by allocating to
each day  in  any "accrual  period"  a ratable  portion  of the  original  issue
discount  allocable  to  such accrual  period.  Under the  OID  Regulations, the
"accrual periods" for a Discount Note may be selected by each holder, may be  of
any  length, and may vary  in length over the term  of a Discount Note, provided
that each accrual period is no longer  than one year and each scheduled  payment
of  principal or  interest occurs  either on the  first day  or final  day of an
accrual period. The amount of original issue discount allocable to each  accrual
period  is equal to the excess (if any)  of (a) the product of a Discount Note's
adjusted issue price at the  beginning of such accrual  period and its yield  to
maturity  (determined on the basis  of compounding at the  close of each accrual
period and adjusted for the length of  such accrual period) over (b) the  amount
of  qualified  stated  interest,  if  any, payable  on  such  Discount  Note and
allocable to such accrual period. The "adjusted issue price" of a Discount  Note
at  the beginning of any accrual period generally  is the sum of the issue price
of a Discount Note  plus the accrued original  issue discount allocable for  all
prior  accrual periods reduced by  any prior payment on  the Discount Note other
than a payment of qualified  stated interest. Under these  rules, a holder of  a
Discount  Note generally  will have  to include  in taxable  income increasingly
greater amounts of original issue discount in successive accrual periods.
 
    Original issue discount  on a Discount  Note that is  also a Single  Foreign
Currency  Note  will be  determined  for any  accrual  period in  the applicable
Foreign Currency and  then translated into  U.S. dollars in  the same manner  as
interest  income  accrued  by  a  holder on  the  accrual  basis,  including the
application of a  Spot Rate Convention  Election. See "Payments  of Interest  on
Notes   that  are  not  Discount  Notes".  Likewise,  upon  receipt  of  payment
attributable to original issue discount (whether in connection with a payment of
interest or the sale, exchange or retirement of a Discount Note), a holder  will
recognize  exchange gain or  loss to the  extent of the  difference between such
holder's basis in the  accrued original issue discount  (determined in the  same
manner  as  for accrued  interest) and  the  U.S. dollar  value of  such payment
(determined by translating any Foreign Currency received at the spot rate on the
date of payment).  Generally, any such  exchange gain or  loss will be  ordinary
income  or loss and will not be treated as interest income or expense, except to
the extent provided in  administrative pronouncements of  the Service. For  this
purpose, all payments on a Note will be viewed first as the payment of qualified
stated  interest (determined under the original issue discount rules), second as
payments of previously accrued original issue discount (to the extent  thereof),
with  payments  considered  made for  the  earliest accrual  periods  first, and
thereafter as the payment of principal.
 
    If a  holder's tax  basis  in a  Discount  Note immediately  after  purchase
exceeds the adjusted issue price of the Discount Note (the amount of such excess
is  considered  "acquisition  premium")  but  is  not  greater  than  the stated
redemption price at  maturity of such  Discount Note, the  amount includible  in
income in each taxable year as original issue discount is reduced (but not below
zero) by that portion of the excess properly allocable to such year.
 
    If  a holder purchases a Discount Note for an amount in excess of the stated
redemption price at  maturity, the holder  does not include  any original  issue
discount  in income  and generally  may be subject  to the  "bond premium" rules
discussed below. See "Amortizable Bond Premium". If a holder has a tax basis  in
a  Discount Note  that is less  than the  adjusted issue price  of such Discount
Note, the difference may be subject to the market discount provisions  discussed
below. See "Market Discount".
 
    Under  the OID Regulations, a holder of a Note may elect to include in gross
income all interest that accrues on  such Note using the constant yield  method.
For  this  purpose,  interest includes  stated  interest,  acquisition discount,
original issue discount, DE MINIMIS original issue discount, market discount, DE
MINIMIS market discount, and unstated  interest, as adjusted by any  amortizable
bond premium or acquisition
 
                                      S-23
<PAGE>
premium. Special rules apply to elections made with respect to Notes issued with
amortizable  bond premium or market discount. Once  made with respect to a Note,
the election cannot  be revoked  without the consent  of the  Service. A  holder
considering an election under these rules should consult a tax advisor.
 
    MARKET DISCOUNT
 
    If a holder purchases a Note (other than a Discount Note) for an amount that
is  less than  its issue price  or, in the  case of a  subsequent purchaser, its
stated redemption price at maturity, or purchases a Discount Note for less  than
its  "revised issue price" (as defined under  the Code) as of the purchase date,
the amount of the  difference will be treated  as "market discount" unless  such
difference is less than a specified DE MINIMIS amount. Under the market discount
rules  of the  Code, a holder  will be  required to treat  any partial principal
payment (or,  in  the  case of  a  Discount  Note, any  payment  that  does  not
constitute  fixed  periodic interest)  on,  or any  gain  realized on  the sale,
exchange or retirement of, a Note as ordinary income to the extent of the market
discount which has  not previously  been included in  income and  is treated  as
having accrued on such Note at the time of such payment or disposition. Further,
a  disposition of  a Note  by gift  (and in  certain other  circumstances) could
result in the recognition  of market discount income,  computed as if such  Note
had been sold at its then fair market value. In addition, a holder who purchases
a  Note with market discount may be required  to defer the deduction of all or a
portion of  the  interest  paid  or accrued  on  any  indebtedness  incurred  or
maintained  to purchase or carry such Note until the maturity of the Note or its
earlier disposition in a taxable transaction.
 
    Market discount is considered to accrue  ratably during the period from  the
date  of acquisition to the maturity date of a Note, unless the holder elects to
accrue market discount under the rules applicable to original issue discount.  A
holder  may elect to include market discount  in income currently as it accrues,
in which  case the  rules described  above regarding  the deferral  of  interest
deductions will not apply.
 
    With  respect  to  a  Single  Foreign  Currency  Note,  market  discount  is
determined in the applicable Foreign Currency. In the case of a holder who  does
not  elect current  inclusion, accrued market  discount is  translated into U.S.
dollars at the spot  rate on the  date of disposition. No  part of such  accrued
market discount is treated as exchange gain or loss. In the case of a holder who
elects  current  inclusion,  the amount  currently  includible in  income  for a
taxable year is the U.S.  dollar value of the  market discount that has  accrued
during  such year, determined by translating such market discount at the average
rate of exchange  for the period  or periods  during which it  accrued. Such  an
electing  holder will  recognize exchange gain  or loss with  respect to accrued
market discount under the same  rules as apply to  accrued interest on a  Single
Foreign  Currency Note received by a holder  on the accrual basis. See "Payments
of Interest on Notes that are not Discount Notes".
 
    AMORTIZABLE BOND PREMIUM
 
    Generally, if a holder's tax basis in a Note held as a capital asset exceeds
the stated redemption price at maturity of such Note, such excess may constitute
amortizable bond  premium  that the  holder  may  elect to  amortize  under  the
constant  interest rate method over the period  from his acquisition date to the
Note's maturity date. Under certain circumstances, amortizable bond premium  may
be  determined by  reference to  an early  call date.  Special rules  apply with
respect to Single Foreign Currency Notes.
 
   
    VARIABLE RATE NOTES
    
 
   
    A "Variable Rate Note" is a Note that: (i) has an issue price that does  not
exceed the total noncontingent principal payments by more than the lesser of (1)
the product of (x) the total noncontingent principal payments, (y) the number of
complete  years to maturity from the issue date  and (z) .015, or (2) 15 percent
of the total  noncontingent principal payments,  and (ii) does  not provide  for
stated  interest other than stated interest compounded or paid at least annually
at (1) one or more "qualified floating  rates," (2) a single fixed rate and  one
or  more qualified floating rates, (3) a single "objective rate" or (4) a single
fixed rate and  a single objective  rate that is  a "qualified inverse  floating
rate."
    
 
   
    A qualified floating rate or objective rate in effect at any time during the
term of the instrument must be set at a "current value" of that rate. A "current
value"  of a rate is the value of the rate  on any day that is no earlier than 3
months prior to the first day on which that value is in effect and no later than
1 year following that first day.
    
 
                                      S-24
<PAGE>
   
    A variable rate  is a  "qualified floating rate"  if (i)  variations in  the
value  of  the  rate  can  reasonably  be  expected  to  measure contemporaneous
variations in the cost of newly borrowed funds in the currency in which the Note
is denominated or (ii) it is equal to the product of such a rate and either  (a)
a fixed multiple that is greater than .65 but not more than 1.35, or (b) a fixed
multiple  greater than .65 but  not more than 1.35,  increased or decreased by a
fixed rate. If a Note provides for two or more qualified floating rates that (i)
are within 0.25 percent of each other  on the issue date or (ii) can  reasonably
be  expected to have  approximately the same  values throughout the  term of the
Note, the  qualified  floating  rates together  constitute  a  single  qualified
floating  rate. A rate is not a qualified floating rate, however, if the rate is
subject to certain  restrictions (including  caps, floors,  governors, or  other
similar  restrictions) unless such restrictions are fixed throughout the term of
the Note or are not reasonably expected to significantly affect the yield on the
Note.
    
 
   
    An "objective rate" is a rate, other than a qualified floating rate, that is
determined using  a  single,  fixed  formula and  that  is  based  on  objective
financial  or economic information. A rate will not qualify as an objective rate
if it is based  on information that is  within the control of  the issuer (or  a
related  party)  or that  is unique  to the  circumstances of  the issuer  (or a
related party), such as dividends, profits,  or the value of the issuer's  stock
(although  a rate  does not fail  to be an  objective rate merely  because it is
based on the credit quality of the issuer). A variable rate is not an  objective
rate,  however, if it is reasonably expected  that the average value of the rate
during the first half of the Note's term will be either significantly less  than
or  significantly greater than  the average value  of the rate  during the final
half of the  Note's term.  An objective rate  is a  "qualified inverse  floating
rate"  if (i) the rate is equal to a fixed rate minus a qualified floating rate,
and (ii) the  variations in  the rate can  reasonably be  expected to  inversely
reflect contemporaneous variations in the qualified floating rate.
    
 
   
    If interest on a Note is stated at a fixed rate for an initial period of one
year  or less followed by either a  qualified floating rate or an objective rate
for a subsequent period and (i) the  fixed rate and the qualified floating  rate
or  objective rate have values on the issue  date of the Note that do not differ
by more than 0.25 percent  or (ii) the value of  the qualified floating rate  or
objective rate is intended to approximate the fixed rate, the fixed rate and the
qualified  floating rate  or the  objective rate  constitute a  single qualified
floating rate or objective rate. Under these rules, Commercial Paper Rate Notes,
LIBOR Notes, Treasury Rate Notes, CD Rate Notes, Federal Funds Rate Notes, Prime
Rate Notes, and CMT Rate Notes generally will be treated as Variable Rate Notes.
    
 
   
    In general, if a Variable Rate Note provides for stated interest at a single
qualified floating rate or  objective rate and  the interest is  unconditionally
payable  in cash at least annually, all stated interest on the Note is qualified
stated interest and the amount  of OID, if any, is  determined by using, in  the
case  of a qualified floating rate or qualified inverse floating rate, the value
as of  the  issue date  of  the qualified  floating  rate or  qualified  inverse
floating  rate, or, in the  case of any other objective  rate, a fixed rate that
reflects the yield reasonably expected for the Note.
    
 
   
    If a Variable Rate  Note does not  provide for stated  interest at a  single
qualified  floating rate or a  single objective rate, or  at a single fixed rate
(other than  at a  single  fixed rate  for an  initial  period), the  amount  of
interest  and  OID  accruals  on  the  Note  are  generally  determined  by  (i)
determining a fixed rate  substitute for each variable  rate provided under  the
Variable  Rate Note (generally, the value of  each variable rate as of the issue
date or,  in the  case of  an objective  rate that  is not  a qualified  inverse
floating  rate, a rate that reflects the reasonably expected yield on the Note),
(ii) constructing the  equivalent fixed  rate debt instrument  (using the  fixed
rate  substitute  described above),  (iii) determining  the amount  of qualified
stated interest  and  OID  with  respect  to  the  equivalent  fixed  rate  debt
instrument,  and  (iv) making  the appropriate  adjustments for  actual variable
rates during the applicable accrual period.
    
 
   
    If a Variable Rate Note provides for  stated interest either at one or  more
qualified  floating  rates  or at  a  qualified  inverse floating  rate,  and in
addition provides for stated interest  at a single fixed  rate (other than at  a
single  fixed  rate for  an  initial period),  the  amount of  interest  and OID
accruals are  determined as  in  the immediately  preceding paragraph  with  the
modification  that the Variable Rate Note is  treated, for purposes of the first
three steps of  the determination, as  if it provided  for a qualified  floating
rate  (or a qualified inverse floating rate, as the case may be) rather than the
fixed rate. The  qualified floating  rate (or qualified  inverse floating  rate)
replacing the fixed rate must be such that the fair market value of the Variable
Rate
    
 
                                      S-25
<PAGE>
   
Note  as of the  issue date would be  approximately the same  as the fair market
value of an otherwise identical debt instrument that provides for the  qualified
floating rate (or qualified inverse floating rate) rather than the fixed rate.
    
