iShares launches sustainable ETFs on NYSE Euronext

Amsterdam - NYSE Euronext is pleased to announce that iShares, the Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) platform of BlackRock, Inc. today has listed two sustainable equity ETFs on the Amsterdam market of NYSE Euronext. The launch of the new products is in response to demand for funds which invest according to environmental, social and governance criteria.

The new launched iShares ETFs are:
• iShares Dow Jones Global Sustainability Screened;
• iShares Dow Jones Europe Sustainability Screened;

The ETFs allow investors cost efficient and liquid access to European and Global companies which operate in a sustainable manner. The ETFs aim to track the performance of the Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Index and the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. There is an element of negative screening, choosing to exclude companies with involvement in alcohol, tobacco, gambling, armaments & firearms and adult entertainment.

Roel Thijssen, managing director of BlackRock and head of iShares Benelux: ‘’I am excited to introduce the first Dutch ETFs based on sustainable criteria. As a market leader we have taken our responsibility to be the first in the market to respond to the increasing demand of sustainable financial products in The Netherlands. I am proud our innovation power gives Dutch investors the opportunity to invest in sustainable companies in Europe and on a global level.’’

“We’re pleased to welcome these ETFs to our Amsterdam market”, said Pedro Fernandes, European Head of ETPs at NYSE Euronext. “These ETFs give clients new opportunities to invest in sustainable companies through a leading regulated market offering superior technology, market model and liquidity. With the growing demand for these products the new iShares ETFs are a welcome way to meet the investors’ needs”.

The launch takes the total number of iShares ETFs listed on NYSE Euronext to 85, of which 48 are multi-listed on both the Amsterdam and Paris markets. NYSE Euronext is one of the leading venues for Exchange Traded Funds. The ETF segment continues to grow and is increasingly successful on the European and US NYSE Euronext markets. There are now a total of 561 ETFs listed on the European markets of NYSE Euronext, registering an Average Daily Turnover (ADT) of €473.2 million in Q1 of 2011, an increase of 36.6% compared with the daily average of €346.4 million in the same period last year. ETFs are also very popular in the Dutch market. The ETF market in the Netherlands has grown 29% in 2010. Currently there are 121 ETFs listed in Amsterdam with total assets under management (AUM) of approximately € 56,2 billion (as at end of April 2011).

ETFs or Trackers are open-end investment funds listed on a stock exchange and tradable in the same way as an individual security. An ETF closely follows or tracks a particular benchmark index, seeking to replicate the performance of the index and offering flexible, low-cost exposure to entire markets or market segments in just one easy transaction. They also combine the simplicity of equities with the diversified risk of investment funds. A further benefit is the low level of management fees associated with this type of passive investment.

Notes to editors

About NYSE Euronext
NYSE Euronext (NYX) is a leading global operator of financial markets and provider of innovative trading technologies. The company’s exchanges in Europe and the United States trade equities, futures, options, fixed-income and exchange-traded products. With approximately 8,000 listed issues (excluding European Structured Products), NYSE Euronext’s equities markets – the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Euronext, NYSE Amex, NYSE Alternext and NYSE Arca – represent one-third of the world’s equities trading, the most liquidity of any global exchange group. NYSE Euronext also operates NYSE Liffe, one of the leading European derivatives businesses and the world’s second-largest derivatives business by value of trading. The company offers comprehensive commercial technology, connectivity and market data products and services through NYSE Technologies. NYSE Euronext is in the S&P 500 index, and is the only exchange operator in the Fortune 500.
For more information, please visit: http://www.nyx.com

About BlackRock
BlackRock is a leader in investment management, risk management and advisory services for institutional and retail clients worldwide. At December 31, 2010, BlackRock’s AUM was $3.561 trillion. BlackRock offers products that span the risk spectrum to meet clients’ needs, including active, enhanced and index strategies across markets and asset classes. Products are offered in
a variety of structures including separate accounts, mutual funds, iShares® (exchange traded funds), and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers risk management, advisory and enterprise investment system services to a broad base of institutional investors through BlackRock Solutions®. Headquartered in New York City, as of December 31, 2010, the firm has
approximately 9,100 employees in 25 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East and Africa.
For additional information, please visit the Company’s website at www.blackrock.com

About iShares
iShares is the global product leader in exchange traded funds with over 480 funds globally across equities, fixed income and commodities, which trade on 19 exchanges worldwide. The iShares funds are bought and sold like common stocks on securities exchanges and like common stocks, they are subject to investment risk and fluctuation in market value. The iShares funds are attractive to many individual and institutional investors and financial intermediaries because of their relative low cost, tax efficiency and trading flexibility. However, trading in these funds may result in commissions or other costs that could offset any such savings. Investors can purchase and sell shares through any brokerage firm, financial advisor, or online broker, and hold the funds in any type of brokerage account. The iShares customer base consists of the institutional segment of pension plans and fund managers, as well as the retail segment of financial advisors and high net worth individuals.

Regulatory Information
BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services
Authority (’FSA’), registered office at 33 King William Street, London EC4R 9AS, England, Tel
+44 (0)20 7743 3000.
Provider : Euronext Amsterdam