Lyxor AM Introduces Lyxor ETF Japan (Topix) For Trading On SWX Swiss Exchange

Lyxor Asset Management, Societe Generale's wholly owned subsidiary, announced today the listing on the SWX Swiss Exchange of the first and only Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) in Europe based on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Price index (TOPIX).

This new ETF is a unique opportunity for Swiss investors wishing to get instant exposure to the Japanese market in a cost effective way.

Mr. Taizo Nishimuro, President & CEO of Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), Inc. comments: "TSE warmly welcomes SWX's listing of an ETF based on the TOPIX index published and calculated by the TSE, enabling investors to trade the fund in Yen denominations and in real time. We firmly believe that this listing will further enhance the cross-border flow of capital between Switzerland and Japan."

Dr. Heinrich Henckel, CEO of the SWX Swiss Exchange underlines: "SWX is pleased to list the Exchange Traded Fund based on the TOPIX, the benchmark index of the Japanese market. We want to thank the Tokyo Stock Exchange to have chosen us as a gateway for this product. We are delighted with the continuous growth of our ETF segment and the boom in trading therein."

This new tracker is based on the TOPIX index, a market capitalization-weighted index composed of more than 1'700 Japanese stocks listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The index offers a wider range of Japanese stocks than other major indices making it a reliable indicator of movements in the Japanese market.

"The TOPIX index is widely used as a key benchmark by institutional investors throughout the world to measure the performance of the Japanese economy," confirms Roger Bootz, Head of Lyxor ETF in Switzerland.

After a growth of some 43% in 2005, the TOPIX gained only about 2% in 2006, anyhow, it gained 62.80% over the past 5 years . The sector allocation of the index should be distinctive in Japan's current economical context. As opposed to other global and country indices, the index is less affected by volatile sectors such as Energy (0.95%) and Technologies (5.01%). The main sectors covered by the index are Consumer cyclicals (24.50%), Financials (22.69%) and Industrials (20.01%). The index should thus benefit from a recovery in the local consumption demand.

With Lyxor ETF Japan (TOPIX), investors can gain exposure to instant geographical diversification, through a single vehicle traded in real-time on SWX.

Features of the Lyxor ETF Japan (TOPIX):

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