TOKYO (BUSINESS WIRE), Aug 24, 2005 – Barclays Global Investors (BGI), a worldwide leader in exchange traded funds (ETFs) and one of the largest global asset managers, announced today that Japan’s Financial Service Agency has received notification of the following ETFs to be sold as offshore investment funds through brokers in Japan:
iShares(R) S&P 500 Index Fund
iShares(R) Russell 2000 Index Fund
iShares(R) MSCI EAFE Index Fund
iShares(R) MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund
iShares(R) MSCI China Tracker
iShares(R) FTSE/Xinhua A50 China Tracker
iShares(R) Nasdaq Biotechnology Index Fund
The iShares(R) S&P 500 Index Fund is designed to track the performance of the S&P 500 Index providing investors with large-capitalization representation to the U.S. market. The iShares(R) S&P 500 Index Fund has approximately USD 13.77 billion in assets.
The iShares(R) Russell 2000 Index Fund is designed to track the performance of the Russell 2000 Index, which measures the performances of the small capitalization sector of the U.S. equity market. The iShares(R) Russell 2000 Index Fund has approximately USD 7.3 billion in assets.
The iShares(R) MSCI EAFE Index Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Index. The index includes stocks from Europe, Australia and the Far East. The iShares(R) MSCI EAFE Index Fund has approximately USD 18.83 billion in assets.
The iShares(R) MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The index is designed to measure equity market performance in the global emerging markets. The iShares(R) MSCI Emerging Market Index Fund has approximately USD 7.2 billion in assets.
The iShares(R) MSCI China Tracker (“MSCI China Tracker”) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the performance, before fees and expenses, of China related stocks mostly listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (including H-shares and Red Chips), as represented by the MSCI China (HKD) Index. The iShares(R) MSCI China Tracker is traded on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and has approximately HKD 1.06 billion in assets.
The iShares(R) FTSE/Xinhua A50 China Tracker (“A50 China Tracker”) is currently the only ETF in the world that offers non-PRC domestic investors access to the A-shares markets in China(1). The A50 China Tracker seeks investment results that correspond generally to the performance, before fees and expenses, of A-shares traded on both the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges, as measured by the FTSE/Xinhua China A50 Index. The iShares(R) FTSE/Xinhua A50 China Tracker is traded on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and has approximately HKD 1.43 billion in assets.
The iShares(R) Nasdaq Biotechnology Index Fund is designed to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index(R). The index contains securities of NASDAQ(R) listed companies that are classified according to the FTSE Global Classification System as either biotechnology or pharmaceutical which also meet other eligibility criteria. The iShares(R) Nasdaq Biotechnology Index Fund has approximately USD 1.55 billion in assets.
“Barclays Global Investors is very pleased in continuing our effort to bring investors innovative access to the capital markets,” said J. Parsons, Managing Director of Barclays Global Investors. “In responding to the demand of Japanese investors, our exchange traded funds provide access to more non-Japanese markets. We expect to continue our efforts to meet Japanese investors’ demands, as our partnerships in Japan define interest in other exchange traded funds.”
The iShares(R) Funds are investment funds that issue shares that are bought and sold like common stocks on securities exchanges. The iShares(R) Funds are attractive to many individual and institutional investors and financial intermediaries for their relatively low cost and trading flexibility. For more information on the above funds other than the China Tracker funds visit iShares(R) web page at www.iShares.com.
For more information about the China Tracker funds, visit www.iShares.com.hk.
With the addition of these seven funds, Japanese investors can purchase and sell shares of the following nine iShares(R) Funds on the respective listing exchange through Japanese brokerage firms.
iShares(R) S&P 500 Index Fund
iShares(R) Russell 2000 Index Fund
iShares(R) DJ Euro Stoxx 50
iShares(R) MSCI EAFE Index Fund
iShares(R) MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund
iShares(R) MSCI China Tracker
iShares(R) FTSE/Xinhua A50 China Tracker
iShares(R) Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate Index Fund
iShares(R) Nasdaq Biotechnology Index Fund
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 US, 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) and is the global leader in assets and products in the exchange traded funds through its iShares(R) brand with more than 120 ETFs. The firm managed over USD1.4 trillion in assets as of 6/30/05, for more than 2,600 clients in 48 countries around the world. BGI is an innovator in investment management, applying science and technology to the investment process. BGI is owned by Barclays PLC, one of the world’s leading global financial services providers.
(C) 2005 Barclays Global Investors. All rights reserved. iShares(R) is a registered trademark of Barclays Global Investors, N.A. All other trademarks, servicemarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
The iShares FSTE/Xinhua A50 China Tracker is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by FSTE/Xinhua Index Limited (“FXI”) nor does FXI make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in any fund nor any warranty regarding the index. “FTSE(TM)” is a trademark jointly owned by the London Stock Exchange PLC and the Financial Times Limited. “Xinhua” is a trade and service mark of Xinhua Financial News Network Limited.
MSCI, Morgan Stanley Capital International and the MSCI indexes are service markets of Morgan Stanley Capital International and its affiliates and have been licensed for use by Barclays Global Investors, N.A.
The iShares Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, issued, sold or promoted by MSCI, The NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc., Frank Russell Company, or Standard and Poor’s. None of these companies make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in the Funds. BGI, nor any of their affiliates, are affiliated with the companies listed above.
(1) The A50 China Tracker will seek to track the FTSE/Xinhua China A50 Index through buying and selling A-shares Index Chinese A-share access products issued by connected person of QFII.
(2) Source: “P&I/Watson Wyatt World 500,” Pensions & Investments, September 6, 2004.
(3) Source: “Special Reports: Money Manager Directory,” Pensions & Investments, May 31, 2004.
(4) Source: “P&I/Watson Wyatt World’s 250 Largest Retirement Plans,” Pensions & Investments, December 27, 2004.
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CONTACT: Barclays Global Investors Japan Limited
Ai Inouchi, 03-5469-4527 (Tokyo)
ai.inouchi@barclaysglobal.com
ASIA PULSE
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