Carefully consider the iShares Funds' investment objectives, risk factors, and charges and expenses before investing. This and other information can be found in the Funds' prospectuses, which may be obtained by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737), or by viewing or downloading a prospectus. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.
Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.
Not FDIC Insured * No Bank Guarantee * May Lose Value
In addition to the normal risks associated with investing, narrowly focused investments, investments in smaller companies and investments in single countries typically exhibit higher volatility. International investments may involve risk of capital loss from unfavorable fluctuations in currency values, from differences in generally accepted accounting principles or from economic or political instability in other nations. Emerging markets involve heightened risks related to the same factors as well as increased volatility and lower trading volume. Bonds and bond funds will decrease in value as interest rates rise. A portion of a municipal bond fund's income may be subject to federal or state income taxes or the alternative minimum tax. Capital gains, if any, are subject to capital gains tax. Diversification and asset allocation may not protect against market risk.
An investment in the fund(s) is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Shares of the iShares Funds may be sold throughout the day on the exchange through any brokerage account. However, shares may only be redeemed directly from the fund by Authorized Participants, in very large creation/redemption units. There can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained.
All registered investment companies, including iShares Funds, are obliged to distribute portfolio gains to shareholders at year-end regardless of performance. Trading iShares Funds will also generate tax consequences and transaction expenses. The information provided is not intended to be tax advice. Tax consequences of dividend distributions may vary by individual taxpayer.
The iShares Funds registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("Funds") are distributed by SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("SEI"). BlackRock Fund Advisors ("BFA") serves as the investment advisor to the Funds. BFA is a subsidiary of BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A., neither of which is affiliated with SEI.
Neither BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A., and its affiliates nor SEI and its affiliates provide tax advice. Please note that (i) any discussion of U.S. tax matters contained in this communication cannot be used by you for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties; (ii) this communication was written to support the promotion or marketing of the matters addressed herein; and (iii) you should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.
The iShares Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, issued, sold or promoted by Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., Dow Jones & Company, Inc., European Public Real Estate Association ("EPRA®"), FTSE International Limited ("FTSE"), FTSE/Xinhua Index Limited ("FXI"), iBoxx®, JPMorgan Chase & Co., MSCI Inc., Morningstar Inc., The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc., National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts ("NAREIT"), New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Russell Investment Group or Standard & Poor's, nor are they sponsored, endorsed or issued by Barclays Capital. None of these companies make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in the Funds. Neither SEI, nor BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A., nor any of their affiliates, are affiliated with the companies listed above.
FXI does not make any warranty regarding the FTSE/Xinhua Index. All rights in the FTSE/Xinhua Index vest in FXI. Neither FTSE nor NAREIT makes any warranty regarding the FTSE NAREIT Real Estate 50/Residential/Retail/Mortgage or Industrial/Office Index; all rights vest in NAREIT. Neither FTSE nor NAREIT makes any warranty regarding the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Developed Real Estate ex-US/North America/Europe/Asia Index; all rights vest in FTSE, NAREIT and EPRA. All rights in the FTSE Developed Small Cap ex-North America Index vest in FTSE. "FTSE" is a trade and servicemark of London Stock Exchange and The Financial Times Limited; "Xinhua" is a trade and servicemark of Xinhua Financial Network Limited.
iShares® is a registered trademark of BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. All other trademarks, servicemarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This information is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy shares of any iShares Fund to any person in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation, purchase or sale would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.
©2010 BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. All rights reserved.
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Time for a midyear check-in with Russ Koesterich, Chief Investment Strategist for BlackRock's Scientific Active Equities Group, to learn what the rest of 2010 may have in store for equity investors. (posted: 7/20/10) More