Barclays Capital Launches Global Convertibles Benchmark Index

London, May 20, 2011 – Barclays Capital, publisher of leading broad market bond benchmarks, today announced the launch of a new Global Convertibles Index. This new index offers investors a total return benchmark for multi-currency global convertible bond portfolios and continues the build-out of the Barclays Capital Convertibles Index family.

“The Barclays Capital Global Convertibles Index follows the recent standalone EMEA and APAC Convertibles Index launches, and can be used by global convertibles investors that invest in multiple regions, both for performance targets and for informational measures of market returns and risk characteristics,” said Luke Olsen, Head of Convertibles Research, EMEA and Asia Pacific.

Designed as a benchmark for active or passive portfolios, this rules-based index blends the three existing regional Barclays Capital Convertibles Indices (the US Convertibles Index, EMEA Convertibles Index and APAC Convertibles Index) into a single, global benchmark for the convertibles asset class. An extensive suite of sub-indices are also available, offering structural breakdowns of market performance by convertibles profile, sector classification, currency, country and credit quality.

“The Global Convertibles Index creates a clear new global measure for the convertibles asset class,” said Waqas Samad, Head of Index, Portfolio and Risk Solutions for Barclays Capital. “Offering a broad and objective benchmark index, as well as a variety of index customization options, strengthens our position with dedicated convertibles investors and other debt or equity investors that participate in the asset class.”

The Barclays Capital Global Convertibles Index data can be accessed on Barclays Capital Live and on Bloomberg®.

About Barclays Capital Index, Portfolio and Risk Solutions

The Barclays Capital Indices platform offers market-leading benchmarks and other index products to meet the diverse needs of global investors including investment and market analysis of both alpha and beta sources, portfolio benchmarking and performance measurement, asset allocation, and the creation of index tracking funds and index-based structured products.

For further information please contact:
Catherine Malloy
+44 20 777 38939
catherine.malloy@barclayscapital.com

Seth Martin
+1 212 412 7565
seth.martin@barclayscapital.com