Reuters and Mastercard join forces to deliver new benchmark US retail sales data

US retail sales data exclusively on Reuters, ahead of traditional statistics

23 February 2006, New York – Reuters (LSE: RTR, NASDAQ: RTRSY) today announced an agreement with MasterCard Advisors LLC, the global professional services organization of MasterCard International, to provide a U.S. retail economic service exclusively to Reuters clients. The service, known as SpendingPulse™, provides granular measures of the U.S. retail economy, both nationally and regionally, with a degree of speed and a level of detail surpassing spending data estimates from traditional sources.

Using estimates of retail payments including cash and check volumes together with adjusted spending information based on aggregated sales activity through the MasterCard network, MasterCard is able to provide an accurate snapshot of U.S. economic retail sales performance and trends.

Since 2004, SpendingPulse reports have been available through a subscription service. Reuters will now provide exclusive access to SpendingPulse reports through Reuters 3000 Xtra, Reuters Station, and Reuters Knowledge screens. Twice a month, customers will receive reports which include information such as:
• National and regional retail sales performance each month, before comparable government estimates are released;
• Industry sector data such as sales of electronics, furniture, restaurants, retail apparel, transportation and others;
• Sales and distribution channel breakdowns such as retail sales online.

Julie Holland, Global Head of Research and Asset Management at Reuters, comments: “This deal illustrates our growth strategy of focusing on high value content to provide enhanced market insights in order to supplement the news, company information, research and analysis that we currently provide.

“We are delighted that the SpendingPulse data will now be available exclusively to our customers, further enabling them to make timely investment decisions.”

Jim Thomas, Global Practice Leader, MasterCard Advisors, said: “MasterCard Advisors has the ability to access and analyze information in a way that gauges the true economic landscape. We are excited that we can now provide customers with our U.S. economic data through Reuters world-class distribution network.

“For years, professionals have relied on U.S. retail spending data that has been subject to restatements and recommendations made before final economic data became available. Now timely SpendingPulse information will be readily available through Reuters extensive global distribution network, providing accurate retail spending reports for banking, economic, investment, retail and other industry professionals alike.”

Ends

Notes to Editor:
Since 2004, monthly SpendingPulse reports have been delivered as a retail spending data subscription service that provides information on the performance of the U.S. economy, both nationally and regionally. The reports are issued days or weeks ahead of alternative retail sales data sources such as the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). The SpendingPulse reports are based on aggregated sales activity in the MasterCard U.S. payments network coupled with estimates on all other payments forms, including cash and check. MasterCard Advisors adjusts out MasterCard-specific variables. SpendingPulse’s accuracy is measured by its high correlation to the DOC final estimates.

About Reuters
Reuters (www.reuters.com), the global information company, provides indispensable information tailored for professionals in the financial services, media and corporate markets. Its trusted information drives decision making across the globe based on a reputation for speed, accuracy and independence. Reuters has 15,300 staff in 89 countries, including staff from the acquisition of Telerate in June 2005. It also includes 2,300 editorial staff in 189 bureaux serving 128 countries, making Reuters the world’s largest international multimedia news agency. In 2005, Reuters revenues were £2.4 billion.

Reuters and the sphere logo are the trade-marks of the Reuters group of companies.

About MasterCard Advisors
MasterCard Advisors, LLC, an affiliate of MasterCard International, is a global professional services organization offering payments-related consulting, information and outsourcing. Through a worldwide network of expert consultants, MasterCard Advisors offers a depth and breadth of services and customized solutions for helping clients grow and create value from their cards and payments businesses. For more information about MasterCard Advisors, go to www.mastercardadvisors.com.

About MasterCard International
MasterCard International is a leading global payments solutions company that provides a broad variety of innovative services in support of our global members’ credit, deposit access, electronic cash, business-to-business and related payment programs. MasterCard manages a family of well-known, widely accepted payment card brands including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus® and serves financial institutions, consumers and businesses in over 210 countries and territories. The MasterCard award-winning Priceless® advertising campaign is now seen in 105 countries and in 48 languages, giving the MasterCard brand a truly global reach and scope. For more information go to www.mastercardinternational.com.

Contact Information

Veronika Clough

MasterCard International

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