 
    SHORT-TERM NOTES
 
    In general, an individual or other cash method holder of a Note that matures
one  year or  less from the  date of its  issuance (a "Short-Term  Note") is not
required to accrue original issue discount on such Note unless it has elected to
do so.  Holders who  report income  for federal  income tax  purposes under  the
accrual  method, however, and certain other holders, including banks, dealers in
securities and electing holders, are required to accrue original issue  discount
(unless  the holder elects to accrue  "acquisition discount" in lieu of original
issue discount)  on such  Note.  "Acquisition discount"  is  the excess  of  the
remaining  stated redemption price  at maturity of the  Short-Term Note over the
holder's tax basis in the Short-Term Note at the time of the acquisition. In the
case of a holder who is not required and does not elect to accrue original issue
discount on  a Short-Term  Note, any  gain  realized on  the sale,  exchange  or
retirement  of such Short-Term Note will be ordinary income to the extent of the
original  issue  discount  accrued  through  the  date  of  sale,  exchange   or
retirement.  Such a holder will be required to defer, until such Short-Term Note
is sold or otherwise  disposed of, the  deduction of a  portion of the  interest
expense  on any  indebtedness incurred  or continued  to purchase  or carry such
Short-Term Note. Original issue discount or acquisition discount on a Short-Term
Note accrues on  a straight-line basis  unless an  election is made  to use  the
constant yield method (based on daily compounding).
 
    In  the case  of a Short-Term  Note that  is also a  Single Foreign Currency
Note, the amount of original issue  discount or acquisition discount subject  to
current  accrual and the amount of any exchange gain or loss on a sale, exchange
or retirement are determined under the same rules that apply to accrued interest
on a Single Foreign  Currency Note held  by a holder on  the accrual basis.  See
"Payments of Interest on Notes that are not Discount Notes".
 
    The  market discount rules will not apply to a Short-Term Note having market
discount.
 
NON-UNITED STATES PERSONS
 
    Subject  to  the  discussion  of  backup  withholding  below,  payments   of
principal,  premium, if any, and interest (including original issue discount) by
the Capital Corporation or its agent (in its capacity as such) to any holder who
is a beneficial owner of a  Note but is not a  United States person will not  be
subject  to  United States  federal  withholding tax  provided,  in the  case of
premium, if any, and interest (including original issue discount) that (i)  such
holder does not actually or constructively own 10% of more of the total combined
voting  power of  all classes  of stock of  the Capital  Corporation entitled to
vote, (ii) such holder is not a controlled foreign corporation for United States
tax purposes that is related to the Capital Corporation through stock ownership,
and (iii) either (A) the beneficial owner  of the Note certifies to the  Capital
Corporation  or its agent, under  penalties of perjury, that  he is not a United
States person and  provides his name  and address or  (B) a securities  clearing
organization,   bank  or  other  financial  institution  that  holds  customers'
securities in  the  ordinary course  of  its  trade or  business  (a  "financial
institution") certifies to the Capital Corporation or its agent, under penalties
of  perjury,  that the  certification described  in clause  (A) hereof  has been
received from the  beneficial owner by  it or by  another financial  institution
acting  for the  beneficial owner.  Recently proposed  Treasury Regulations (the
"Proposed Regulations")  would provide  alternative methods  for satisfying  the
certification  requirement  described  in  clause (iii)(A)  and  (B)  above. The
Proposed Regulations  are  proposed to  be  effective for  payments  made  after
December  31, 1997. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Regulations will
be adopted or that if and  when adopted they will include similar  certification
provisions.
 
    If  a holder of  a Note who  is not a  United States person  is engaged in a
trade or  business  in  the United  States  and  premium, if  any,  or  interest
(including  original issue discount)  on the Note  is effectively connected with
the conduct of such trade or business, such holder, although exempt from  United
States  withholding tax as discussed in the preceding paragraph (or by reason of
the delivery  of a  properly completed  Form 4224),  will be  subject to  United
States  federal  income tax  on such  premium, if  any, and  interest (including
original issue  discount) in  the same  manner as  if it  were a  United  States
person.
 
                                      S-26
<PAGE>
    Subject  to the discussion  of "backup" withholding  below, any capital gain
realized upon the sale, exchange or retirement of a Note by a holder who is  not
a  United States person will  not be subject to  United States federal income or
withholding taxes unless (i)  such gain is effectively  connected with a  United
States  trade or business of  the holder, or (ii) in  the case of an individual,
such holder is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the  taxable
year of the retirement or disposition and certain other conditions are met.
 
    Notes  held by an individual who is neither  a citizen nor a resident of the
United States for United States federal income tax purposes at the time of  such
individual's  death will  not be  subject to  United States  federal estate tax,
provided that  the  income  from the  Notes  was  not or  would  not  have  been
effectively  connected with a United States trade or business of such individual
and that such individual qualified for the exemption from United States  federal
withholding  tax  (without regard  to  the certification  requirements)  that is
described above.
 
BACKUP WITHHOLDING AND INFORMATION REPORTING
 
    The "backup" withholding and information reporting requirements may apply to
certain payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest (including original
issue discount) on a  Note and to  certain payments of proceeds  of the sale  or
retirement  of a Note. The Capital Corporation, its agent, a broker, the Trustee
or any paying agent, as the case may  be, will be required to withhold tax  from
any  payment that  is subject  to backup withholding  at a  rate of  31% of such
payment if  the  holder fails  to  furnish his  taxpayer  identification  number
(social security number or employer identification number), to certify that such
holder  is not subject  to backup withholding,  or to otherwise  comply with the
applicable  requirements  of  the  backup  withholding  rules.  Certain  holders
(including,   among  others,  corporations)  are   not  subject  to  the  backup
withholding and reporting requirements.
 
    Under current  Treasury  Regulations,  backup  withholding  and  information
reporting  will not  apply to  payments made by  the Capital  Corporation or any
agent thereof (in its capacity as such) to  a holder of a Note who has  provided
the  required certification under penalties  of perjury that it  is not a United
States person  as  set  forth in  clause  (iii)  in the  first  paragraph  under
"Non-United  States Persons" or has otherwise established an exemption (provided
that neither the Capital  Corporation nor such agent  has actual knowledge  that
the  holder  is a  United  States person  or that  the  conditions of  any other
exemption are not in fact satisfied).
 
    Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to  a
holder  may be claimed as  a credit against such  holder's United States federal
income tax liability.
 
    THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX  DISCUSSION SET FORTH ABOVE  IS INCLUDED FOR  GENERAL
INFORMATION  ONLY AND MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE DEPENDING UPON A HOLDER'S PARTICULAR
SITUATION. HOLDERS SHOULD  CONSULT THEIR TAX  ADVISORS WITH RESPECT  TO THE  TAX
CONSEQUENCES  TO THEM OF  THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND  DISPOSITION OF THE NOTES,
INCLUDING THE TAX CONSEQUENCES  UNDER STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN  AND OTHER TAX  LAWS
AND THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF CHANGES IN FEDERAL OR OTHER TAX LAWS.
 
                                      S-27
<PAGE>
                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
 
    The  Notes  are offered  on a  continuing basis  by the  Capital Corporation
through the  Agents,  who have  agreed  to use  their  best efforts  to  solicit
purchases  of the Notes. The Capital Corporation may also sell Notes directly to
investors on its own behalf or to an Agent as principal. Unless otherwise agreed
by the Capital Corporation and the Agents, the Capital Corporation will have the
sole right  to accept  offers to  purchase  Notes and  may reject  any  proposed
purchase  of such Notes in whole or in  part. Each Agent will have the right, in
its discretion reasonably exercised,  to reject any  proposed purchase of  Notes
through  it as Agent in whole or in  part. The Capital Corporation will pay each
Agent a commission, in the form of  a discount or otherwise, ranging from  .125%
to .675% of the price to the public of any Senior Notes sold through such Agent,
depending  on the  maturity of  such Senior  Notes. The  schedule of commissions
payable in connection with  sales of Senior  Notes will also  apply to sales  of
Subordinated Notes unless otherwise agreed to by the Capital Corporation and the
Agents.
 
    In addition, the Agents may offer the Notes they have purchased as principal
to  other brokers or dealers. The Agents may  sell Notes to any broker or dealer
at a  discount  and,  unless  otherwise  specified  in  the  applicable  pricing
supplement,  such discount allowed to any broker or dealer will not be in excess
of 66  2/3% of  the discount  to  be received  by such  Agent from  the  Capital
Corporation.  Unless otherwise  indicated in the  applicable pricing supplement,
any Note sold  to an Agent  as principal will  be purchased by  such Agent at  a
price  equal to 100% of the principal  amount thereof less a percentage equal to
the commission applicable to an agency sale of a Note of identical maturity  and
rank,  and may  be resold  by such  Agent to  investors and  other purchasers at
varying prices relating  to prevailing market  prices at the  time of resale  as
determined  by  such  Agent  or,  if  so  specified  in  the  applicable pricing
supplement, for  resale at  a fixed  public offering  price. After  the  initial
public  offering of Notes  to be resold  to investors and  other purchasers, the
public offering price  (in the  case of  Notes to be  resold on  a fixed  public
offering price basis), the concession and the reallowance may be changed.
 
    Payment  of  the purchase  price of  the Notes  acquired through  the Agents
acting as agents is required  to be made in  funds immediately available in  The
City of New York.
 
    The  Agents may  be deemed  to be "underwriters"  within the  meaning of the
Securities  Act  of  1933,  as  amended  (the  "Securities  Act").  The  Capital
Corporation  has  agreed to  indemnify the  Agents against  certain liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities Act.  The Agents may engage in  other
transactions with, or perform other services for, the Capital Corporation in the
ordinary course of business.
 
    The  Notes are a new issue of  securities with no established trading market
and will not be listed on  any securities exchange. The Capital Corporation  has
been  advised that the Agents may from time  to time make a market in the Notes,
but the Agents are not obligated to do so and may discontinue such market-making
at any time without notice.  Further, each of the Agents  may from time to  time
purchase  and sell Notes in the secondary market, but is not obligated to do so.
No assurance can  be given as  to the liquidity  of any trading  market for  the
Notes.
 
    Any  secondary market  for Notes  will be  affected by  a number  of factors
independent of the creditworthiness of the Capital Corporation and the value  of
the applicable index or indices or formula or formulas, including the complexity
and  volatility of  each such  index or formula,  the method  of calculating the
principal, premium, if any, and/or interest,  if any, in respect of such  Notes,
the time remaining to the maturity of such Notes, the outstanding amount of such
Notes,  any  redemption  features  of  such  Notes,  the  amount  of  other debt
securities linked  to  such  index  or formula  and  the  level,  direction  and
volatility of market interest rates generally. Such factors also will affect the
market  value of  such Notes.  In addition,  certain Notes  may be  designed for
specific investment objectives  or strategies  and, therefore, may  have a  more
limited  secondary market and experience more price volatility than conventional
debt securities. Investors  may not be  able to  sell such Notes  readily or  at
prices  that  will  enable  investors to  realize  their  anticipated  yield. No
investor should purchase Notes unless such  investor understands and is able  to
bear  the risks that such  Notes may not be readily  saleable, that the value of
such  Notes  will  fluctuate  over  time  and  that  such  fluctuations  may  be
significant.
 
    In  connection with an offering of Notes  purchased by one or more Agents as
principal on a fixed-price basis, such  Agent(s) will be permitted to engage  in
certain    transactions   that    stabilize   the    price   of    such   Notes.
 
                                      S-28
<PAGE>
Such transactions may consist of bids  or purchases for the purpose of  pegging,
fixing or maintaining the price of such Notes. If the Agent or Agents creates or
create, as the case may be, a short position in such Notes (i.e., if it sells or
they sell Notes in an aggregate principal amount exceeding that set forth in the
applicable  Pricing Supplement), such Agent(s) may reduce that short position by
purchasing Notes in  the open  market. In general,  purchases of  Notes for  the
purpose  of stabilization or to reduce a short position could cause the price of
Notes to be higher than it might be in the absence of such purchases.
 
    Neither  the  Capital  Corporation   nor  any  of   the  Agents  makes   any
representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that
the  transactions  described  above may  have  on  the price  of  the  Notes. In
addition, neither  the Capital  Corporation  nor any  of  the Agents  makes  any
representation that the Agents will engage in any such transactions or that such
transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.
 
    In  addition to  the offerings  of Notes  described herein,  Debt Securities
having terms substantially similar to the terms of the Notes offered hereby (but
constituting a separate series of Debt Securities for purposes of the applicable
Indenture) may be offered outside the  United States by the Capital  Corporation
on  a continuing basis, concurrently with the  offering of the Notes hereby. The
Capital Corporation may also  sell Notes, other Debt  Securities or Warrants  to
Purchase  Debt  Securities  pursuant  to another  prospectus  supplement  to the
accompanying prospectus.  Any such  sales will  reduce the  principal amount  of
Notes  that may  be offered by  this prospectus supplement  and the accompanying
prospectus.
 
                                      S-29
<PAGE>
   
PROSPECTUS
    
 
                         JOHN DEERE CAPITAL CORPORATION
 
                                DEBT SECURITIES
                      WARRANTS TO PURCHASE DEBT SECURITIES
 
    John  Deere Capital Corporation  (the "Capital Corporation")  may offer from
time to time under  this prospectus, together or  separately, (i) its  unsecured
debt  securities (the "Debt Securities") which may be either senior (the "Senior
Securities") or subordinated (the  "Subordinated Securities") and (ii)  warrants
to purchase Debt Securities (the "Debt Warrants"), all on terms to be determined
at the time of the offering.
 
   
    The  Debt Securities or Debt Warrants, or a combination thereof, proposed to
be sold pursuant to this  prospectus and the accompanying prospectus  supplement
are  referred  to  as  the "Offered  Securities",  and  the  Offered Securities,
together with any Debt Securities issuable  upon exercise of Debt Warrants,  are
referred  to as the "Securities". Securities  with an aggregate initial offering
price of  up  to  $2,263,850,000  (or  the equivalent  thereof  if  any  of  the
Securities  are denominated in  a currency, currency  unit or composite currency
("Currency") other than the  U.S. dollar) may be  issued under this  prospectus.
The  specific terms of each series or issue of Securities will be set forth in a
prospectus supplement and, if applicable, a pricing supplement.
    
