Semi-annual Changes to the NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) and Clean Edge, Inc. announced today the results of the semi-annual evaluation of the NASDAQ(R) Clean Edge(R) Green Energy Index (Nasdaq:CELS), which will become effective with the market open on Monday, September 21, 2009.

The following five securities will be added to the Index: Broadwind Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq:BWEN), Comverge, Inc. (Nasdaq:COMV), Capstone Turbine Corporation (Nasdaq:CPST), ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE), and National Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE:NSM).

The Index is designed to track the performance of clean-energy companies that are publicly traded in the U.S. The Index includes companies engaged in the manufacturing, development, distribution, and installation of emerging clean-energy technologies such as solar photovoltaics, biofuels and advanced batteries. The five major sub-sectors that the index covers are Renewable Electricity Generation, Renewable Fuels, Energy Storage & Conversion, Energy Intelligence and Advanced Energy-Related Materials. The securities must also meet other eligibility criteria which include minimum requirements for market value, average daily share volume, and price. The Index is evaluated on a semi-annual basis in March and September. For more information about the NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index, including detailed eligibility criteria, visit https://indexes.nasdaqomx.com/.

The NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index is the basis for the First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index Fund (Nasdaq:QCLN), which seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield of the NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index before fees and expenses.

As a result of the evaluation Orion Energy Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:OESX) and GrafTech International Ltd. (NYSE:GTI) will be removed from the 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 https://indexes.nasdaqomx.com/.

Access to essential historical index data for NASDAQ OMX indexes can be accessed from a single source, NASDAQ OMX Global Index Watch. For additional information, please visit https://indexes.nasdaqomx.com/indexwatch.aspx.

About NASDAQ OMX

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 over 3,700 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.

About Clean Edge

Clean Edge, Inc., with offices in the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland, Ore., is a leading research and publishing firm that helps companies, investors, and policymakers understand and profit from clean technologies. Founded in 2000, Clean Edge and its network of partners and affiliates offer unparalleled intelligence and insight into the clean-tech sector. Among its many activities, the company publishes the annual "Clean Energy Trends" report, produces the annual Clean-Tech Investor Summit (along with IBF), and maintains a number of clean-energy stock indexes. To keep abreast of the latest clean-tech news, access industry reports, learn more about the company's annual summit and stock indexes, or sign up for Clean Edge's free e-newsletter, visit http://www.cleanedge.com.

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