Technical Expertise to Help Transition from Merrill Lynch HOLDRS

NEW YORK, January 18, 2012 — BNY Mellon, the global leader in investment services, has been selected to provide exchange-traded fund (ETF) services, custody, fund accounting and securities lending for the six new Market Vector Industry ETFs which launched on December 20, 2011.

The six new ETFs were offered to existing investors in the corresponding six Merrill Lynch-sponsored HOLDRS through separate exchange offers.  All six exchange offers were successful, and the HOLDRS were terminated. This exchange offered participating investors the opportunity for uninterrupted exposure to the target industries: oil services (OIH), semiconductors (SMH), pharmaceuticals (PPH), biotech (BBH), retail (RTH) and regional banks (RKH).  The new ETFs, distributed by Van Eck Global, retained the corresponding HOLDRS' ticker symbols.

"The ETF structure provides a more dynamic, diversified investment vehicle as it better reflects changes in the composition of industry sectors that inevitably occur over time," said John Crimmins, vice president, portfolio administration, at Van Eck.  "This was a unique transaction, and we are pleased that BNY Mellon had the expertise and depth of service required to assist investors who transitioned from the HOLDRS to the ETFs."

BNY Mellon's Depositary Receipts group has acted as the trustee for the HOLDRS baskets since the inception of the product in the late 1990s.   BNY Mellon Shareowner Services was the exchange agent for the six exchange offers.

"We remain committed to developing the technology and client services that have enabled BNY Mellon to deliver the type of innovation demanded by the constantly evolving ETF industry," said Joseph Keenan, managing director and global head of exchange-traded fund services at BNY Mellon Asset Servicing.  "This exchange offer, another first for the ETF industry, illustrates the continuing changes in this investment segment."

For information about the Market Vectors Industry ETFs, visit www.vaneck/industry-etfs.

BNY Mellon Asset Servicing offers clients worldwide a broad spectrum of specialized asset servicing capabilities, including custody and fund services, securities lending, performance and analytics, and execution services. BNY Mellon Asset Servicing provides services through BNY Mellon and other related companies.

BNY Mellon is a global financial services company focused on helping clients manage and service their financial assets, operating in 36
countries and serving more than 100 markets.  BNY Mellon is a leading provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and
high-net-worth individuals, offering superior investment management and investment services through a worldwide client-focused team.  It has $25.8 trillion in assets under custody and administration and $1.26 trillion in assets under management, services $11.8 trillion in outstanding debt and processes global payments averaging $1.5 trillion per day.  BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Additional information is available at www.bnymellon.com and through Twitter@bnymellon.