 
   
    The  Capital  Corporation  may  sell   Offered  Securities  to  or   through
underwriters,  dealers or agents, and also  may sell Offered Securities directly
to other purchasers. See  "Plan of Distribution". No  Offered Securities may  be
sold  without  delivery  of  a  prospectus  supplement  describing  such Offered
Securities and the method and terms of offering thereof.
    
 
THESE SECURITIES  HAVE  NOT  BEEN  APPROVED OR  DISAPPROVED  BY  THE  SECURITIES
    AND   EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR  ANY   STATE  SECURITIES  COMMISSION  NOR
       HAS THE  SECURITIES  AND  EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR  ANY  STATE
           SECURITIES  COMMISSION  PASSED  UPON  THE  ACCURACY OR
               ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION
                      TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
   
                 The date of this prospectus is June 18, 1997.
    
<PAGE>
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
   
    John Deere Capital Corporation must comply with the Securities Exchange  Act
of  1934.  Accordingly,  the  Capital Corporation  files  annual,  quarterly and
current  reports  and  other  information  with  the  Securities  and   Exchange
Commission  (the  "Commission").  Such  reports  and  other  information  may be
inspected and  copied  at the  public  reference facilities  maintained  by  the
Commission  at 450  Fifth Street, N.W.,  Washington, D.C. 20549;  500 W. Madison
Street, Chicago, Illinois  60606; and Seven  World Trade Center,  New York,  New
York  10048;  and  copies of  such  material  may be  obtained  from  the Public
Reference Section of the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington,  D.C.
20549  at prescribed rates. Reports and other information concerning the Capital
Corporation may also be inspected at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange,
20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005. In addition, the Commission maintains
a Web  site  at http://www.sec.gov  containing  reports, proxy  and  information
statements  and other  information regarding registrants,  including the Capital
Corporation, that file electronically with the Commission.
    
 
    UPON RECEIPT OF  A REQUEST  BY AN INVESTOR  WHO HAS  RECEIVED AN  ELECTRONIC
PROSPECTUS  SUPPLEMENT  AND  PROSPECTUS  FROM  THE  CAPITAL  CORPORATION  OR ANY
UNDERWRITER, DEALER  OR AGENT  OR A  REQUEST BY  SUCH INVESTOR'S  REPRESENTATIVE
WITHIN  THE PERIOD DURING WHICH  THERE IS AN OBLIGATION  TO DELIVER A PROSPECTUS
SUPPLEMENT AND PROSPECTUS, THE CAPITAL CORPORATION OR ANY UNDERWRITER, DEALER OR
AGENT WILL PROMPTLY DELIVER, OR CAUSE  TO BE DELIVERED, WITHOUT CHARGE, TO  SUCH
INVESTOR  A  PAPER  COPY OF  THE  PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT  (INCLUDING  ANY PRICING
SUPPLEMENT) AND PROSPECTUS.
 
                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
   
    The following documents filed by the Capital Corporation with the Commission
are incorporated in this prospectus by reference: (i) annual report on Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended October 31, 1996, (ii) quarterly reports on Form  10-Q
for  the quarter ended January  31, 1997, and April  30, 1997, and (iii) current
reports on Form 8-K dated November 26, 1996, February 11, 1997 and May 13, 1997.
    
 
   
    All documents  subsequently filed  by the  Capital Corporation  pursuant  to
section  13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of  the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 prior
to the termination of any offering of the Offered Securities shall be deemed  to
be  incorporated  by reference  in  this prospectus  and to  be  a part  of this
prospectus from  the  date  of  the filing  of  such  documents.  Any  statement
contained  herein or in a document incorporated  or deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein shall be  deemed to be modified  or superseded for purposes  of
this  prospectus to  the extent  that a  statement contained  herein (or  in the
accompanying prospectus supplement) or in any other subsequently filed  document
which  also is or is  deemed to be incorporated  by reference herein modifies or
replaces such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall  not
be  deemed, except as  so modified or  superseded, to constitute  a part of this
prospectus.
    
 
    The Capital Corporation will provide without  charge to each person to  whom
this  prospectus is delivered, on the written  or oral request of such person, a
copy of any or all of the documents  referred to above that have been or may  be
incorporated  by  reference  in this  prospectus,  other than  exhibits  to such
documents. Such written or oral request should be directed to John Deere Capital
Corporation, 1  East First  Street, Suite  600, Reno,  Nevada 89501,  Attention:
Manager (702/786-5527).
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
                                  THE COMPANY
 
   
    The  principal  business of  the  Capital Corporation  and  its subsidiaries
(collectively called the "Company") is providing and administering financing for
retail purchases of  new and used  equipment manufactured by  Deere &  Company's
agricultural,  construction and commercial and consumer equipment divisions. The
Company purchases retail  installment sales  and loan  contracts (retail  notes)
from  Deere  & Company  and its  wholly-owned subsidiaries  (collectively called
"John Deere"). These retail notes are acquired by John Deere through independent
John Deere  retail dealers.  The  Company also  purchases and  finances  certain
agricultural,  construction and lawn and grounds  care retail notes unrelated to
John Deere. In addition, the Company purchases and finances recreational product
retail notes  acquired  from independent  dealers  and marine  product  mortgage
service  companies.  The  Company  also leases  equipment  to  retail customers,
finances and  services  revolving  charge accounts  acquired  from  and  offered
through  merchants in the  agricultural, lawn and  grounds care and recreational
product retail  markets, and  provides wholesale  financing for  inventories  of
recreational  vehicles, manufactured housing units,  yachts, John Deere engines,
John Deere construction equipment and the Sabre by John Deere line of  equipment
owned by dealers of those products.
    
 
   
    The Company's operations are categorized into four primary divisions:
    
 
   
        The   AGRICULTURAL  DIVISION  provides  agricultural  markets  financing
    through products such  as agricultural equipment  installment contracts  and
    leases,  Farm  Plan-TM- (a  revolving charge  product) and  farmer operating
    loans.
    
 
   
        The COMMERCIAL DIVISION provides  industrial and construction  equipment
    financing  through  products  such  as  installment  loans  and construction
    equipment leases. In addition, the division provides wholesale financing  of
    recreational  vehicles,  manufactured  housing  units  and  other commercial
    equipment.
    
 
   
        The  CONSUMER  DIVISION  provides  consumer  and  recreational   product
    equipment  financing through products such  as installment loans, John Deere
    Credit Revolving Plan (a  revolving charge product), Preferred  Resource-TM-
    (an  unsecured  lending  product),  and  leases  of  lawn  and  grounds care
    equipment. In addition, the  Consumer Division provides wholesale  financing
    for yachts.
    
 
   
        The  INTERNATIONAL DIVISION provides financing products to the Company's
    developing  international   markets  through   its  subsidiaries   such   as
    Arrendadora  John Deere, S.A. de C.V.,  which offers leasing products on new
    John Deere agricultural and industrial  equipment purchased from John  Deere
    dealer  organizations located in  Mexico. In addition,  in October 1996, the
    Company formed a  joint venture  company, John Deere  Credit Limited,  which
    will  enable  the Company  to  participate in  offering  equipment financing
    products within the United Kingdom.
    
 
    A substantial part of the retail sales and leases of John Deere products  is
financed by financial institutions outside of the John Deere organization.
 
    John  Deere  Credit Company,  a wholly-owned  finance holding  subsidiary of
Deere & Company, is the parent of the Capital Corporation.
 
    John Deere's operations are categorized into six business segments:
 
   
        John Deere's worldwide AGRICULTURAL  EQUIPMENT segment manufactures  and
    distributes a full line of farm equipment--including tractors; tillage, soil
    preparation,  seeding  and harvesting  machinery;  sprayers; hay  and forage
    equipment and integrated precision farming technology.
    
 
   
        John Deere's  worldwide  CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT  segment,  formerly  the
    industrial  equipment segment, manufactures and distributes a broad range of
    machines used in construction,  earthmoving and forestry--including  backhoe
    loaders;  crawler dozers and  loaders; four-wheel-drive loaders; excavators;
    scrapers; motor graders; log skidders; and forestry harvesters. This segment
    also includes the  manufacture and  distribution of  engines and  drivetrain
    components for the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) market.
    
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
   
        John  Deere's  worldwide  COMMERCIAL  AND  CONSUMER  EQUIPMENT  segment,
    formerly the  lawn  and grounds  care  equipment segment,  manufactures  and
    distributes  equipment for commercial  and residential uses--including small
    tractors for  lawn,  garden, commercial  and  utility purposes;  riding  and
    walk-behind  mowers; golf course  equipment; snowblowers; hand-held products
    such as chain saws,  string trimmers and  leaf blowers; skid-steer  loaders;
    utility transport vehicles; and other outdoor power products.
    
 
        The  products produced by the  equipment segments are marketed primarily
    through independent retail dealer networks and other retail outlets.
 
   
        The CREDIT segment includes  the operations of  the Company, John  Deere
    Credit  Company, and John  Deere Credit Inc.,  which primarily purchases and
    finances retail notes from John Deere's equipment sales branches in  Canada,
    as  well as  recreational vehicle  and marine  product and  construction and
    transportation equipment notes from independent dealers.
    
 
   
        The INSURANCE segment  issues policies  in the  United States  primarily
    for:  general  and specialized  lines  of commercial  property  and casualty
    insurance;  group   accident  and   health   insurance  for   employees   of
    participating  John Deere dealers; and disability insurance for employees of
    John Deere.
    
 
   
        The HEALTH CARE segment provides health management programs and  related
    administrative  services in the United States to commercial clients and John
    Deere.
    
 
    The Capital  Corporation's executive  offices are  located at  1 East  First
Street, Suite 600, Reno, Nevada 89501. Its telephone number is 702/786-5527.
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
    Except  as may  be described otherwise  in a prospectus  supplement, the net
proceeds from the sale of the Securities  will be added to the general funds  of
the  Company and will  be used for  working capital and  other general corporate
purposes, and  will  be available  for,  among  other things,  the  purchase  of
receivables.  Such  proceeds  may  be  applied  initially  to  the  reduction of
short-term indebtedness.
 
   
                             PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENTS
    
 
   
    Information about the  Securities will  be disclosed in  this prospectus,  a
prospectus  supplement and  pricing supplements.  The supplements  may also add,
delete or change information contained in this prospectus. The term  "prospectus
supplement"  as  used  herein  includes  pricing  supplements  relating  to  the
particular Securities. Since the  specific terms of the  Securities are made  at
the  time of pricing, investors should rely on the information in the prospectus
supplement over different information in this prospectus.
    
 
   
                         DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
    
 
   
    The Capital Corporation may issue (either separately or together with  other
Offered Securities) its Debt Securities from time to time. The Senior Securities
will  be issued under  an Indenture dated  as of June  15, 1995, as supplemented
from time to time (the "Senior Indenture"), between the Capital Corporation  and
The  Chase  Manhattan Bank  (successor  by merger  to  The Chase  Manhattan Bank
(National Association)), Trustee  (the "Senior Trustee"),  and the  Subordinated
Securities  will be  issued under  an Indenture  dated as  of June  15, 1995, as
supplemented from  time  to time  (the  "Subordinated Indenture"),  between  the
Capital  Corporation  and  The  First National  Bank  of  Chicago,  Trustee (the
"Subordinated Trustee"). The term "Trustee" as used herein refers to either  the
Senior Trustee or the Subordinated Trustee, as appropriate. The Senior Indenture
and  the Subordinated Indenture (being sometimes referred to herein collectively
as the "Indentures" and individually as an "Indenture") are filed as exhibits to
the registration statement. The  Indentures are subject to  and governed by  the
Trust  Indenture Act of 1939,  as amended (the "TIA").  The following summary of
certain provisions of  the Indentures  does not purport  to be  complete and  is
subject  to,  and qualified  in its  entirety by  reference to,  the Indentures,
including the  definitions of  certain terms  therein. Parenthetical  references
below are to the Indentures or to the TIA, as applicable.
    
 
PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO BOTH THE SENIOR AND SUBORDINATED INDENTURES
 
    GENERAL
 
   
    The   Debt  Securities  will   be  unsecured  obligations   of  the  Capital
Corporation. The Senior Securities  will rank equally  with all other  unsecured
and  unsubordinated indebtedness  of the  Capital Corporation.  The Subordinated
Securities will be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full
of the Senior  Indebtedness of the  Capital Corporation as  described under  "--
Subordinated Indenture Provisions -- Subordination".
    
 
   
    Each  Indenture  provides  that  any Debt  Securities  proposed  to  be sold
pursuant to this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement ("Offered
Debt Securities") and  any Debt Securities  issuable upon the  exercise of  Debt
Warrants  ("Underlying  Debt  Securities"),  as  well  as  other  unsecured debt
securities of the Capital Corporation, may be issued under such Indenture in one
or more series,  in each case  as authorized from  time to time  by the  Capital
Corporation.  The  particular  terms  of the  Offered  Debt  Securities  and any
Underlying Debt Securities and any modifications of or additions to the  general
terms  of the Debt Securities as described  herein that may be applicable in the
case of the Offered Debt Securities or Underlying Debt Securities are  described
in the prospectus supplement. Accordingly, for a description of the terms of any
Offered  Debt Securities and Underlying Debt  Securities, reference must be made
to both the prospectus supplement relating  thereto and the description of  Debt
Securities set forth in this prospectus.
    
