iShares® Funds Scheduled to Move to NYSE Arca
San Francisco – November 20, 2007 – Barclays Global Investors (BGI), one of the world’s largest institutional asset managers and Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) managers, today announced it will transfer its NYSE-listed iShares ETFs to the NYSE Arca listing and trading platform on December 6, 2007. No action is needed by current shareholders.
NYSE Euronext announced earlier this year its plans to move all ETF trading to NYSE Arca by year end because it believes that offering a single platform for listing and trading ETFs will further improve efficiencies and market quality.
“This is a natural progression of iShares funds’ listing and trading on the NYSE. Currently there are 30 iShares ETFs listed on the NYSE Arca, which is the largest public liquidity pool for ETFs in the U.S.(1) The NYSE specialist firms representing iShares ETF products are already acting as lead market makers in primary listings of ETFs on NYSE Arca and we believe they will continue to provide liquidity in iShares ETFs,” said Lee Kranefuss, CEO of BGI’s Intermediary and Exchange Traded Funds Business.
The iShares Funds are index funds that are bought and sold like common stocks on securities exchanges. 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. 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.
Carefully consider the funds’ investment objectives, risk factors and charges and expenses before investing. This and other information can be found in the funds’ prospectuses, which may be obtained by calling 1-800-iShares or by visiting www.ishares.com. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.
Barclays Global Investors (BGI) is one of the world’s largest asset managers(2) providing structured investment strategies such as risk-controlled active strategies and indexing. In the U.S., BGI is one of the largest active managers(3), set apart by its risk-controlled approach. BGI manages 65% of the world’s 100 largest pension plans(4) aand is a leader in assets and products in exchange traded funds (ETFs) through its iShares® brand with more than 190 ETFs globally. The firm managed over $1.8 trillion in assets as of 12/31/06, for more than 2,900 clients in 52 countries around the world. BGI is a majority-owned subsidiary of Barclays Bank PLC.