Market Vectors Launches International High Yield Bond ETF

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Market Vectors ETF Trust announced today that it has launched its International High Yield Bond ETF (NYSE Arca: IHY), the first U.S. listed exchange-traded fund (ETF) designed to address a segment of the high-yield bond market that it believes, based on other funds currently available in the U.S. market, may be underrepresented in many investor portfolios.

“Our research has shown that for many investors the current allocation to corporate high-yield debt may miss as much as 35 percent of the global high-yield market,” said Edward Lopez, Market Vectors' Marketing Director. “That underexposure may be especially important as international corporate high-yield bonds currently offer higher yields as well as historically lower default rates than similar debt instruments issued in the U.S.¹”

IHY seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of The BofA Merrill Lynch Global Ex-US Issuers High Yield Constrained Index (HXUS), which is comprised of below investment-grade debt issued by corporations located outside the U.S., which may include emerging market countries. The bonds are denominated in major global currencies, including Euros, U.S. dollars, Canadian dollars or British pound sterling, issued in the major domestic or Eurobond markets. As of March 27, 2012, the Index included 1,008 debt issues of 546 corporations located in 69 countries including a 33% allocation to emerging market bonds. Additionally, the index yield to worst of 8.3% was 1.2% higher than U.S. high-yield bonds, as represented by The BofA Merrill Lynch U.S. High Yield Master II Index.

“In today's persistent low interest environment, investors continue to search the globe for new sources of income,” said Francis Rodilosso, one of the Fund's Portfolio Managers. “With IHY, we have created an income-oriented ETF that, by tracking its index, may offer high-yield diversification, a high level of potential income and exposure to issuers worldwide that may experience more robust economic growth than the United States.”

Market Vectors notes that investing in international high-yield debt, and high-yield securities in general, is not without risks, including the inherent volatility of high-yield security prices, changes in interest rates, currency risks, extreme volatility, political uncertainty, and more.

IHY joins the Market Vectors family of ETFs that include other international bond funds such as Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF (EMLC), LatAm Aggregate Bond ETF (BONO), Renminbi Bond ETF (CHLC), as well as a full suite of U.S. municipal bond ETFs, and more.

IHY, Market Vectors' 46^th ETF, has a gross expense ratio of 0.53 percent and a net expense ratio of 0.40 percent, which is capped at least until September 1, 2013. Cap excludes certain expenses, such as interest.

¹Standard and Poor's, 2011 Annual Global Corporate Default Study and Rating Transitions

About Market Vectors ETFs

Market Vectors exchange-traded products have been offered since 2006 and span many asset classes, including equities, fixed income (municipal and international bonds) and currency markets. The Market Vectors family currently totals $23.7 billion in assets under management, making it the fifth largest ETP family in the U.S. and the eighth largest worldwide as of December 31, 2011.

Market Vectors ETFs are distributed by Van Eck Global. Founded in 1955, Van Eck Global was among the first U.S. money managers helping investors achieve greater diversification through global investing. Today, the firm continues this tradition by offering innovative, actively managed investment choices in hard assets, emerging markets, precious metals including gold, and other alternative asset classes. Van Eck Global has offices around the world and manages approximately $33.1 billion in investor assets as of December 31, 2011.

The Fund may be subject to credit risk, interest rate risk and a greater risk of loss of income and principal than higher rated securities. As the Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies and some of the income received by the Fund will be in foreign currency, changes in currency exchange rates may negatively impact the Fund's return. Investments in emerging markets securities are subject to elevated risks which include, among others, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, issues with repatriation of investment income, limitations of foreign ownership, political instability, armed conflict and social instability. Investors should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility and the potential of significant loss. For a more complete description of these and other risks, please refer to the Fund's prospectus and summary prospectus. The Fund may loan its securities, which may subject it to additional credit and counterparty risk.

Yield to worst is generally defined as being the lowest yield that a buyer can expect to receive.

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Fund shares are not individually redeemable and will be issued and redeemed at their NAV only through certain authorized broker-dealers in large, specified blocks of shares called “creation units” and otherwise can be bought and sold only through exchange trading. Creation units are issued and redeemed principally in kind. Shares may trade at a premium or discount to their NAV in the secondary market.

Investing involves substantial risk and high volatility, including possible loss of principal. Bonds and bond funds will decrease in value as interest rates rise. An investor should consider the investment objective, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund carefully before investing. To obtain a prospectus and summary prospectus, which contains this and other information, call 888.MKT.VCTR or visit marketvectorsetfs.com. Please read the prospectus and summary prospectus carefully before investing.

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