 
   
    With  respect  to  the  Offered  Debt  Securities  and  any  Underlying Debt
Securities, reference is  made to  the prospectus supplement  for the  following
terms:
    
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
        (1)  The title of such Debt  Securities and whether such Debt Securities
    will be Senior Securities or Subordinated Securities.
 
        (2) The aggregate principal amount of such Debt Securities and any limit
    on the aggregate principal amount of Debt Securities of such series.
 
        (3) If  other than  the principal  amount thereof,  the portion  of  the
    principal  amount thereof  payable upon  declaration of  acceleration of the
    maturity thereof or the method by which such portion will be determined.
 
        (4) The date or dates, or the method by which such date or dates will be
    determined or extended, on which the principal of such Debt Securities  will
    be payable.
 
        (5)  The rate or rates at which such Debt Securities will bear interest,
    if any, or the method  by which such rate or  rates will be determined,  the
    date  or dates from which  such interest will accrue  or the method by which
    such date or  dates will  be determined,  the date  or dates  on which  such
    interest,  if any, will be payable and  the Regular Record Date or Dates, if
    any, for the  interest payable on  any Registered Security  on any  Interest
    Payment  Date, or the method by which  any such date will be determined, and
    the basis upon which  interest will be  calculated if other  than that of  a
    360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
 
   
        (6)  The date or dates  on which or the  period or periods within which,
    the price or prices at which, the  Currency or Currencies in which, and  the
    other terms and conditions upon which, such Debt Securities may be redeemed,
    in  whole or in part,  at the option of  the Capital Corporation and whether
    the Capital Corporation is to have that option.
    
 
   
        (7) The obligation, if any, of the Capital Corporation to redeem,  repay
    or  purchase such  Debt Securities,  in whole  or in  part, pursuant  to any
    sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of a holder thereof and
    the period or periods within which or the date or dates on which, the  price
    or prices at which, the Currency or Currencies in which, and the other terms
    and  conditions upon which, such Debt Securities will be so redeemed, repaid
    or purchased.
    
 
        (8) Whether  such  Debt Securities  are  to be  issuable  as  Registered
    Securities,  Bearer Securities or  both, any restrictions  applicable to the
    offer, sale or  delivery of Bearer  Securities and the  terms, if any,  upon
    which  Bearer  Securities  of the  series  may be  exchanged  for Registered
    Securities of the series and VICE VERSA (if permitted by applicable laws and
    regulations), whether such  Debt Securities  will be  issuable initially  in
    temporary  global form, whether any such Debt Securities will be issuable in
    permanent global form with or without coupons and, if so, whether beneficial
    owners of interests in any such permanent global security may exchange  such
    interests for Debt Securities of such series in certificate form and of like
    tenor  of any authorized  form and denomination  and the circumstances under
    which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner provided  in
    the  applicable Indenture, and, if Registered  Securities are to be issuable
    as a  global  security,  the  identity  of  the  depository  for  such  Debt
    Securities.
 
        (9)  If other  than U.S.  dollars, the  Currency or  Currencies in which
    payments of the principal of  (or premium, if any)  or interest, if any,  on
    such  Debt Securities will be made or  in which such Debt Securities will be
    denominated.
 
       (10) Whether the amount of payments of principal of (or premium, if  any)
    or  interest,  if  any,  on  such Debt  Securities  may  be  determined with
    reference to an  index, formula  or other  method (which  index, formula  or
    method  may be based on one  or more Currencies, commodities, equity indices
    or other indices) and the manner in which such amounts will be determined.
 
   
       (11) Whether the Capital Corporation or a holder may elect payment of the
    principal of  (or  premium,  if any)  or  interest,  if any,  on  such  Debt
    Securities  in one or  more Currencies, other  than that in  which such Debt
    Securities are denominated or stated to  be payable, date or dates on  which
    or  the period or  periods within which,  and the terms  and conditions upon
    which, such election may be made,
    
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
    and the  time  and manner  of  determining  the exchange  rate  between  the
    Currency  or Currencies  in which  such Debt  Securities are  denominated or
    stated to  be payable  and the  Currency or  Currencies in  which such  Debt
    Securities are to be so paid.
 
   
       (12)  The place or places, if any, other  than or in addition to The City
    of New York, where the principal of  (and premium, if any) and interest,  if
    any,  on  such  Debt  Securities  will  be  payable,  where  any  Registered
    Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer, where such  Debt
    Securities  may  be surrendered  for exchange,  where  Debt Securities  of a
    series  that  are  convertible  or  exchangeable  may  be  surrendered   for
    conversion  or exchange and where notices or  demands to or upon the Capital
    Corporation in respect of such Debt Securities and the applicable  Indenture
    may be served.
    
 
       (13) The denomination or denominations in which such Debt Securities will
    be  issuable, if other than  $1,000 or any integral  multiple thereof in the
    case of Registered Securities and $5,000 in the case of Bearer Securities.
 
       (14) If other than the applicable Trustee, the identity of each  Security
    Registrar and/or Paying Agent.
 
       (15)  The date as  of which any  Bearer Securities of  the series and any
    temporary Debt  Security  issued  in global  form  representing  Outstanding
    Securities  of the series will  be dated if other  than the date of original
    issuance of the first Debt Security of the series to be issued.
 
       (16) The  applicability,  if at  all,  to  such Debt  Securities  of  the
    provisions  of Article Fourteen of  the applicable Indenture described under
    "Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance" and any provisions in modification  of,
    in addition to or in lieu of any of the provisions of such Article.
 
       (17)  The Person to whom  any interest on any  Registered Security of the
    series will  be  payable,  if other  than  the  Person in  whose  name  such
    Registered Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at
    the  close of  business on  the Regular Record  Date for  such interest, the
    manner in which, or the Person to whom, any interest on any Bearer  Security
    of  the series  shall be  payable, if  otherwise than  upon presentation and
    surrender of the coupons appertaining thereto as they severally mature,  and
    the  extent to  which, or  the manner  in which,  any interest  payable on a
    temporary Debt Security issued in global form will be paid if other than  in
    the manner provided in the applicable Indenture.
 
       (18)  If  such Debt  Securities  are to  be  issuable in  definitive form
    (whether upon original issue or upon  exchange of a temporary Debt  Security
    of such series) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents
    or  satisfaction  of  other  conditions,  the  form  and/or  terms  of  such
    certificates, documents or conditions.
 
   
       (19) Whether and  under what circumstances  the Capital Corporation  will
    pay  Additional Amounts, as  contemplated by Section  1004 of the applicable
    Indenture, on such Debt Securities to any holder who is not a United  States
    person  (including  any  modification  to the  definition  of  such  term as
    contained in the applicable Indenture as originally executed) in respect  of
    any  tax, assessment or governmental charge  and, if so, whether the Capital
    Corporation will have the option to redeem such Debt Securities rather  than
    pay such Additional Amounts (and the terms of any such option).
    
 
       (20)  The provisions, if  any, granting special rights  to the holders of
    such Debt Securities upon the occurrence of such events as may be specified.
 
       (21) Any deletions from, modifications of  or additions to the Events  of
    Default  or covenants of  the Capital Corporation with  respect to such Debt
    Securities (which Events  of Default  or covenants are  consistent with  the
    Events  of Default or covenants  set forth in the  general provisions of the
    applicable Indenture).
 
       (22) The designation of the initial Exchange Rate Agent, if any.
 
   
       (23)  Whether  such   Debt  Securities  will   be  convertible  into   or
    exchangeable  for any other securities and,  if so, the terms and conditions
    upon which such Debt Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable.
    
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
   
       (24) Any other terms of such Debt Securities.
    
 
    If applicable, the  prospectus supplement  will also  set forth  information
concerning  any other  Securities offered  thereby and  a discussion  of federal
income tax considerations relevant to the Securities being offered.
 
    For purposes of this prospectus, any  reference to the payment of  principal
of  (or premium, if  any) or interest, if  any, on such  Debt Securities will be
deemed to include mention of the  payment of any Additional Amounts required  by
the terms of such Debt Securities.
 
    Debt  Securities  may  provide for  less  than the  entire  principal amount
thereof to be payable upon declaration  of acceleration of the maturity  thereof
("Original   Issue  Discount   Securities").  Federal   income  tax   and  other
considerations pertaining to any such Original Issue Discount Securities will be
discussed in the applicable prospectus supplement.
 
   
    Each Indenture provides that  the Debt Securities which  are the subject  of
this  prospectus  and  additional  unsecured  debt  securities  of  the  Capital
Corporation, unlimited as to aggregate principal amount, may be issued in one or
more series thereunder,  in each  case as  authorized from  time to  time by  or
pursuant  to  authority  granted  by  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the Capital
Corporation. (Section  301 of  each  Indenture) Securities  so issued  under  an
Indenture  are herein collectively referred to,  when a single Trustee is acting
for  all  debt  securities  issued  under  such  Indenture,  as  the  "Indenture
Securities".  Each  Indenture also  provides  that there  may  be more  than one
Trustee thereunder,  each  with respect  to  one  or more  different  series  of
Indenture  Securities. See also "Resignation of  Trustee" herein. At a time when
two or more  Trustees are acting  under either Indenture,  each with respect  to
only  certain series, the term "Indenture Securities", as used herein, will mean
the one or more series with respect to which each respective Trustee is  acting.
In  the event that  there is more  than one Trustee  under either Indenture, the
powers and trust  obligations of each  Trustee as described  herein will  extend
only  to the one or more series of Indenture Securities for which it is Trustee.
If two or more  Trustees are acting under  either Indenture, then the  Indenture
Securities  for which each  Trustee is acting  would in effect  be treated as if
issued under separate indentures.
    
 
   
    The general provisions of the Indentures do not contain any provisions  that
would limit the ability of the Capital Corporation to incur indebtedness or that
would  afford holders  of Debt  Securities protection in  the event  of a highly
leveraged or similar  transaction involving  the Company.  However, the  general
provisions of each Indenture do provide that neither the Capital Corporation nor
any  Subsidiary will pledge or subject to any lien any of its property or assets
unless the Indenture Securities issued under such Indenture are secured by  such
pledge  or lien equally and ratably with other indebtedness thereby secured. See
"-- Senior Indenture Provisions  -- Limitation on Liens".  Reference is made  to
the  prospectus supplement for  information with respect  to any deletions from,
modifications of  or additions  to the  Events of  Default or  covenants of  the
Capital  Corporation  that  are described  below,  including any  addition  of a
covenant or other provision providing event risk or similar protection.
    
 
   
    The Capital Corporation has the  ability to issue Indenture Securities  with
terms  different  from  those  of Indenture  Securities  previously  issued and,
without the consent  of the holders  thereof, to  reopen a previous  issue of  a
series of Indenture Securities and issue additional Indenture Securities of such
series (unless such reopening was restricted when such series was created).
    
 
   
CONVERSION AND EXCHANGE
    
 
   
    If  any  Debt  Securities  will,  by their  terms,  be  convertible  into or
exchangeable for other  Securities, the prospectus  supplement relating  thereto
will  set  forth  the  terms  and conditions  of  such  conversion  or exchange,
including the conversion price or exchange  ratio (or the method of  calculating
the  same), the conversion or exchange period  (or the method of determining the
same), whether conversion or exchange will be mandatory or at the option of  the
holder  or the Capital Corporation, provisions  for adjustment of the conversion
price or the exchange ratio and  provisions affecting conversion or exchange  in
the event of the redemption of such Debt Securities. Such terms may also include
provisions under which the number or
    
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
   
amount of other Securities to be received by the holders of such Debt Securities
upon  such conversion  or exchange would  be calculated according  to the market
price of such other Securities as of a time stated in the prospectus supplement.
    
 
DENOMINATIONS, REGISTRATION AND TRANSFER
 
   
    Debt Securities of a series may be issuable solely as Registered Securities,
solely as  Bearer  Securities  or  as  both  Registered  Securities  and  Bearer
Securities.  The Indentures also provide that Debt Securities of a series may be
issuable in global form. See  "-- Book-Entry Debt Securities". Unless  otherwise
provided  in  the prospectus  supplement,  Debt Securities  denominated  in U.S.
dollars (other than  Global Securities, which  may be of  any denomination)  are
issuable  in denominations of $1,000 or any integral multiples of $1,000 (in the
case of Registered Securities) and in the denomination of $5,000 (in the case of
Bearer Securities).  Unless otherwise  indicated in  the prospectus  supplement,
Bearer  Securities will  have interest  coupons attached.  (Section 201  of each
Indenture)
    
 
    Registered Securities will be  exchangeable for other Registered  Securities
of  the same  series. If  (but only if)  provided in  the prospectus supplement,
Bearer Securities (with all unmatured coupons, except as provided below, and all
matured coupons which are in default)  of any series may be similarly  exchanged
for Registered Securities of the same series of any authorized denominations and
of  a  like  aggregate  principal  amount  and  tenor.  If  so  provided, Bearer
Securities surrendered in exchange for  Registered Securities between a  Regular
Record  Date  or a  Special Record  Date and  the relevant  date for  payment of
interest will  be surrendered  without  the coupon  relating  to such  date  for
payment  of  interest,  and interest  will  not  be payable  in  respect  of the
Registered Security issued  in exchange for  such Bearer Security,  but will  be
payable  only to the holder of such coupon when due in accordance with the terms
of the  applicable  Indenture.  Unless otherwise  specified  in  the  prospectus
supplement,  Bearer Securities  will not  be issued  in exchange  for Registered
Securities. (Section 305 of each Indenture)
 
