BlackRock Canada Announces Certain Changes to XHY

BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited ("BlackRock Canada"), an indirect,
wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK), has completed the
implementation of the new investment strategy of the iShares U.S. High Yield
Bond Index Fund (CAD-Hedged) ("XHY"), as previously announced by press release
dated July 5, 2013.


The new investment strategy of XHY is to invest primarily in a regularly
rebalanced portfolio of U.S. dollar-denominated high yield corporate bonds,
selected by BlackRock Canada from time to time, that in aggregate closely match
the characteristics of the Markit iBoxx USD Liquid High Yield Total Return Index
hedged in CAD (the "XHY Index"), and hedge any resulting U.S. dollar currency
exposure back to Canadian dollars. The previous investment strategy of XHY
involved investing in the iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF, a U.S.
iShares Fund that itself invests in a portfolio of U.S. dollar-denominated high
yield corporate bonds included in the XHY Index. The investment objective of XHY
and the XHY Index have remained unchanged.


As a result of the new investment strategy, the potential expiration of U.S. tax
rules exempting qualified interest income from U.S. withholding tax no longer
affects XHY, as interest income arising from direct investments in U.S. fixed
income securities is generally not subject to U.S. withholding taxes.


Further information on iShares funds can be found at www.iShares.ca.

About BlackRock

BlackRock is a leader in investment management, risk management and advisory
services for institutional and retail clients worldwide. At June 30, 2013,
BlackRock's AUM was US$3.857 trillion. BlackRock helps clients meet their goals
and overcome challenges with a range of products that include 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 June 30, 2013, the
firm has approximately 10,700 employees in 30 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(R) ETFs

iShares is the global product leader in exchange traded funds with over 600
funds globally across equities, fixed income and commodities, which trade on 20
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 shares 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 and high net worth individuals.


iShares(R) Funds are managed by BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited.
Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing
in iShares Funds. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. The ETFs
are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not
be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as
appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional. 


(C) 2013 BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited. All rights reserved.
iSHARES(R) and BLACKROCK(R) are registered trademarks of BlackRock, Inc., or its
subsidiaries in the United States and elsewhere. Used with permission. 


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: 
Contact for Media:
Maeve Hannigan
Veritas Communications
T - 416-955-4570
C - 647-618-8621
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