MSCI Barra and Standard & Poor's, the leading providers of global indices and benchmark-related products and services, announced today the results of their annual review of the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS(R)) structure. The review is intended to ensure that the GICS structure continues to appropriately represent the global equity markets and, thereby, enables asset owners, asset managers and investment research specialists to make consistent global comparisons by industry. The GICS revision is the result of a consultation with members of the global investment community. Changes include renaming one Industry Group, creating four new Industries and ten new Sub-Industries. Changes also include discontinuing one Industry and two Sub-Industries, and making name and definition changes to others. HEALTH CARE SECTOR Changes to the Health Care Sector include the renaming and redefining of one Industry Group, the creation of two new Industries and Sub-Industries, and redefining five Sub-Industries. The Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology Industry Group will be renamed Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences. This Industry Group will see the introduction of the Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry and Sub-Industry. In addition, the Health Care Equipment & Services Industry Group will add a Health Care Technology Industry and Sub-Industry. The definitions of other Sub-Industries in this Sector will be modified to reflect these additions. Details of changes to the Health Care Sector, including GICS Codes and definitions, are provided in Appendix A. REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY GROUP Changes in the Real Estate Industry Group include discontinuing the Real Estate Industry and creating two new Industries, with the promotion of the Real Estate Investment Trusts and Real Estate Management & Development Sub-Industries to Industry status. The new Real Estate Investment Trusts Industry will see the creation of seven new Sub-Industries - Diversified REITs, Industrial REITs, Mortgage REITs, Office REITs, Residential REITs, Retail REITs and Specialized REITs. The new Real Estate Management & Development Industry will include a Real Estate Management & Development Sub-Industry. Appendix B sets forth the new structure of the Real Estate Industry Group. As a result of these changes, the GICS structure will consist of 10 Sectors, 24 Industry Groups, 67 Industries and 147 Sub-Industries. The complete list of revisions and clarifications is provided in Appendix C. An updated GICS structure and newly modified definitions are available on MSCI's web site at http://www.msci.com and Standard & Poor's web sites at http://www.gics.standardandpoors.com and http://www.spglobal.com. The changes to the GICS structure will be implemented after the close of business (New York) on Friday, April 28, 2006. The list of securities affected, if any, by these changes will be made available to GICS Direct clients no later than April 3, 2006. ABOUT GICS In 1999, Standard & Poor's and MSCI Barra jointly developed GICS to establish a global standard for categorizing companies into sectors and industries, thereby enabling asset owners, asset managers and investment research specialists to make seamless comparisons across indices by industry, by region, and globally. GICS was designed to classify a company according to its principal business activity. To make this determination, MSCI Barra and Standard & Poor's use revenues as a key measure of a company's business activity. Earnings and market perception, however, are also recognized as important and relevant information for classification purposes and are taken into account during the review process. For a detailed description of GICS, please refer to the MSCI web site at http://www.msci.com and Standard & Poor's web sites at http://www.gics.standardandpoors.com and http://www.spglobal.com. NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER This information is the property of Morgan Stanley Capital International Inc. (MSCI) and Standard & Poor's, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP). It has been prepared for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to participate in any particular trading strategy. It may not be used to verify or correct data or any compilation of data or index or in the creation of any indices. This information is provided on an "as is" basis. Neither MSCI, Standard & Poor's nor their affiliates guarantees the accuracy and/or completeness of this information. Neither MSCI, Standard & Poor's nor their affiliates makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the results to be obtained by any person or entity from any use of this information, and the user of this information assumes the entire risk of any use made of this information. Neither MSCI, Standard & Poor's nor their affiliates makes any express or implied warranties, and each such party hereby expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose with respect to any of this information. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall MSCI, Standard & Poor's or their affiliates have any liability for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential or any other damages (including lost profits) even if notified of the possibility of such damage. Standard & Poor's, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), is the world's foremost provider of independent credit ratings, indices, risk evaluation, investment research and data. With approximately 6,300 employees located in 20 countries, Standard & Poor's is an essential part of the world's financial infrastructure and has played a leading role for more than 140 years in providing investors with the independent benchmarks they need to feel more confident about their investment and financial decisions. For more information, visit http://www.standardandpoors.com. About MSCI Barra. MSCI (http://www.msci.com) develops and maintains equity, REIT, fixed income, multi-asset class and hedge fund indices that serve as the benchmark for an estimated USD 3 trillion on a worldwide basis and owns Barra, Inc. ("Barra"). Barra analytics (http://www.barra.com) help the world's largest investors analyze, measure and manage portfolio and firm- wide investment risk. MSCI Barra is headquartered in New York, with research and commercial offices around the world. Morgan Stanley, a global financial services firm and a market leader in securities, asset management, and credit services, is the majority shareholder of MSCI, and Capital Group International Inc., is the minority shareholder. MSCI, MSCI Barra are service marks of Morgan Stanley Capital International Inc. ("MSCI" or "MSCI Barra"). The Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) was developed by and is the exclusive property of Standard & Poor's and MSCI. "Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS)", "GICS" and "GICS Direct" are service marks of Standard & Poor's and MSCI. "GICS" is a