    Registered Securities  of a  series  may be  presented for  registration  of
transfer  and Debt Securities of  a series may be  presented for exchange (i) at
each office or agency required to  be maintained by the Capital Corporation  for
payment  of such series as described in "Payment and Paying Agents", and (ii) at
each other office or agency that the Capital Corporation may designate from time
to time for such purposes.  No service charge will be  made for any transfer  or
exchange  of Debt Securities, but the Capital Corporation may require payment of
any tax or other governmental  charge payable in connection therewith.  (Section
305 of each Indenture)
 
   
    The  Capital Corporation  will not  be required  to (i)  issue, register the
transfer of or exchange Debt Securities during a period beginning at the opening
of business 15 days before any selection of Debt Securities of that series to be
redeemed and ending at the  close of business on (A)  if Debt Securities of  the
series  are issuable only  as Registered Securities,  the day of  mailing of the
relevant notice  of redemption  and (B)  if Debt  Securities of  the series  are
issuable  as Bearer Securities, the day of the first publication of the relevant
notice of redemption, or, if Debt Securities of the series are also issuable  as
Registered  Securities and there  is no publication,  the day of  mailing of the
relevant notice of  redemption; (ii) register  the transfer of  or exchange  any
Registered  Security,  or portion  thereof,  called for  redemption,  except the
unredeemed portion  of any  Registered Security  being redeemed  in part;  (iii)
exchange  any Bearer  Security called  for redemption,  except to  exchange such
Bearer Security for a Registered Security of that series and like tenor that  is
simultaneously  surrendered for redemption; or (iv) issue, register the transfer
of or exchange any Debt Security which has been surrendered for repayment at the
option of the holder, except the portion,  if any, of such Debt Security not  to
be so repaid. (Section 305 of each Indenture)
    
 
PAYMENT AND PAYING AGENTS
 
    Unless  otherwise provided in the prospectus supplement, principal, premium,
if any, and  interest, if  any, and Additional  Amounts, if  any, on  Registered
Securities  will be  payable at  any office  or agency  to be  maintained by the
Capital Corporation, in the case of the Senior Securities, in New York, New York
and, in the case  of the Subordinated Securities,  in Chicago, Illinois and  New
York,  New York, except that  at the option of  the Capital Corporation interest
(including Additional Amounts, if any)  may be paid (i)  by check mailed to  the
address  of the  Person entitled  thereto as  such address  shall appear  in the
Security Register or
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
(ii) by wire transfer to an account maintained by the Person entitled thereto as
specified in  the  Security Register.  (Sections  301,  1001 and  1002  of  each
Indenture)  Unless otherwise provided  in the prospectus  supplement, payment of
any installment of interest on Registered Securities will be made to the  Person
in whose name such Registered Security is registered at the close of business on
the Regular Record Date for such interest. (Section 307 of each Indenture)
 
    If  Debt Securities of a series are  issuable solely as Bearer Securities or
as both Registered Securities and  Bearer Securities, unless otherwise  provided
in  the  prospectus  supplement, the  Capital  Corporation will  be  required to
maintain an office or agency (i) outside the United States at which, subject  to
any  applicable laws and regulations, the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest, if any, on  such series will be  payable and (ii) in  The City of  New
York  for payments with respect to any Registered Securities of such series (and
for payments with  respect to Bearer  Securities of such  series in the  limited
circumstances described below, but not otherwise); provided that, if required in
connection  with any  listing of  such Debt  Securities on  the Luxembourg Stock
Exchange or any  other stock  exchange located  outside the  United States,  the
Capital  Corporation will maintain an office  or agency for such Debt Securities
in any city located outside the  United States required by such stock  exchange.
(Section  1002  of each  Indenture) The  initial locations  of such  offices and
agencies will  be  specified  in the  prospectus  supplement.  Unless  otherwise
provided  in the prospectus  supplement, principal of (and  premium, if any) and
interest, if  any, on  Bearer Securities  may be  paid by  wire transfer  to  an
account  maintained by the  Person entitled thereto with  a bank located outside
the United States. (Sections  307 and 1002 of  each Indenture) Unless  otherwise
provided  in the prospectus  supplement, payment of  installments of interest on
any Bearer Securities on or before Maturity will be made only against  surrender
of  coupons for  such interest installments  as they  severally mature. (Section
1001 of each Indenture) Unless otherwise provided in the prospectus  supplement,
no  payment with respect  to any Bearer Security  will be made  at any office or
agency of the Capital Corporation in the United States or by check mailed to any
address in the United States or by transfer to an account maintained with a bank
located in  the  United  States.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  payments  of
principal  of (and premium, if  any) and interest, if  any, on Bearer Securities
payable in U.S. dollars will be made at the office of the Capital  Corporation's
Paying Agent in The City of New York if (but only if) payment of the full amount
thereof  in U.S. dollars at all offices or agencies outside the United States is
illegal  or  effectively  precluded  by  exchange  controls  or  other   similar
restrictions. (Section 1002 of each Indenture)
 
    The  Capital Corporation may from time  to time designate additional offices
or agencies, approve  a change  in the  location of  any office  or agency  and,
except as provided above, rescind the designation of any office or agency.
 
   
    All  payments of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on
any Debt Security that is payable in a Currency other than U.S. dollars will  be
made  in U.S. dollars in the event that  such Currency ceases to be used by both
the government of the country that issued the currency and by a central bank  or
other  public institution of  or within the  international banking community for
the settlement of transactions, or is any currency unit (or composite currency),
and it ceases to be used for the purposes for which it was established (each  of
the  events  described  in clauses  (i)  through (iii),  a  "Conversion Event").
(Section 312 of  each Indenture) Any  payment made under  such circumstances  in
U.S. dollars will not constitute a default under the relevant Indenture.
    
 
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
 
   
    The  following will constitute  Events of Default  under each Indenture: (i)
failure to pay any interest upon or any Additional Amounts payable in respect of
any Debt Security of  that series, or of  any coupon appertaining thereto,  when
the  same becomes due  and payable, continued  for 30 days;  (ii) default in the
payment of the principal of (or premium,  if any, on) any Debt Security of  that
series  when the same becomes due and  payable, whether at its maturity, earlier
redemption or  repayment or  otherwise;  (iii) default  in  the deposit  of  any
sinking  fund payment when due by the terms of any Debt Security of that series;
(iv) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement of  the
Capital  Corporation  in  the  applicable Indenture  with  respect  to  any Debt
Security of  that series,  continued for  60 days  after written  notice to  the
Capital   Corporation;  (v)   certain  events   in  bankruptcy,   insolvency  or
reorganization affecting the Capital  Corporation; and (vi)  any other Event  of
Default   provided   with   respect   to  Debt   Securities   of   that  series.
    
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
(Section 501 of each Indenture) The Capital Corporation is required to file with
the applicable Trustee,  annually, an  officer's certificate as  to the  Capital
Corporation's  compliance with all conditions and covenants under the applicable
Indenture. (Section 1005  of each  Indenture) Each Indenture  provides that  the
applicable  Trustee may withhold notice  to the holders of  Debt Securities of a
series of any default (except payment  defaults on such Debt Securities of  that
series)  if it considers it in the interest of the holders of Debt Securities of
such series to do so. (Section 601 of each Indenture)
 
    If an Event  of Default  with respect  to Debt  Securities of  a series  has
occurred  and is continuing, the  applicable Trustee or the  holders of not less
than 25% in principal amount of  Outstanding Debt Securities of that series  may
declare  the principal  amount (or,  if the Debt  Securities of  that series are
Original Issue Discount Securities  or Indexed Securities,  such portion of  the
principal  amount as may be  specified in the terms thereof)  of all of the Debt
Securities of that  series due  and payable  immediately. (Section  502 of  each
Indenture)
 
   
    Subject to the provisions of the applicable Indenture relating to the duties
of  the Trustee  thereunder, in case  an Event  of Default with  respect to Debt
Securities of a series has occurred and is continuing, such Trustee is under  no
obligation  to exercise any of its rights  or powers under such Indenture at the
request, order or direction  of the holders of  Debt Securities of that  series,
unless  such holders have offered such  Trustee reasonable indemnity against the
expenses and liabilities which might be  incurred by it in compliance with  such
request.  (Section 507 of  each Indenture and  TIA Section 315)  Subject to such
provisions for the indemnification of the  applicable Trustee, the holders of  a
majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of a series will
have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding
for  any remedy  available to  such Trustee,  or exercising  any trust  or power
conferred on such Trustee  with respect to the  Debt Securities of that  series.
(Section 512 of each Indenture)
    
 
   
    The  holders  of a  majority  in principal  amount  of the  Outstanding Debt
Securities of a series may, on behalf  of the holders of all Debt Securities  of
such series and any related coupons, waive any past default under the applicable
Indenture with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default (i)
in  the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on
or Additional Amounts payable in respect of any Debt Security of such series  or
any  related coupons, or (ii) in respect  of a covenant or provision that cannot
be modified or  amended without the  consent of the  holder of each  Outstanding
Debt Security of such series affected thereby. (Section 513 of each Indenture)
    
 
MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION
 
   
    Each  Indenture provides  that the  Capital Corporation  may not consolidate
with or merge  with or  into any  other corporation  or convey  or transfer  its
properties  and assets  as an  entirety or substantially  as an  entirety to any
Person, unless either the Capital  Corporation is the continuing corporation  or
such corporation or Person assumes by supplemental indenture all the obligations
of  the Capital  Corporation under such  Indenture and  the Indenture Securities
issued thereunder and immediately after the transaction no default shall  exist.
In  addition,  under  the Senior  Indenture,  no such  consolidation,  merger or
transfer may  be made  if as  a result  thereof any  property or  assets of  the
Capital  Corporation or a Subsidiary would  become subject to any mortgage, lien
or other encumbrance unless either (i) such mortgage, lien or other  encumbrance
could  be created  pursuant to  Section 1006 of  such Indenture  (see "-- Senior
Indenture Provisions -- Limitation on Liens" below) without equally and  ratably
securing  the  Indenture Securities  issued under  such  Indenture or  (ii) such
Indenture Securities are secured equally and  ratably with or prior to the  debt
secured  by  such mortgage,  lien  or other  encumbrance.  (Section 801  of each
Indenture)
    
 
MODIFICATION OR WAIVER
 
   
    Modification and  amendment of  an  Indenture may  be  made by  the  Capital
Corporation  and the  Trustee thereunder  with the consent  of the  holders of a
majority in  principal amount  of all  Outstanding Indenture  Securities  issued
thereunder that are affected by such modification or amendment; provided that no
such  modification or amendment may,  without the consent of  the holder of each
Outstanding Indenture Security affected thereby, among other things: (i)  change
the  Stated  Maturity  of the  principal  of (or  premium,  if any,  on)  or any
installment of principal  of or interest  on any such  Indenture Security;  (ii)
reduce the principal amount of or the rate of interest (or manner of calculation
thereof) on or any Additional Amounts payable in
    
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
   
respect  of, or any premium  payable upon the redemption  of, any such Indenture
Security; (iii)  change  any  obligation  of  the  Capital  Corporation  to  pay
Additional  Amounts in respect  of any such Indenture  Security; (iv) reduce the
portion of  the principal  of an  Original Issue  Discount Security  or  Indexed
Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the
Maturity  thereof or provable  in bankruptcy; (v) adversely  affect any right of
repayment at  the option  of the  holder of  any such  Indenture Security;  (vi)
change  the place  or Currency  of payment  of principal  of, or  any premium or
interest on, any such  Indenture Security; (vii) impair  the right to  institute
suit  for the enforcement  of any such  payment on or  after the Stated Maturity
thereof or on or  after any Redemption Date  or Repayment Date therefor;  (viii)
adversely  affect any  right to convert  or exchange of  any Indenture Security;
(ix) reduce the  percentage in  principal amount of  such Outstanding  Indenture
Securities,  the  consent  of  whose  holders  is  required  to  amend  or waive
compliance with  certain  provisions  of  such Indenture  or  to  waive  certain
defaults  thereunder; (x) reduce the requirements for voting or quorum described
below; or (xi) modify any of the foregoing requirements or any of the provisions
relating to  waiving  past  defaults  or  compliance  with  certain  restrictive
provisions,  except to increase the percentage of holders required to effect any
such waiver or to provide that certain other provisions of the Indenture  cannot
be  modified  or waived  without the  consent  of the  holder of  each Indenture
Security affected thereby. (Section 902 of each Indenture)
    
 
   
    In addition, under the Subordinated Indenture, no modification or  amendment
thereof  may, without the consent of the holder of each Outstanding Subordinated
Security affected  thereby,  modify any  of  the provisions  of  such  Indenture
relating to the subordination of the Subordinated Securities in a manner adverse
to  the  holders thereof  and no  such modification  or amendment  may adversely
affect the rights of any holder of Senior Indebtedness under Article Sixteen  of
the  Subordinated  Indenture  (described  under  the  caption  "--  Subordinated
Indenture Provisions -- Subordination")  without the consent  of such holder  of
Senior Indebtedness. (Sections 902 and 907 of the Subordinated Indenture)
    
 
    The  holders  of a  majority in  aggregate  principal amount  of Outstanding
Indenture  Securities  have  the  right  to  waive  compliance  by  the  Capital
Corporation with certain covenants in the applicable Indenture. (Section 1007 of
the Senior Indenture; Section 1006 of the Subordinated Indenture)
 
