Standard & Poor's Announces Changes to U.S. Indices

NEW YORK, July 9  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Standard & Poor's will make the following changes to the S&P 500, S&P SmallCap 600, and S&P REIT Composite indices:

  * Akamai Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:AKAM) will replace Biomet Inc.
    (NASDAQ:BMET) in the S&P 500 after the close of trading on Wednesday,
    July 11.  Biomet is being acquired by a private equity consortium in a
    tender offer scheduled to expire on or about that date, pending final
    approvals.

  * NATCO Group Inc. (NYSE:NTG) will replace Genesis Healthcare Corp.
    (NASDAQ:GHCI) in the S&P SmallCap 600 after the close of trading on a
    date to be announced.  Genesis Healthcare is being acquired by a joint
    venture between affiliates of Formation Capital LLC and JER Partners in
    a deal still pending final approvals.

  * Winthrop Realty Trust Inc. (NYSE:FUR) will replace Highland Hospitality
    Corp. (NYSE:HIH) in the S&P REIT Composite after the close of trading
    on a date to be announced.  Highland Hospitality is being acquired by
    affiliates of JER Partners Acquisitions IV LLC in a deal still pending
    final approvals.



Standard & Poor's will monitor these transactions, and post any relevant updates on its website: http://www.standardandpoors.com/.

Akamai provides services for accelerating and improving the delivery of content and applications over the Internet.  Headquartered in Cambridge, MA, the company will be added to the S&P 500 GICS (Global Industry Classification Standard) Internet Software & Services Sub-Industry index.

NATCO Group engages in the design, manufacture, and marketing of oil and gas production equipment and systems. Headquartered in Houston, TX, the company will be added to the S&P SmallCap 600 GICS Oil & Gas Equipment & Services Sub-Industry index.

Winthrop is a REIT that engages in the ownership and management of real property and real estate-related assets.  Headquartered in Boston, MA, the company will be added to the S&P REIT Composite Diversified REITs sub- industry.

  Following is a summary of the changes:

                        S&P 500 INDEX - July 11, 2007

                COMPANY        GICS ECONOMIC SECTOR    GICS SUB-INDUSTRY

    ADDED        Akamai       Information Technology  Internet Software &
              Technologies                                  Services

   DELETED       Biomet            Health Care       Health Care Equipment



                   S&P SMALLCAP 600 INDEX - To Be Announced

                COMPANY        GICS ECONOMIC SECTOR    GICS SUB-INDUSTRY

    ADDED     NATCO Group             Energy         Oil & Gas Equipment &
                                                            Services

   DELETED Genesis Healthcare      Health Care       Health Care Facilities



                    S&P REIT COMPOSITE - To Be Announced

                COMPANY        GICS ECONOMIC SECTOR    GICS SUB-INDUSTRY

    ADDED   Winthrop Realty         Financials         Diversified REITs
                 Trust

   DELETED      Highland            Financials         Specialized REITs
              Hospitality



Additions to and deletions from an S&P equity index do not in any way reflect an opinion on the investment merits of the companies concerned.

About Standard & Poor's

Standard & Poor's, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP), is the world's foremost provider of financial market intelligence, including independent credit ratings, indices, risk evaluation, investment research and data. With approximately 7,500 employees, including wholly-owned affiliates, located in 21 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 The McGraw-Hill Companies:

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2006 were $6.3 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.

  For more information contact:

  David M. Blitzer, Ph.D.
  Managing Director & Chairman of the Index Committee
  [phone]


DATASOURCE: Standard & Poor's



CONTACT: David M. Blitzer, Ph.D.

Managing Director & Chairman of the Index Committee

[phone]



Web site:  http://www.standardandpoors.com/

http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/ 

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