Semi-Annual Changes to the NASDAQ OMX ABA Community Bank Index

NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NDAQ) announced today the results of the semi-annual evaluation of the NASDAQ OMX ABA Community Bank Index (Nasdaq:ABQI), which will become effective prior to market open on Monday, December 19, 2011.

The following ten securities will be added to the Index: Banner Corporation (Nasdaq: BANR), Enterprise Financial Services Corporation (Nasdaq: EFSC), The First of Long Island Corporation (Nasdaq: FLIC), Northfield Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFBK), Ocean First Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: OCFC), S.Y. Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: SYBT), TriCo Bancshares (Nasdaq: TCBK), Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania (Nasdaq: UVSP), Virginia Commerce Bancorp (Nasdaq: VCBI) and Westfield Financial, Inc. (Nasdaq: WFD).

The Index is designed to track the performance of banks and thrifts, or their holding companies, listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market^®. The Index is intended to serve as a benchmark for investment products by including the larger and more liquid community banks. The NASDAQ OMX ABA Community Bank Index is reviewed on a semi-annual basis. For more information about the NASDAQ OMX ABA Community Bank Index, including detailed eligibility criteria, visit https://indexes.nasdaqomx.com/.

As a result of the evaluation the following four companies will be removed from the index: CoBiz Financial Inc. (Nasdaq: COBZ), First Interstate BancSystem, Inc. (Nasdaq: FIBK), Hampton Roads Bankshares Inc (Nasdaq: HMPR) and Southwest Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: OKSB).

The First Trust NASDAQ ABA Community Bank Fund (Nasdaq: QABA) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield (before the fund's fees and expenses) of the NASDAQ OMX ABA Community Bank Index.

About NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group

NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group is engaged in the design, development, calculation, licensing, and marketing of NASDAQ OMX Indexes. NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group specializes in the development of indexes focusing on NASDAQ OMX's brand themes of innovation, technology, growth, and globalization. NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group also provides custom index services and design solutions as a third-party provider to selected financial organizations. For more information about NASDAQ OMX indexes, visit www.nasdaq.com/indexes.

About NASDAQ OMX Group

The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. is the world's largest exchange company. It delivers trading, exchange technology and public company services across six continents, with approximately 3,500 listed companies. NASDAQ OMX offers multiple capital raising solutions to companies around the globe, including its U.S. listings market, NASDAQ OMX Nordic, NASDAQ OMX Baltic, NASDAQ OMX First North, and the U.S. 144A sector. The company offers trading across multiple asset classes including equities, derivatives, debt, commodities, structured products and exchange-traded funds. NASDAQ OMX technology supports the operations of over 70 exchanges, clearing organizations and central securities depositories in more than 50 countries. NASDAQ OMX Nordic and NASDAQ OMX Baltic are not legal entities but describe the common offering from NASDAQ OMX exchanges in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Iceland, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. For more information about NASDAQ OMX, visit http://www.nasdaqomx.com. Please follow NASDAQ OMX on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/NASDAQ-OMX/108167527653) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/nasdaqomx).

NASDAQ^®, OMX^®, NASDAQ OMX^®, American Bankers Association^®, ABA^®, and NASDAQ OMX^® ABA^® Community Bank Index^SM are trademarks of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. ("NASDAQ OMX") and American Bankers Association ("ABA") respectively. NASDAQ OMX and ABA are, collectively with their affiliates, referred to as the "Corporations".  The Marks are licensed for use by First Trust Advisors L.P.  The First Trust NASDAQ ABA Community Bank Fund has not been passed on by the Corporations as to their legality or suitability.  The First Trust NASDAQ ABA Community Bank Fund is not issued, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the Corporations.  The Corporations make no warranties and bear no liability with respect to the First Trust NASDAQ ABA Community Bank Fund.

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