   
    Modification  and  amendment of  an  Indenture may  be  made by  the Capital
Corporation and the applicable  Trustee thereunder, without  the consent of  any
holder,  for any of  the following purposes:  (i) to evidence  the succession of
another Person to the Capital Corporation as obligor under such Indenture;  (ii)
to  add  to the  covenants of  the Capital  Corporation for  the benefit  of the
holders of all or any series of Indenture Securities issued under such Indenture
and any related coupons or  to surrender any right  or power conferred upon  the
Capital  Corporation by such Indenture;  (iii) to add Events  of Default for the
benefit of the holders of all or any series of Indenture Securities; (iv) to add
to or change any provisions of such Indenture to facilitate the issuance of,  or
to  liberalize the terms of,  Bearer Securities, or to  permit or facilitate the
issuance of Indenture Securities in uncertificated form, provided that any  such
actions  do not adversely affect the holders of such Indenture Securities or any
related coupons; (v) to  change or eliminate any  provisions of such  Indenture,
provided  that any  such change or  elimination will become  effective only when
there are no such Indenture Securities  Outstanding of any series created  prior
thereto  which are entitled to the benefit  of such provisions; (vi) in the case
of the Senior Securities,  to secure the Indenture  Securities under the  Senior
Indenture  pursuant to the  requirements of Section  801 or Section  1006 of the
Senior Indenture, or  otherwise; (vii) to  establish the form  or terms of  such
Indenture  Securities of any  series and any related  coupons; (viii) to provide
for the  acceptance of  appointment by  a successor  Trustee or  facilitate  the
administration of the trusts under such Indenture by more than one Trustee; (ix)
to  cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in such Indenture, provided such
action  does  not  adversely  affect  the  interests  of  holders  of  Indenture
Securities  of a series issued thereunder or any related coupons in any material
respect; or (x) to  supplement any of  the provisions of  such Indenture to  the
extent  necessary to permit or facilitate defeasance and discharge of any series
of  Indenture  Securities  thereunder,  provided  that  such  action  shall  not
adversely  affect the interests of the  holders of any such Indenture Securities
and any related coupons in any material respect. (Section 901 of each Indenture)
    
 
   
    In determining  whether the  holders of  the requisite  principal amount  of
Outstanding  Indenture Securities have given any request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent or waiver under the applicable
    
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
   
Indenture or whether a quorum  is present at a  meeting of holders of  Indenture
Securities  thereunder, (i) the  principal amount of  an Original Issue Discount
Security that  will be  deemed  to be  outstanding will  be  the amount  of  the
principal  thereof  that  would  be due  and  payable  as of  the  date  of such
determination upon  acceleration of  the Maturity  thereof, (ii)  the  principal
amount  of an Indenture Security denominated in a foreign Currency or Currencies
will be  the U.S.  dollar equivalent,  determined  on the  trade date  for  such
Indenture  Security, of  the principal  amount thereof  (or, in  the case  of an
Original Issue Discount Security or Indexed Security, the U.S. dollar equivalent
on the  trade  date of  such  Indenture Security  of  the amount  determined  as
provided  in (i) above or (iii) below), (iii) the principal amount of an Indexed
Security that may  be counted in  making such determination  or calculation  and
that  will be deemed outstanding for such purpose will be equal to the principal
face amount  of such  Indexed Security  at original  issuance, unless  otherwise
provided  with respect to such Indexed Security  pursuant to Section 301 of such
Indenture, and (iv) Indenture Securities owned by the Capital Corporation or any
other obligor upon  the Indenture  Securities or  any Affiliate  of the  Capital
Corporation  or of such other obligor shall be disregarded. (Section 101 of each
Indenture)
    
 
   
    Each Indenture contains provisions for convening meetings of the holders  of
Indenture  Securities of  a series  if Indenture  Securities of  that series are
issuable as Bearer Securities. (Section 1501 of each Indenture) A meeting may be
called at any time  by the applicable  Trustee, and also,  upon request, by  the
Capital  Corporation or the holders  of at least 10%  in principal amount of the
Outstanding Indenture Securities of  that series, in any  such case upon  notice
given  as provided in the applicable Indenture. (Section 1502 of each Indenture)
Except for  any consent  that must  be given  by the  holder of  each  Indenture
Security  affected thereby,  as described above,  any resolution  presented at a
meeting (or an adjourned meeting duly  reconvened) at which a quorum is  present
may be adopted by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in principal
amount  of  the  Outstanding  Indenture  Securities  of  that  series; provided,
however, that any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent, waiver  or other action that  may be made, given  or
taken  by the holders of a specified percentage which is less than a majority in
principal amount of  the Outstanding  Indenture Securities  of a  series may  be
adopted at a meeting (or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened) at which a quorum
is  present by the affirmative vote of  the holders of such specified percentage
in principal amount of the Outstanding Indenture Securities of that series.  Any
resolution  passed  or decision  taken at  any meeting  of holders  of Indenture
Securities of a  series duly held  in accordance with  the applicable  Indenture
will  be binding on all  holders of Indenture Securities  of that series and any
related coupons. The quorum at any meeting called to adopt a resolution will  be
persons   holding  or  representing  a  majority  in  principal  amount  of  the
Outstanding Indenture Securities of  a series; provided,  however, that, if  any
action  is to be taken at such meeting with respect to a consent or waiver which
may be given by the holders of not less than a specified percentage in principal
amount of the Outstanding Indenture Securities of a series, the persons  holding
or representing such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding
Indenture  Securities of that series will  constitute a quorum. (Section 1504 of
each Indenture)
    
 
    Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, if any action is to be taken at  a
meeting  of holders  of Indenture  Securities of  a series  with respect  to any
request, demand,  authorization, direction,  notice,  consent, waiver  or  other
action  that the applicable  Indenture expressly provides may  be made, given or
taken by  the holders  of a  specified  percentage in  principal amount  of  all
Outstanding  Indenture Securities  affected thereby  or of  the holders  of such
series and one or more additional series:  (i) there shall be no minimum  quorum
requirement  for such meeting  and (ii) the principal  amount of the Outstanding
Indenture Securities of such series that vote in favor of such request,  demand,
authorization,  direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action will be taken
into  account  in  determining  whether  such  request,  demand,  authorization,
direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action has been made, given or taken
under such Indenture. (Section 1504 of each Indenture)
 
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE, DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE
 
    The Capital Corporation may discharge certain obligations to holders of Debt
Securities  of a series that  have not already been  delivered to the applicable
Trustee for cancellation and that either have  become due and payable or are  by
their  terms due and payable within one year (or scheduled for redemption within
one
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
year) by irrevocably depositing with the applicable Trustee, in trust, funds  in
an  amount sufficient to pay the entire indebtedness on such Debt Securities for
principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, and any Additional Amounts
with respect thereto, to the date of such deposit (if such Debt Securities  have
become  due and payable)  or to the  Stated Maturity or  Redemption Date, as the
case may be. (Section 401 of each Indenture)
 
   
    Each Indenture provides that, if the provisions of Article Fourteen are made
applicable to  the Debt  Securities of  or  within any  series and  any  related
coupons  pursuant to Section  301 thereunder, the  Capital Corporation may elect
either (a)  to defease  and be  discharged  from any  and all  obligations  with
respect  to  such  Debt  Securities  and any  related  coupons  (except  for the
obligations to pay Additional  Amounts, if any, upon  the occurrence of  certain
events  of tax,  assessment or governmental  charge with respect  to payments on
such Debt Securities and the obligations to register the transfer or exchange of
such Debt Securities and any related coupons, to replace temporary or mutilated,
destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Securities  and any related coupons, to  maintain
an  office or agency in respect of such Debt Securities and any related coupons,
and to hold moneys  for payment in trust)  ("defeasance") (Section 1402 of  each
Indenture)  or (b) to be released from its obligations with respect to such Debt
Securities and any related coupons under  Section 1006 of such Indenture  (being
the  restrictions described under "--  Senior Indenture Provisions -- Limitation
on Liens") or, if  so provided pursuant  to Section 301  of such Indenture,  its
obligations  with respect to any other covenant, and any omission to comply with
such obligations shall  not constitute  a default or  an Event  of Default  with
respect  to such Debt Securities and any related coupons ("covenant defeasance")
(Section 1403),  in either  case upon  the irrevocable  deposit by  the  Capital
Corporation with the applicable Trustee (or other qualifying trustee), in trust,
of  (i) an amount, in  the Currency or Currencies  in which such Debt Securities
and any related coupons are then  specified as payable at Stated Maturity,  (ii)
Government Obligations (as defined below) applicable to such Debt Securities and
coupons  (with such applicability being determined  on the basis of the Currency
in which such Debt Securities are then specified as payable at Stated  Maturity)
that  through the  payment of  principal and  interest in  accordance with their
terms will provide  money in an  amount, or  (iii) a combination  thereof in  an
amount,  sufficient to pay the principal of  (and premium, if any) and interest,
if any,  on such  Debt Securities  and any  related coupons,  and any  mandatory
sinking fund or analogous payments thereon, on the scheduled due dates therefor.
    
 
    Such  a trust may  only be established  if, among other  things, the Capital
Corporation has delivered to  the applicable Trustee an  Opinion of Counsel  (as
specified  in the applicable Indenture)  to the effect that  the holders of such
Debt Securities and any related coupons will not recognize income, gain or  loss
for  United States federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance or
covenant defeasance and will be subject  to United States federal income tax  on
the  same amounts, in the same  manner and at the same  times as would have been
the case if such  defeasance or covenant defeasance  had not occurred, and  such
Opinion of Counsel, in the case of defeasance under clause (a) above, must refer
to  and be based  upon a ruling of  the Internal Revenue Service  or a change in
applicable United States federal income tax law occurring after the date of  the
Indenture. (Section 1404 of each Indenture)
 
   
    "Government  Obligations" means securities which  are (i) direct obligations
of the United  States or  the government which  issued the  foreign Currency  in
which  the Debt Securities of that series  are payable, for the payment of which
its full faith and credit is pledged, or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled
or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States
or the government which issued the foreign Currency in which the Debt Securities
of such series are payable, the  payment of which is unconditionally  guaranteed
as  a  full faith  and  credit obligation  by the  United  States or  such other
government, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the  option
of  the  issuer  thereof.  "Government Obligations"  also  include  a depository
receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any  such
Government  Obligation or a specific payment of  interest on or principal of any
such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the  holder
of  a  depository  receipt;  provided  that (except  as  required  by  law) such
custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the
holder of such depository receipt from  the amount received by the custodian  in
respect  of the Government Obligation or the  specific payment of interest on or
principal of the  Government Obligation  evidenced by  such depository  receipt.
(Section 101 of each Indenture)
    
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
    Unless  otherwise  provided  in  the prospectus  supplement,  if,  after the
Capital Corporation  has  deposited funds,  Government  Obligations or  both  to
effect  defeasance or covenant  defeasance with respect to  Debt Securities of a
series, (i) the holder  of a Debt  Security of such series  is entitled to,  and
does,  elect pursuant to the terms of such Debt Security to receive payment in a
Currency other than that in which such deposit has been made in respect of  such
Debt  Security,  or  (ii)  a  Conversion  Event  occurs,  then  the indebtedness
represented by such  Debt Security will  be deemed  to have been,  and will  be,
fully  discharged and  satisfied through  the payment  of the  principal of (and
premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Debt Security as they become  due
out  of the proceeds yielded by converting the amount so deposited in respect of
such Debt Security into the Currency in which such Debt Security becomes payable
as a result of such  election or such Conversion  Event based on the  applicable
Market Exchange Rate. (Section 1405 of each Indenture) Unless otherwise provided
in the prospectus supplement, all payments of principal of (and premium, if any)
and  interest, if any, and Additional Amounts, if any, on any Debt Security that
is payable in a foreign Currency with respect to which a Conversion Event occurs
will be made in U.S. dollars. (Section 312 of each Indenture)
 
   
    In the  event  the  Capital Corporation  effects  covenant  defeasance  with
respect  to any Debt Securities and any related coupons and such Debt Securities
and coupons are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any  Event
of Default other than the Event of Default described in clause (4) under "Events
of  Default" (Section 501 of the Senior  Indenture) with respect to Section 1006
of the Senior  Indenture (which Section  would no longer  be applicable to  such
Debt  Securities or any related coupons) or described in clause (4) or (6) under
"Events of Default" (Section  501 of each Indenture)  with respect to any  other
covenant   to  which  there  has  been  defeasance,  the  amount  of  Government
Obligations and funds on deposit with the applicable Trustee will be  sufficient
to  pay amounts  due on such  Debt Securities and  coupons at the  time of their
Stated Maturity  but may  not be  sufficient to  pay amounts  due on  such  Debt
Securities and coupons at the time of the acceleration resulting from such Event
of  Default. In such case,  the Capital Corporation would  remain liable to make
payment of such amounts due  at the time of  acceleration. (Section 501 of  each
Indenture)
    
 
   
    If  the applicable Trustee or any Paying  Agent is unable to apply any money
in accordance with the applicable Indenture  by reason of any order or  judgment
of  any  court or  governmental  authority enjoining,  restraining  or otherwise
prohibiting such application, then  the Capital Corporation's obligations  under
such Indenture and such Debt Securities and any related coupons shall be revived
and  reinstated as  though no deposit  had occurred pursuant  to such Indenture,
until such time as such Trustee or  Paying Agent is permitted to apply all  such
money  in accordance with such Indenture; provided, however, that if the Capital
Corporation makes any payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or  interest,
if  any,  on  any  such  Debt  Security  or  any  related  coupon  following the
reinstatement of its obligations, the Capital Corporation shall be subrogated to
the rights of the  holders of such  Debt Securities and  any related coupons  to
receive such payment from the money held by such Trustee or Paying Agent.
    
 
    The  prospectus  supplement may  further  describe the  provisions,  if any,
permitting such defeasance or  covenant defeasance, including any  modifications
to  the provisions described  above, with respect  to the Debt  Securities of or
within a particular series and any related coupons.
 
