NEW YORK, April 29, 2009 — The Bank of New York Mellon, the global leader in asset management and securities servicing, announced that it has issued more than $1 billion of new unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) since U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rule amendments streamlining the establishment of these securities took effect last October.

A change implemented to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 has led to a significant rise in the number of over-the-counter ADRs on the market. As a result of the rule change, certain non-U.S. companies are now automatically exempt from SEC reporting requirements, provided specified information is accessible on their websites. Submitting hard-copy exemption requests to the SEC is no longer required.

Unsponsored ADRs are issued by one or more depositary banks in response to market demand but without a formal agreement, while sponsored ADRs are issued by a single depositary bank appointed by a single issuer. Unsponsored ADRs generally trade over-the-counter (OTC), while sponsored ADRs trade either on the OTC market or on major US stock exchanges such as the NYSE or Nasdaq.

Through the first quarter of 2009, nearly 700 new unsponsored ADR programs from 47 countries were created by The Bank of New York Mellon and other depositary banks. When added to existing sponsored ADRs, the new unsponsored programs enable investors to better replicate many of the world's leading foreign equity indices in US-traded, dollar-denominated securities.

"We've created these new ADRs in response to the growing demand for international portfolio diversification from US investors," said Michael Cole-Fontayn, chief executive officer of The Bank of New York Mellon's Depositary Receipt Division. "Despite turbulent market conditions, we are not surprised at the significant investor interest in these securities. For years, US investors have insisted upon a more complete roster of international equities for greater portfolio diversification, and these new unsponsored ADR programs have delivered."

Ten leading foreign equity indices and their corresponding constituent ADR availability follows:

    Italy                   S&P/MIB                 100%
    Sweden                  OMX 30                  97%
    Australia               ASX 20                  95%
    France                  CAC 40                  95%
    Hong Kong               Hang Seng               95%
    United Kingdom          FTSE 100                94%
    Germany                 DAX                     90%
    Brazil                  Ibovespa                80%
    Japan                   Nikkei 225              67%
    India                   Bombay Sensex           63%

The Bank of New York Mellon acts as depositary for more than 2,100 American and global depositary receipt programs, acting in partnership with leading companies from 67 countries. With an unrivalled commitment to helping securities issuers succeed in the world's rapidly evolving financial markets, the Company delivers the industry's most comprehensive suite of integrated depositary receipt, corporate trust and stock transfer services. Additional information is available at www.bnymellon.com/dr.

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is a global financial services company focused on helping clients manage and service their financial assets, operating in 34 countries and serving more than 100 markets. The company is a leading provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and high-net-worth individuals, providing superior asset management and wealth management, asset servicing, issuer services, clearing services and treasury services through a worldwide client-focused team. It has $19.5 trillion in assets under custody and administration, $881 billion in assets under management, services more than $11 trillion in outstanding debt and processes global payments averaging $1.8 trillion per day. Additional information is available at www.bnymellon.com.

This release is for informational purposes only. The Bank of New York Mellon provides no advice, recommendation, or endorsement with respect to any company or securities. Nothing herein shall be deemed to constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities. Depositary Receipts: Not FDIC, State or Federal Agency Insured; May Lose Value; No Bank, State or Federal Agency Guarantee.