iShares Leads Global ETP Industry Flows with $85.3bn as Investors Turn to ETPs In Record Numbers in

iShares Leads Global ETP Industry Flows with $85.3bn as Investors Turn to ETPs In Record Numbers in 2012

Record U.S. iShares inflow of $61.0bn

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BlackRock, Inc. (NYS: BLK) announced today that its iShares business led the global industry in 2012 by capturing $85.3bn¹ in new flows of the record-breaking $262.7bn² global Exchange Traded Products (ETP) market flows.

All regions contributed to iShares growth. The iShares U.S. product line led the way with a record $61.0bn of new assets in 2012, surpassing the previous record for U.S. iShares ETPs of $59.1bn in 2007. In Europe, the business captured 56% of all new money entering European ETPs, recording $18.3bn in net new flows. The iShares Canada business also had a strong year, with its assets under management (AUM) increasing to $42.0bn, as the broader Canadian market posted the second highest rate of growth in ETF assets of any region for 2012.³

iShares global AUM reached $758.6bn⁴ as of 31 December 2012.

ETPs are attracting a broader base of global investors than ever before, driven by regional regulatory developments, deepening ETP liquidity, and increasing awareness among both retail and institutional clients of the benefits of ETPs. These efficient tools can be used for strategic and tactical asset allocation, access to niche exposures and sectors, cash deployment, and risk management and hedging.

Mark Wiedman, Global Head of iShares commented:

"iShares continues to be the go-to product for all types of investors -- from capital market participants looking for deep liquidity, to investors seeking specialized exposures, to a growing segment of the market using ETFs as buy and hold investment vehicles."

"As a leading provider, iShares delivers global products in an endeavour to meet client needs globally. This year, for instance, Asian and Latin American investors bought more than $10 billion of U.S. and European-domiciled iShares, in addition to $2.0 billion in locally domiciled iShares."

"Fixed income was a key driver of flows globally, as investors of all kinds increasingly adopt ETFs as an essential instrument for accessing the bond markets. iShares captured $28.8bn globally or 41% of all new flows into fixed income ETFs."

For a copy of the complete ETP Landscape Report, please email:ETPresearch@blackrock.com.

About BlackRock

BlackRock is a leader in investment management, risk management and advisory services for institutional and retail clients worldwide. At September 30, 2012, BlackRock's AUM was $3.673 trillion. BlackRock offers products that span the risk spectrum to meet clients' needs, including active, enhanced and index strategies across markets and asset classes. Products are offered in a variety of structures including separate accounts, mutual funds, iShares® (exchange traded funds), and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers risk management, advisory and enterprise investment system services to a broad base of institutional investors through BlackRock Solutions®. Headquartered in New York City, as of September 30, 2012, the firm has approximately 10,400 employees in 29 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East and Africa. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.blackrock.com.

About iShares

iShares is a global product leader in exchange traded funds with over 600 funds globally across equities, fixed income and commodities, which trade on 20 exchanges worldwide. The iShares Funds 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. The iShares customer base consists of the institutional segment of pension plans and fund managers, as well as the retail segment of financial advisors and high net worth individuals.

Carefully consider the iShares 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 (1-800-474-2737) or by visitingwww.iShares.com. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

The iShares Funds are distributed by BlackRock Investments, LLC (together with its affiliates, "BlackRock").

iS-8870-0113

© 2012 BlackRock. All rights reserved. iSHARES and BLACKROCK are registered trademarks of BlackRock. All other marks are those of their respective owners.

¹ Source: BlackRock 12/31/12

² Source: BlackRock ETP Landscape Report, January 2013

³ Source: BlackRock 12/31/12

⁴ Source: BlackRock; Gross AUM as of 12/31/12

BlackRock, Inc.
Christine Hudacko, 415-670-2687
Christine.Hudacko@blackrock.com
Diane Henry, 415-670-4567
Diane.Henry@blackrock.com
Melissa Garville, 212-810-5528
Melissa.Garville@blackrock.com

KEYWORDS: United States North America New York

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

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