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

NEW YORK, Jan. 18  /PRNewswire/ -- Standard & Poor's will make the following changes to the S&P SmallCap 600 index:

  * Corus Bankshares Inc. (NASD:CORS) will replace Digitas Inc. (NASD:DTAS)
    in the S&P SmallCap 600 index after the close of trading on Wednesday,
    January 24.  Digitas is being acquired by S&P Global 1200 constituent
    Publicis Groupe SA in a deal expected to close on or about that date,
    pending final approvals.

  * S&P REIT Composite constituent Medical Properties Trust Inc. (NYSE:MPW)
    will replace Open Solutions Inc. (NASD:OPEN) in the S&P SmallCap 600
    index after the close of trading on a date to be announced.  Open
    Solutions is being acquired by The Carlyle Group and Providence Equity
    Partners in a deal that is still pending final approvals.



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

Corus offers consumer and corporate banking products and services in the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, IL, the company will be added to the S&P SmallCap 600 GICS (Global Industry Classification Standard) Thrifts & Mortgage Finance Sub-Industry index.

Medical Properties is a REIT that acquires, develops, and makes investments in health care facilities.  Headquartered in Birmingham, AL, the company will be added to the S&P SmallCap 600 GICS Specialized REITs Sub-Industry index.

  Following is a summary of the changes:

                S&P SMALLCAP 600  INDEX - January 24, 2007

               COMPANY          GICS ECONOMIC   GICS SUB-INDUSTRY
                                   SECTOR
  ADDED        Corus Bankshares  Financials     Thrifts & Mortgage Finance
  DELETED      Digitas           Information    Internet Software & Services
                                  Technology


                 S&P SMALLCAP 600 INDEX - To Be Announced
            COMPANY              GICS ECONOMIC      GICS SUB-INDUSTRY
                                   SECTOR
  ADDED     Medical Properties   Financials         Specialized REITs
             Trust
  DELETED   Open Solutions       Information        Application Software
                                  Technology



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 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 240 offices in 36 countries. Sales in 2005 were $6.0 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/. 

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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