Amsterdam, 24  February 2009 – NYSE Euronext is pleased to announce that iShares, the Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) arm of Barclays Global Investors today has listed two new Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) on Euronext Amsterdam, the “iShares € Covered Bond” and “The iShares S&P Emerging Markets Infrastructure fund”. With the introduction of these new ETFs iShares is responding to growing investor demand for transparency and diversity amid continued market turmoil.

The “iShares € Covered Bond” provides investors with liquid exposure to a range of European covered bonds based on the Markit iBoxx € Covered index. The index currently contains 438 bonds, 95 per cent AAA-rated, with an average annual yield of 4.51 per cent and duration of 4.18 years (as at 28 January 2009).

The “iShares S&P Emerging Markets Infrastructure fund” provides investors with liquid exposure to 30 of the world’s largest publicly listed emerging market companies, focusing on transportation (20 per cent), energy (40 per cent) and utilities (40 per cent). In two years, investments in infrastructure in emerging market economies total more than $1 trillion. 

The ETF segment continues to grow and is increasingly successful on the European and US NYSE Euronext markets. A daily average turnover of €363 million was registered in these products on the Euronext markets in 2008, an increase of 16% compared with the daily average in 2007 of €313 million. In addition, January 2009 was one of the best months ever for the Euronext ETF segment.

Joost van der Does de Willebois, Chairman of Euronext Amsterdam and Member of NYSE Euronext Management Committee, said “ETF trading is growing significantly; January was the second best month ever in terms of the number of transactions. The launch of these new ETFs is a welcome response to the clear demand from investors for this type of investment.”

Roel Thijssen, head of iShares Benelux, said, “ETFs have come of age in current volatile markets, where transparency and liquidity are critical, and where investment opportunities are not easy to find. Covered bonds are secure because they have a preferential claim on a legally segregated pool of collateral assets. At the same time, strong economic fundamentals in emerging markets are a source of potential returns for investors.”

For additional information about iShares, please go to www.ishares.nl or contact:

Caroline Hancock, iShares
00 44  (0) 20 7668 8649
caroline.hancock@barclaysglobal.com

Huijskens & Istha, 00 31 (0) 20 685 5955
Ian Bickerton, Ian@huijskens-istha.nl
Harmen Geers, Harmen@huijskens-istha.nl

Notes to editors:

About Barclays Global Investors Barclays Global Investors is one of the world's largest asset managers and a leading global provider of investment management products and services with more than 3,000 institutional clients and approximately $1.5 trillion of assets under management as of December 31, 2008. BGI transformed the investment industry by creating the first index strategy in 1971 and the first quantitative active strategy in 1979. BGI is the global product leader in exchange traded funds (iShares® exchange traded funds) with over 360 funds for institutions and individuals globally. www.barclaysglobal.com

Background on Exchange Traded products on NYSE Euronext: NYSE Euronext operates the world's largest Exchange Traded Products  (ETP) marketplace, the leading venue for Exchange Traded Funds (ETF), Notes (ETN), Vehicles (ETV) and Warrants and Certificates trading.  NYSE Euronext's offering of Exchange Traded Products provides investors access to regulated listings as well as fast and innovative trading tools to access liquidity. NYSE Arca, NYSE Euronext's US market for ETFs, has 707 primary ETF and ETV listings.  Additionally, NYSE Arca lists 85 ETNs, 246 Certificates, while trading all other eligible ETPs on an Unlisted Trading Privileges (UTP) basis. NYSE Euronext, the leading platform for listing and trading Exchange Traded Products in Europe, has 373 primary ETFs, 73 ETV listings, 1 ETN and lists a total of 16,366 Warrants and Certificates to date.

About NYSE Euronext
NYSE Euronext (NYX) is the world’s leading, most liquid and diverse exchange group.  It offers a broad and growing array of financial products and services in cash equities, futures, options, exchange-traded products, bonds, market data, and commercial technology solutions, all designed to meet the evolving needs of issuers, investors and financial institutions.  Spanning multiple asset classes and six countries, NYSE Euronext’s exchanges include the New York Stock Exchange, Liffe, Euronext and NYSE Arca.  With more than 6,500 listed issues, more than any other exchange group, trading on NYSE Euronext’s equity markets represents more than one-third of the world's cash equities volume.  NYSE Euronext also manages the leading European derivatives exchange by value of trading.  NYSE Euronext is part of the S&P 500 index and the only exchange operator in the S&P 100 index.  For more information, please visit www.nyx.com