BOOK-ENTRY DEBT SECURITIES
 
    Debt Securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in global form
that will be deposited  with, or on  behalf of, a  depository identified in  the
prospectus  supplement. Global securities may be  issued in either registered or
bearer  form  and  in  either  temporary  or  permanent  form  (each  a  "Global
Security").  Unless  otherwise  provided  in  the  prospectus  supplement,  Debt
Securities that  are  represented  by  a  Global  Security  will  be  issued  in
denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, and will be issued in
registered form only, without coupons. Payments of principal of (and premium, if
any)  and interest, if any, on Debt  Securities represented by a Global Security
will be made by the Capital Corporation  to the applicable Trustee, and then  by
such Trustee to the depository.
 
    The  Capital  Corporation anticipates  that  any Global  Securities  will be
deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company ("DTC"), New York,
New York, that such Global Securities will be
 
                                       15
<PAGE>
registered in the name of DTC's nominee, and that the following provisions  will
apply to the depository arrangements with respect to any such Global Securities.
Additional or differing terms of the depository arrangement will be described in
the prospectus supplement.
 
    So  long as DTC or its nominee is the registered owner of a Global Security,
DTC or its nominee, as  the case may be, will  be considered the sole holder  of
the  Debt Securities represented by such  Global Security for all purposes under
the applicable  Indenture.  Except  as  provided  below,  owners  of  beneficial
interests  in a  Global Security  will not be  entitled to  have Debt Securities
represented by such Global Security registered in their names, will not  receive
or  be entitled to receive physical  delivery of Debt Securities in certificated
form and  will  not  be considered  the  owners  or holders  thereof  under  the
applicable Indenture. The laws of some states require that certain purchasers of
securities  take physical delivery of such securities in certificated form; such
laws may limit the transferability of beneficial interests in a Global Security.
 
   
    If (i) DTC is  at any time  unwilling, unable or  ineligible to continue  as
depository   and  a  successor  depository  is  not  appointed  by  the  Capital
Corporation within 90 days following notice to the Capital Corporation; (ii) the
Capital Corporation determines,  in its sole  discretion, not to  have any  Debt
Securities  represented by one or  more Global Securities, or  (iii) an Event of
Default under the applicable Indenture has occurred and is continuing, then  the
Capital  Corporation will issue individual  Debt Securities in certificated form
in exchange for the relevant Global  Securities. In any such instance, an  owner
of  a beneficial  interest in  a Global  Security will  be entitled  to physical
delivery of individual Debt  Securities in certificated form  of like tenor  and
rank,  equal in principal  amount to such  beneficial interest and  to have such
Debt Securities in certificated  form registered in  its name. Unless  otherwise
provided in the prospectus supplement, Debt Securities so issued in certificated
form  will be issued in denominations of $1,000 or any integral multiple thereof
and will be issued in registered form only, without coupons.
    
 
    The following is based on information furnished by DTC:
 
            DTC will act as securities  depository for the Debt Securities.  The
    Debt  Securities will be issued as fully registered securities registered in
    the name of  Cede & Co.  (DTC's partnership nominee).  One fully  registered
    Debt  Security certificate  is issued with  respect to each  $200 million of
    principal amount  of the  Debt Securities  of a  series, and  an  additional
    certificate is issued with respect to any remaining principal amount of such
    series.
 
            DTC  is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York
    Banking Law, a  "banking organization" within  the meaning of  the New  York
    Banking   Law,  a  member  of  the   Federal  Reserve  System,  a  "clearing
    corporation" within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, and
    a "clearing agency" registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A  of
    the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934.  DTC  holds  securities  that  its
    participants ("Participants")  deposit with  DTC. DTC  also facilitates  the
    settlement  among Participants of securities transactions, such as transfers
    and  pledges,  in  deposited  securities  through  electronic   computerized
    book-entry  changes in Participants' accounts,  thereby eliminating the need
    for  physical  movement  of  securities  certificates.  Direct  Participants
    include  securities brokers  and dealers,  banks, trust  companies, clearing
    corporations and certain other organizations ("Direct Participants"). DTC is
    owned by a  number of  its Direct  Participants and  by the  New York  Stock
    Exchange,   Inc.,  the  American  Stock  Exchange,  Inc.  and  the  National
    Association of Securities  Dealers, Inc. Access  to the DTC  system is  also
    available  to others such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust
    companies that clear  through or  maintain a custodial  relationship with  a
    Direct Participant, either directly or indirectly ("Indirect Participants").
    The  rules  applicable to  DTC and  its  Participants are  on file  with the
    Commission.
 
            Purchases of Debt Securities under the DTC system must be made by or
    through Direct  Participants,  which will  receive  a credit  for  the  Debt
    Securities on DTC's records. The ownership interest of each actual purchaser
    of each Debt Security ("Beneficial Owner") is in turn recorded on the Direct
    and  Indirect  Participants' records.  A Beneficial  Owner does  not receive
    written confirmation from DTC of its purchase, but such Beneficial Owner  is
    expected  to  receive  a  written  confirmation  providing  details  of  the
    transaction, as well as periodic statements of its holdings, from the Direct
    or Indirect Participant through which such Beneficial Owner entered into the
    transaction. Transfers of
 
                                       16
<PAGE>
    ownership interests in Debt Securities  are accomplished by entries made  on
    the  books of Participants acting on behalf of Beneficial Owners. Beneficial
    Owners do not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in
    Debt Securities, except in the event  that use of the book-entry system  for
    the Debt Securities is discontinued.
 
            To   facilitate  subsequent  transfers,   the  Debt  Securities  are
    registered in the name of DTC's partnership nominee, Cede & Co. The  deposit
    of the Debt Securities with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede &
    Co.  effects no change in beneficial ownership.  DTC has no knowledge of the
    actual Beneficial Owners of  the Debt Securities;  DTC records reflect  only
    the  identity of the  Direct Participants to  whose accounts Debt Securities
    are  credited,  which  may  or  may  not  be  the  Beneficial  Owners.   The
    Participants  remain responsible  for keeping  account of  their holdings on
    behalf of their customers.
 
            Delivery of  notices  and  other communications  by  DTC  to  Direct
    Participants, by Direct Participants to Indirect Participants, and by Direct
    Participants  and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners are governed by
    arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements
    as may be in effect from time to time.
 
            Redemption notices shall be sent to Cede  & Co. If less than all  of
    the Debt Securities within an issue are being redeemed, DTC's practice is to
    determine  by lot the amount of interest  of each Direct Participant in such
    issue to be redeemed.
 
            Neither DTC nor  Cede & Co.  consents or votes  with respect to  the
    Debt  Securities. Under its usual procedures, DTC mails a proxy (an "Omnibus
    Proxy") to the issuer as soon as possible after the record date. The Omnibus
    Proxy assigns  Cede &  Co.'s consenting  or voting  rights to  those  Direct
    Participants  to  whose accounts  the Debt  Securities  are credited  on the
    record date (identified on a list attached to the Omnibus Proxy).
 
   
            Payments of principal of (and premium,  if any) and interest on  the
    Debt  Securities will  be made  to DTC. DTC's  practice is  to credit Direct
    Participants'  accounts  on  the  payable  date  in  accordance  with  their
    respective  holdings  as shown  on DTC's  records unless  DTC has  reason to
    believe that it will  not receive payment on  the payable date. Payments  by
    Participants  to Beneficial Owners will be governed by standing instructions
    and customary  practices,  as is  the  case  with securities  held  for  the
    accounts  of customers  in bearer form  or registered in  "street name", and
    will be the responsibility  of such Participant and  not of DTC, the  Paying
    Agent  or the  Capital Corporation, subject  to any  statutory or regulatory
    requirements as may  be in effect  from time to  time. Payment of  principal
    (and  premium, if any) and interest to DTC will be the responsibility of the
    Capital Corporation or the  Paying Agent, disbursement  of such payments  to
    Direct  Participants will be the responsibility  of DTC, and disbursement of
    such payments to the Beneficial Owners will be the responsibility of  Direct
    and Indirect Participants.
    
 
            DTC  may discontinue providing its services as securities depository
    with respect to the Debt Securities at any time by giving reasonable  notice
    to  the  Capital  Corporation or  the  applicable Paying  Agent.  Under such
    circumstances, in the event  that a successor  securities depository is  not
    appointed,  Debt  Security  certificates  are  required  to  be  printed and
    delivered.
 
            The Capital Corporation may decide to discontinue use of the  system
    of  book-entry transfers through DTC (or a successor securities depository).
    In that event, Debt Security certificates will be printed and delivered.
 
    The information in this section  concerning DTC and DTC's book-entry  system
has  been obtained  from sources  (including DTC)  that the  Capital Corporation
believes to be reliable, but the Capital Corporation takes no responsibility for
the accuracy thereof.
 
    Unless stated otherwise  in the prospectus  supplement, the underwriters  or
agents  with respect to a series of  Debt Securities issued as Global Securities
will be Direct Participants in DTC.
 
                                       17
<PAGE>
    None of the Capital  Corporation, any underwriter  or agent, the  applicable
Trustee or any applicable Paying Agent will have any responsibility or liability
for  any  aspect of  the  records relating  to or  payments  made on  account of
beneficial interests in a  Global Security, or  for maintaining, supervising  or
reviewing any records relating to such beneficial interests.
 
RESIGNATION OF TRUSTEE
 
    Each  Trustee may resign or be removed with respect to one or more series of
Indenture Securities  and a  successor  Trustee may  be  appointed to  act  with
respect to such series. (Section 608 of each Indenture) In the event that two or
more persons are acting as Trustee with respect to different series of Indenture
Securities  under one of the Indentures, each such Trustee shall be a Trustee of
a trust thereunder separate and apart  from the trust administered by any  other
such Trustee (Section 609 of each Indenture), and any action described herein to
be  taken by the "Trustee"  may then be taken by  each such Trustee with respect
to, and only with respect to, the one or more series of Indenture Securities for
which it is Trustee.
 
SENIOR INDENTURE PROVISIONS
 
    LIMITATION ON LIENS
 
   
    The Capital Corporation covenants  in the Senior  Indenture that neither  it
nor  any Subsidiary will  pledge or subject to  any lien any  of its property or
assets unless the Indenture Securities  issued under such Indenture are  secured
by  such  pledge or  lien equally  and ratably  with other  indebtedness thereby
secured. There  are  excluded  from  this  covenant,  liens  created  to  secure
obligations  for the purchase price of  physical property, liens of a Subsidiary
securing indebtedness  owed  to  the  Capital  Corporation,  liens  existing  on
property acquired upon exercise of rights arising out of defaults on receivables
acquired  in the ordinary course of business, sales of receivables accounted for
as  secured  indebtedness  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting
principles,  certain liens not related to the borrowing of money and other liens
not securing borrowed money aggregating less than $500,000. (Section 1006 of the
Senior Indenture)
    
 
SUBORDINATED INDENTURE PROVISIONS
 
    SUBORDINATION
 
   
    Upon any  distribution  of  assets  of  the  Capital  Corporation  upon  any
dissolution,  winding  up, liquidation  or  reorganization, the  payment  of the
principal of  (and  premium, if  any)  and  interest, if  any,  on  Subordinated
Securities  is to  be subordinated  to the  extent provided  in the Subordinated
Indenture in  right of  payment  to the  prior payment  in  full of  all  Senior
Indebtedness  (Sections 1601  and 1602 of  the Subordinated  Indenture), but the
obligation of the  Capital Corporation  to make  payment of  the principal  (and
premium,  if any) and interest, if any,  on the Subordinated Securities will not
otherwise be affected. (Section 1604 of the Subordinated Indenture) In addition,
no payment  on account  of principal  (or  premium, if  any), sinking  funds  or
interest,  if any, may be made on the Subordinated Securities at any time unless
full payment of all  amounts due in  respect of the  principal (and premium,  if
any),  sinking fund and  interest on Senior  Indebtedness has been  made or duly
provided for  in money  or  money's worth.  (Section  1603 of  the  Subordinated
Indenture) In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such payment by
the  Capital Corporation is received by  the Subordinated Trustee or the holders
of any of the Subordinated Securities before all Senior Indebtedness is paid  in
full,  such payment or  distribution shall be  paid over to  the holders of such
Senior Indebtedness or  on their behalf  for application to  the payment of  all
such Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid until all such Senior Indebtedness has
been paid in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution
to  the holders of such  Senior Indebtedness. Subject to  the payment in full of
all Senior Indebtedness upon such  distribution of the Capital Corporation,  the
holders  of the Subordinated Securities will be  subrogated to the rights of the
holders of the Senior Indebtedness to the extent of payments made to the holders
of such Senior Indebtedness  out of the distributive  share of the  Subordinated
Securities.  (Section  1602 of  the Subordinated  Indenture)  By reason  of such
subordination, in the event of a distribution of assets upon insolvency, certain
general creditors of  the Capital  Corporation may recover  more, ratably,  than
holders of the Subordinated Securities. The Subordinated Indenture provides that
the subordination provisions thereof will not apply to money and securities held
in  trust pursuant to  the defeasance provisions  of the Subordinated Indenture.
(Section 1402 of the Subordinated Indenture)
    
 
                                       18
<PAGE>
   
    Senior  Indebtedness  is  defined  in  the  Subordinated  Indenture  as  the
principal  of (and premium, if  any) and unpaid interest  on (i) indebtedness of
the Capital  Corporation (including  indebtedness of  others guaranteed  by  the
Capital  Corporation),  whether  outstanding  on the  date  of  the Subordinated
Indenture or  thereafter created,  incurred, assumed  or guaranteed,  for  money
borrowed  (other  than the  Indenture Securities  issued under  the Subordinated
Indenture, the 9 5/8%  Subordinated Notes due 1998  and the 8 5/8%  Subordinated
Debentures  due  2019  of the  Capital  Corporation), unless  in  the instrument
creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding  it
is provided that such indebtedness is not senior or prior in right of payment to
the  Subordinated Securities  and (ii)  renewals, extensions,  modifications and
refundings of any such indebtedness. (Section 101 of the Subordinated Indenture)
    
 
    If this  prospectus  is being  delivered  in  connection with  a  series  of
Subordinated   Securities,  the   accompanying  prospectus   supplement  or  the
information incorporated by reference will  set forth the approximate amount  of
Senior Indebtedness outstanding as of a recent date.
 