trademark of S&P and MSCI. Appendix A - Health Care Sector after structure changes 35 Health Care (Sector) Industry Sub-Industry 3510 Health Care Equipment 351010 Health Care 35101010 Health Care & Services Equipment & Equipment* (Industry Group)Supplies 35101020 Health Care Supplies* 351020 Health Care 35102010 Health Care Providers & Distributors Services 35102015 Health Care Services* 35102020 Health Care Facilities* 35102030 Managed Health Care 351030* Health Care 35103010* Health Care Technology* Technology* 3520 Pharmaceuticals, 352010 Biotechnology 35201010 Biotechnology Biotechnology & Life Sciences (Industry Group)* 352020 Pharma- 35202010 Pharma- ceuticalsceuticals 352030* Life35203010* Life Sciences Sciences Tools & Tools & Services*Services* (* Changes are noted by asterisk) The new or changed definitions for the Sub-Industries are as follows: Health Care Equipment: Manufacturers of health care equipment and devices. Includes medical instruments, drug delivery systems, cardiovascular & orthopedic devices, and diagnostic equipment. Health Care Supplies: Manufacturers of health care supplies and medical products not classified elsewhere. Includes eye care products, hospital supplies, and safety needle & syringe devices. Health Care Services: Providers of patient health care services not classified elsewhere. Includes dialysis centers, lab testing services, and pharmacy management services. Also includes companies providing business support services to health care providers, such as clerical support services, collection agency services, staffing services and outsourced sales & marketing services. Health Care Facilities: Owners and operators of health care facilities including hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and animal hospitals. Health Care Technology: Companies providing information technology services primarily to health care providers. Includes companies providing application, systems and/or data processing software, internet-based tools, and IT consulting services to doctors, hospitals or businesses operating primarily in the Health Care Sector. Biotechnology: Companies primarily engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and/or marketing of products based on genetic analysis and genetic engineering. Includes companies specializing in protein-based therapeutics to treat human diseases. Life Sciences Tools & Services: Companies enabling the drug discovery, development and production continuum by providing analytical tools, instruments, consumables & supplies, clinical trial services and contract research services. Includes firms primarily servicing the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Appendix B - Real Estate Industry Group after structure changes 40 Financial (Sector)Industry Sub-Industry 4040 Real Estate 404010* Real Estate40401010* Real Estate (Industry Group) (Discontinued)* Investment Trusts (REITs) - Discontinued. Promoted to Industry, code=404020* 40401020* Real Estate Management & Development - Discontinued. Promoted to Industry, code = 404030. Sub-industry moved to 40403010.* 404020* Real Estate40402010* Diversified Investment REITs* Trusts (REITs)* 40402020* Industrial REITs* 40402030* Mortgage REITs* 40402040* Office REITs* 40402050* Residential REITs* 40402060* Retail REITs* 40402070* Specialized REITs* 404030* Real Estate40403010* Real Estate Management &Management & Development*Development* (* Changes are noted by asterisk) The new or changed definitions for the Sub-Industries are as follows: Diversified REITs: A Company or Trust with significantly diversified operations across two or more property types. Industrial REITs: Companies or Trusts engaged in the acquisition, development, ownership, leasing, management and operation of industrial properties. Includes companies operating industrial warehouses and distribution properties. Mortgage REITs: Companies or Trusts that service, originate, purchase and/or securitize residential and/or commercial mortgage loans. Includes trusts that invest in mortgage-backed securities and other mortgage related assets. Office REITs: Companies or Trusts engaged in the acquisition, development, ownership, leasing, management and operation of office properties. Residential REITS: Companies or Trusts engaged in the acquisition, development, ownership, leasing, management and operation of residential properties including multifamily homes, apartments, manufactured homes and student housing properties. Retail REITs: Companies or Trusts engaged in the acquisition, development, ownership, leasing, management and operation of shopping malls, outlet malls, neighborhood and community shopping centers. Specialized REITs: Companies or Trusts engaged in the acquisition, development, ownership, leasing, management and operation of properties not classified elsewhere. Includes trusts that operate and invest in health care, leisure, hotel/resort and storage properties. It also includes REITs that do not generate a majority of their revenues and income from real estate rental and leasing operations. Real Estate Management & Development: Companies engaged in real estate ownership, development or management. Appendix C - 2004 GICS structure changes Industry Group Level No. Type of Industry CodeCurrent Industry New Industry Change Group Name Group Name 1 Name Change3520Pharmaceuticals & Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology Biotechnology& Life Sciences Industry Level No. Type of Industry Code Current IndustryNew Industry Change Group Name Name 1 New Industry 351030 Health Car echnology 2 New Industry 352030 Life Science ools & Services 3 Discontinued 404010Real Estat ndustry 4 New Industry 404020 Real Estat nvestmen rusts (REITs) 5 New Industry 404030 Real Estat anagement &Development Sub-Industry Level No. Type of Sub-Industry Code Current New Sub-Industry ChangeSub-Industry Name Name 1 Description 35101010 Health Care Health Care Change EquipmentEquipment 2 Description 35101020 Health Care Health Care Change Supplies Supplies 3 Description 35102015 Health Care Health Care Change Services Services 4 Description 35102020 Health Care Health Care Change Facilities Facilities 5 New 35103010 Health Care Sub-Industry Technology 6 Description 35201010 Biotechnology Biotechnology Change 7 New Sub-Industry35203010 Life Science ools & Services 8 Discontinued40401010 Real Estate Sub-IndustryInvestment Trusts (REITs) 9 Discontinued Sub-Industry40401020 Real Estate Management & Development 10New 40402010 Diversified Sub-Industry REITs 11New 40402020 Industrial REITs Sub-Industry 12New 40402030 Mortgage REITs Sub-Industry 13New 40402040 Office REITs Sub-Industry 14New 40402050 Residential Sub-Industry REITs 15New 40402060 Retail REITs Sub-Industry 16New 40402070 Specialized Sub-Industry REITs 17New 40403010 Real Estate Sub-Industry Management &Development Newly modified definitions are available on MSCI's web site at http://www.msci.com and on Standard & Poor's web sites at http://www.gics.standardandpoors.com and http://www.spglobal.com.

Source: PR Newswire