BlackRock(R) Canada Puts Income First With New iShares(R) Fund That Waives Fees Until June 30, 2012

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 12, 2011) - BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (BlackRock Canada), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc., today announced the launch of the new iShares DEX Floating Rate Note Index Fund (XFR) with a commitment to waive its management fees until June 30, 2012. The fund seeks to generate income and limit potential interest rate risk by investing in a regularly rebalanced portfolio of floating-rate bonds. The fund has closed the initial offering of its units and will begin trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange today.

"Markets are volatile. Investors' appetite for risk is low but they still want to maximize yield," said Mary Anne Wiley, Managing Director, Head of iShares Distribution at BlackRock Canada. "Our new fund is designed to capture yield in low duration securities while managing interest rate risk. As a special initiative, BlackRock Canada will not be charging any management fees for the next six months so investors can feel comfortable putting their cash to work in a product that is designed to deliver both income and stability."

XFR seeks to provide income by replicating, to the extent possible, the performance of the DEX FRN Index, net of expenses. Floating-rate notes are generally subject to less interest rate risk than fixed-rate bonds of similar maturity and quality and may therefore be used to help investors insulate their portfolios, and earn progressively higher income, in a rising interest rate environment. With a management fee of 0.20 per cent (after the expiry of the management fee waiver on June 30, 2012), the fund gives access to a diversified bond portfolio and offers an alternative to cash. XFR's expected income distribution frequency is monthly.

XFR brings the iShares suite of fixed income products offered by BlackRock Canada to 12 which cover many slices of the Canadian bond universe complemented with US and international fixed income exposures. The iShares fixed income exchange traded funds (ETFs) are engineered for quality, precision and are designed to do what you expect fixed income to do - provide relative safety, lower risk and capital preservation. There are currently $6.9 billion of assets under management (AUM) in the TSX-listed iShares fixed income ETF suite.(1) The funds benefit from BlackRock, Inc.'s combined strengths in fixed income management (managing US$1.2 trillion AUM globally)(2) and its rigorous ETF product development.

For more information about the new iShares fund, please visit www.iShares.ca. All other inquiries: 1-866-iShares (1-866-474-2737) or email iSharesCanada@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, 2011, BlackRock's AUM was US$3.345 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(R) (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(R). Headquartered in New York City, as of September 30, 2011, the firm has approximately 10,200 employees in 27 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 ETFs

The iShares business is a global product leader in ETFs with over 460 funds globally across equities, fixed income and commodities, which trade on 19 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 securities 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.

(1,2) BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited, as of Nov 30, 2011