THE TRUSTEES UNDER THE INDENTURES
 
    The Chase Manhattan Bank and The First National Bank of Chicago are two of a
number  of banks with which the Capital Corporation and Deere & Company maintain
ordinary banking relationships and from which the Capital Corporation and  Deere
&  Company  have  obtained credit  facilities  and  lines of  credit.  The Chase
Manhattan Bank also  serves as trustee  under other indentures  under which  the
Capital  Corporation or Deere &  Company is the obligor,  and The First National
Bank of Chicago also serves as  trustee under another indenture under which  the
Capital Corporation is an obligor.
 
                          DESCRIPTION OF DEBT WARRANTS
 
   
    The  Capital  Corporation  may  issue (either  together  with  other Offered
Securities or separately) Debt Warrants  to purchase Underlying Debt  Securities
("Offered  Debt  Warrants"). Such  Debt Warrants  will  be issued  under warrant
agreements (each a  "Debt Warrant  Agreement") to  be entered  into between  the
Capital  Corporation and a  bank or trust  company, as warrant  agent (the "Debt
Warrant Agent"), all as shall be set forth in the prospectus supplement. A  copy
of  the form  of Debt  Warrant Agreement, has  been filed  as an  exhibit to the
registration statement. The following summary of certain provisions of the  Debt
Warrant  Agreement does not  purport to be  complete and is  subject to, and are
qualified in  its entirety  by reference  to,  all the  provisions of  the  Debt
Warrant  Agreement and the accompanying Debt Warrant Certificates, including the
definitions therein of certain terms.
    
 
GENERAL
 
    Reference is made to the prospectus supplement for the terms of the  Offered
Debt Warrants, including the following:
 
        (1) The title and aggregate number of such Debt Warrants.
 
   
        (2)  The  title,  rank,  aggregate principal  amount  and  terms  of the
    Underlying Debt Securities purchasable upon exercise of such Debt Warrants.
    
 
        (3) The  principal amount  of  Underlying Debt  Securities that  may  be
    purchased  upon exercise  of each  such Debt Warrant,  and the  price or the
    manner of  determining the  price  at which  such  principal amount  may  be
    purchased upon such exercise.
 
        (4)  The time or  times at which,  or period or  periods, in which, such
    Debt Warrants  may  be  exercised  and the  expiration  date  of  such  Debt
    Warrants.
 
        (5) The terms of any right of the Company to redeem such Debt Warrants.
 
   
        (6)  Whether certificates  evidencing such Debt  Warrants ("Debt Warrant
    Certificates") will  be  issued  in  registered  or  bearer  form,  and,  if
    registered, where they may be transferred and exchanged.
    
 
        (7) Whether such Debt Warrants are to be issued with any Debt Securities
    or any other Securities.
 
                                       19
<PAGE>
   
        (8)  The  date,  if any,  on  and  after which  such  Debt  Warrants and
    Underlying Debt Securities will be separately transferable.
    
 
        (9) Any other terms of such Debt Warrants.
 
    If applicable, the  prospectus supplement  will also  set forth  information
concerning  other securities offered thereby and  a discussion of federal income
tax  considerations  relevant  thereto.   Debt  Warrant  Certificates  will   be
exchangeable for new Debt Warrant Certificates of different denominations.
 
   
    No  service charge will  be made for  any permitted transfer  or exchange of
Debt Warrant Certificates, but  the Capital Corporation  may require payment  of
any  tax  or other  governmental charge  payable  in connection  therewith. Debt
Warrants may be exercised and exchanged and Debt Warrants in registered form may
be presented for registration of transfer  at the corporate trust office of  the
Debt Warrant Agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement.
    
 
EXERCISE OF DEBT WARRANTS
 
   
    Each  Offered Debt Warrant will entitle  the holder thereof to purchase such
amount of Underlying  Debt Securities  at the exercise  price set  forth in,  or
calculable  from,  the  prospectus  supplement  relating  to  such  Offered Debt
Warrants. After the close of business  on the Expiration Date, unexercised  Debt
Warrants will become void.
    
 
    Debt  Warrants may be exercised by payment  to the Debt Warrant Agent of the
applicable exercise  price and  by delivery  to the  Debt Warrant  Agent of  the
related  Debt  Warrant  Certificate,  with  the  reverse  side  thereof properly
completed. Debt Warrants will be deemed  to have been exercised upon receipt  of
the  exercise price, subject  to the receipt  by the Debt  Warrant Agent, within
five business days thereafter, of  the Debt Warrant Certificate or  Certificates
evidencing  such Debt  Warrants. Upon receipt  of such payment  and the properly
completed Debt Warrant Certificates  at the corporate trust  office of the  Debt
Warrant  Agent or any  other office indicated in  the prospectus supplement, the
Capital Corporation  will,  as  soon  as  practicable,  deliver  the  amount  of
Underlying  Debt Securities purchased  upon such exercise. If  fewer than all of
the Debt Warrants represented by any  Debt Warrant Certificate are exercised,  a
new  Debt Warrant Certificate will be  issued for the unexercised Debt Warrants.
The holder  of  a  Debt Warrant  will  be  required  to pay  any  tax  or  other
governmental  charge  that  may  be imposesd  in  connection  with  any transfer
involved in  the issuance  of  Underlying Debt  Securities purchased  upon  such
exercise.
 
MODIFICATIONS
 
    The Debt Warrant Agreement and the terms of the Offered Debt Warrants may be
modified  or  amended by  the Capital  Corporation and  the Debt  Warrant Agent,
without the consent of any holder, for  the purpose of curing any ambiguity,  or
of  curing, correcting or supplementing  any defective or inconsistent provision
contained therein, or  in any other  manner that the  Capital Corporation  deems
necessary  or desirable  and that will  not materially and  adversely affect the
interests of the holders of the Offered Debt Warrants.
 
   
    The Capital Corporation and the Debt Warrant Agent may also modify or  amend
the  Debt Warrant Agreement and the terms  of the Offered Debt Warrants with the
consent of  the  holders  of  a  majority in  number  of  the  then  outstanding
unexercised  Debt Warrants affected thereby;  provided that no such modification
or amendment that accelerates the expiration date, increases the exercise price,
reduces the number of  outstanding Debt Warrants the  consent of the holders  of
which  is  required  for  any  such  modification  or  amendment,  or  otherwise
materially and adversely affects the rights of the holders of the Debt Warrants,
may be made without the consent of each holder affected thereby.
    
 
NO RIGHTS AS HOLDERS OF UNDERLYING DEBT SECURITIES
 
    Holders of Debt Warrants are not entitled, by virtue of being such  holders,
to  payments of principal  of (or premium, if  any) or interest,  if any, on the
related Underlying Debt Securities or to exercise any other rights whatsoever as
holders of the Underlying Debt Securities.
 
                                       20
<PAGE>
                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
 
   
    The Capital  Corporation  may sell  the  Offered Securities  to  or  through
underwriters, dealers, or agents, or directly to one or more other purchasers.
    
 
   
    The  prospectus  supplement sets  forth  the terms  of  the offering  of the
particular series  or  issue of  Offered  Securities to  which  such  prospectus
supplement  relates,  including, as  applicable, (i)  the name  or names  of any
underwriters or  agents  with whom  the  Capital Corporation  has  entered  into
arrangements  with  respect to  the sale  of such  Offered Securities,  (ii) the
initial public offering or purchase price of such Offered Securities, (iii)  any
underwriting  discounts, commissions and  other items constituting underwriters'
compensation from the Capital Corporation  and any other discounts,  concessions
or  commissions  allowed  or reallowed  or  paid  by any  underwriters  to other
dealers, (iv) any commissions paid  to any agents, (v)  the net proceeds to  the
Capital  Corporation and (vi) the securities exchanges, if any, on which such of
Offered Securities will be listed.
    
 
   
    Unless otherwise  set  forth in  the  prospectus supplement  relating  to  a
particular  series  or  issue  of Offered  Securities,  the  obligations  of the
underwriters to  purchase such  Offered Securities  will be  subject to  certain
conditions  precedent and each of the  underwriters with respect to such Offered
Securities will be obligated to purchase  all of the Offered Securities of  such
series  or issue allocated to  it if any such  Offered Securities are purchased.
Any initial public offering  price and any discounts  or concessions allowed  or
reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.
    
 
    The  Offered Securities may  be offered and sold  by the Capital Corporation
directly or through agents  designated by the Capital  Corporation from time  to
time.  Any agent  involved in  the offer  or sale  of the  Offered Securities in
respect of  which  this  prospectus is  delivered  will  be named  in,  and  any
commissions  payable by  the Company  to such  agent will  be set  forth in, the
applicable prospectus supplement. Unless  otherwise indicated in the  applicable
prospectus  supplement, each such agent  will be acting on  a best efforts basis
for the period of its appointment.
 
   
    Any underwriters, dealers or agents participating in the distribution of the
Offered Securities  may be  deemed  to be  underwriters,  and any  discounts  or
commissions  received by them on the sale or resale of Offered Securities may be
deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions, under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). Underwriters, dealers and agents may be
entitled, under  agreements  entered  into  with  the  Capital  Corporation,  to
indemnification  by the  Capital Corporation against  certain civil liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities Act.
    
 
   
    If so indicated in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series
or  issue  of  Offered  Securities,  the  Capital  Corporation  will   authorize
underwriters,  dealers or  agents to solicit  offers by  certain institutions to
purchase such  Offered  Securities  from the  Capital  Corporation  pursuant  to
delayed  delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery at a future date.
Such contracts  will  be subject  only  to those  conditions  set forth  in  the
prospectus  supplement,  and  the  prospectus  supplement  will  set  forth  the
commission payable for solicitation of such contracts.
    
 
                                 LEGAL OPINIONS
 
   
    The validity  of  the  Securities  will  be  passed  upon  for  the  Capital
Corporation  by Shearman  & Sterling, 599  Lexington Avenue, New  York, New York
10022, and for  any underwriters, dealers  or agents  by Brown &  Wood LLP,  One
World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048.
    
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
   
    The  financial  statements  and  the  related  financial  statement schedule
incorporated in  this prospectus  by reference  from the  Capital  Corporation's
Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  have been  audited  by  Deloitte  &  Touche LLP,
independent auditors, as stated in their report, which is incorporated herein by
reference, and have  been so incorporated  in reliance upon  the report of  such
firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
    
 
                                       21
<PAGE>
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  NO  DEALER, SALESPERSON OR  ANY OTHER PERSON  HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED  TO GIVE ANY
INFORMATION OR  TO  MAKE  ANY  REPRESENTATIONS OTHER  THAN  THOSE  CONTAINED  OR
INCORPORATED  BY  REFERENCE IN  THIS PROSPECTUS  SUPPLEMENT OR  THE ACCOMPANYING
PROSPECTUS, IN  CONNECTION WITH  THE OFFER  MADE BY  THIS PROSPECTUS  SUPPLEMENT
(INCLUDING  ANY PRICING SUPPLEMENT) AND THE ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS. NEITHER THE
DELIVERY OF THIS  PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT (INCLUDING  ANY PRICING SUPPLEMENT)  AND
THE  ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS  NOR ANY SALE  MADE HEREUNDER  AND THEREUNDER SHALL
UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE CREATE  AN IMPLICATION THAT THERE  HAS BEEN NO CHANGE  IN
THE  AFFAIRS OF THE CAPITAL  CORPORATION SINCE THE DATE  HEREOF OR THEREOF. THIS
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT (INCLUDING  ANY PRICING SUPPLEMENT)  AND THE  ACCOMPANYING
PROSPECTUS  DO  NOT  CONSTITUTE  AN  OFFER  OR  SOLICITATION  BY  ANYONE  IN ANY
JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR  SOLICITATION IS NOT AUTHORIZED OR IN  WHICH
THE  PERSON MAKING SUCH  OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS  NOT QUALIFIED TO  DO SO OR TO
ANYONE TO WHOM IT IS UNLAWFUL TO MAKE SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION.
 
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                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   PAGE
                                                 ---------
<S>                                              <C>
             PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
Description of Notes...........................        S-2
Special Provisions Relating to Foreign Currency
  Notes........................................       S-17
Foreign Currency Considerations................       S-19
United States Taxation.........................       S-20
Plan of Distribution...........................       S-28
                  PROSPECTUS
Available Information..........................          2
Incorporation of Certain Documents by
  Reference....................................          2
The Company....................................          3
Use of Proceeds................................          5
Prospectus Supplements.........................          5
Description of Debt Securities.................          5
Description of Debt Warrants...................         19
Plan of Distribution...........................         21
Legal Opinions.................................         21
Experts........................................         21
</TABLE>
    
 
                                     [logo]
 
   
                              U.S. $2,263,850,000
    
 
                               JOHN DEERE CAPITAL
                                  CORPORATION
 
                               MEDIUM-TERM NOTES,
                                    SERIES C
 
                              -------------------
 
                             PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
                              -------------------
 
                              MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
 
                              GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
 
                              SALOMON BROTHERS INC
 
   
                                 JUNE 18, 1997
    
 
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