iShares Launches Four New Trackers (ETFs) On Euronext Amsterdam - Dutch Investors Get Trackers Access To China, Japan And European Small- And Mid-Cap Markets

Barclays Global Investors (BGI), the world's largest provider of exchange traded funds (ETFs), today announces the listing of four new iShares on Euronext Amsterdam. The new Trackers (ETFs), which start trading today, will, for the first time, give Dutch investors local access to China (iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25), Japan (iShares MSCI Japan), and European small- and mid-cap markets (iShares DJ Euro STOXX SmallCap and iShares DJ Euro STOXX MidCap).

iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 (FXC), will focus on two out of the four types of shares traded, namely red chip and H shares securities, which are listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. It has a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.74 per cent and will provide investors with a flexible, transparent and cost effective way of gaining exposure to the rapidly growing Chinese economy.
iShares MSCI Japan (IJPN) aims to reflect the performance of 345 of Japan's leading companies through an index that is popular with global investors. The TER of the new ETF will be 0.59 per cent.
iShares DJ Euro STOXX SmallCap (DJSC) offers investors the first Eurozone small-cap ETF, a segment that can be challenging for investors to trade. It has a TER of 0.40 per cent.
iShares DJ Euro STOXX MidCap (DJMC) this Eurozone mid-cap fund is also a first of its kind. Together these small and mid cap ETFs provide valuable building blocks for investors. It has a TER of 0.40 per cent.

Commenting on the launch of the new iShares, Bruce Lavine, Head of iShares in Europe said, "The launch of these four new funds in the Netherlands will revolutionise the way investors can gain exposure to important markets like China, Japan and the small and mid-cap sectors of the European market."

Bruce Lavine continued, "Investors are now beginning to see the real benefits of Trackers as cost-effective investment tools that give flexible, liquid, transparent and diverse exposure to an increasingly wide choice of markets."

Marianne Demarchi, Director of Business Development, Strategy and Products at Euronext said, "Euronext is pleased to see further expansion of its range of Trackers in Amsterdam through the addition of these four new iShares Trackers. Euronext investors are well-served by access to these important markets."

Trackers are index funds that are bought and sold like ordinary shares on a stock exchange and are a tool to gain diversified exposure to a market. They are liquid investments and are attractive to both retail and institutional investors because of their cost effective nature and trading flexibility. Institutional investors can trade on exchange or OTC, directly with a market maker. Retail investors can invest using a stockbroker or online broker.

Market makers and liquidity providers on the Euronext Amsterdam listed iShares ETFs will include Merrill Lynch International and Susquehanna International Securities.

Trackers (ETFs) can be used to achieve many investment strategies:

for buy and hold investing
for active traders who wish to take advantage of market movements
for investors wishing to hedge the market
to enhance returns on cash deposits by equitising
as an alternative to futures and other institutional investment tools

iShares is the largest provider of ETFs in the world with over 127 funds listed globally, totalling over $129 billion¹. In the Netherlands, iShares already has seven ETFs listed on Euronext Amsterdam.

¹Source: Morgan Stanley - Exchange Traded Funds – Year End Review 2004