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TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 12/16/11 -- (TSX: XAL)(TSX: XBB)(TSX: XBM)(TSX: XBZ)(TSX: XCB)(TSX: XCG)(TSX: XCH)(TSX: XCR)(TSX: XCS)(TSX: XCV)(TSX: XDV)(TSX: XEB)(TSX: XEG)(TSX: XEI)(TSX: XEM)(TSX: XEN)(TSX: XFN)(TSX: XFR)(TSX: XGB)(TSX: XGC)(TSX: XGD)(TSX: XGR)(TSX: XHB)(TSX: XHC)(TSX: XHY)(TSX: XIC)(TSX: XID)(TSX: XIG)(TSX: XIN)(TSX: XIT)(TSX: XIU)(TSX: XLA)(TSX: XLB)(TSX: XMA)(TSX: XMD)(TSX: XPF)(TSX: XQQ)(TSX: XRB)(TSX: XRE)(TSX: XSB)(TSX: XSH)(TSX: XSP)(TSX: XST)(TSX: XSU)(TSX: XTR)(TSX: XUT)(TSX: XVX)(TSX: XWD)

BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited, an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK), today announced the December 2011 cash distributions for the 48 iShares funds listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Unitholders of record on December 29, 2011 will receive cash distributions payable on January 4, 2012. Details of the "per unit" distribution amounts are as follows:

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                                                                        Cash
                                                       Fund     Distribution
Fund Name                                            Ticker     Per Unit ($)
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iShares Alternatives Completion Portfolio
Builder Fund                                            XAL          0.64157
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iShares DEX Universe Bond Index Fund                    XBB          0.08759
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iShares S&P®/TSX® Global Base Metals Index
Fund                                                    XBM          0.06350
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iShares MSCI Brazil Index Fund                          XBZ          0.10063
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iShares DEX All Corporate Bond Index Fund               XCB          0.07207
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iShares Dow Jones Canada Select Growth Index
Fund                                                    XCG          0.02772
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iShares China Index Fund                                XCH          0.06263
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iShares Conservative Core Portfolio Builder Fund        XCR          0.48334
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iShares S&P/TSX SmallCap Index Fund                     XCS          0.02434
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iShares Dow Jones Canada Select Value Index Fund        XCV          0.13610
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iShares Dow Jones Canada Select Dividend Index
Fund                                                    XDV          0.05052
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iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond
Index Fund (CAD-Hedged)                                 XEB          0.11876
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iShares S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index Fund                XEG          0.06566
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iShares S&P/TSX Equity Income Index Fund                XEI          0.07191
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iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund                XEM          0.19018
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iShares Jantzi Social Index Fund                        XEN          0.08938
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iShares S&P/TSX Capped Financials Index Fund            XFN          0.02755
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iShares DEX Floating Rate Note Index Fund               XFR          0.01000
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iShares DEX All Government Bond Index Fund              XGB          0.05428
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iShares Global Completion Portfolio Builder Fund        XGC          0.43708
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iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold Index Fund                  XGD                -
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iShares Growth Core Portfolio Builder Fund              XGR          0.43374
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iShares DEX HYBrid Bond Index Fund                      XHB          0.10205
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iShares S&P Global Healthcare Index Fund (CAD-
Hedged)                                                 XHC          0.13596
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iShares U.S. High Yield Bond Index Fund (CAD-
Hedged)                                                 XHY          0.17616
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iShares S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index Fund             XIC          0.10047
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iShares S&P CNX Nifty India Index Fund                  XID          0.00418
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iShares U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index Fund (CAD-
Hedged)                                                 XIG          0.09342
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iShares MSCI EAFE® Index Fund (CAD-Hedged)            XIN          0.15177
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iShares S&P/TSX Capped Information Technology
Index Fund                                              XIT                -
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iShares S&P/TSX 60 Index Fund                           XIU          0.10021
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iShares S&P Latin America 40 Index Fund                 XLA          0.21824
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iShares DEX Long Term Bond Index Fund                   XLB          0.07310
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-
iShares S&P/TSX Capped Materials Index Fund             XMA                -
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iShares S&P/TSX Completion Index Fund                   XMD          0.07510
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iShares S&P/TSX North American Preferred Stock
Index Fund (CAD-Hedged)                                 XPF          0.06670
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iShares NASDAQ 100 Index Fund (CAD-Hedged)              XQQ          0.04038
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iShares DEX Real Return Bond Index Fund                 XRB          0.24935
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iShares S&P/TSX Capped REIT Index Fund                  XRE          0.06273
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iShares DEX Short Term Bond Index Fund                  XSB          0.07325
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iShares DEX Short Term Corporate Universe +
Maple Bond Index Fund                                   XSH          0.05938
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iShares S&P 500 Index Fund (CAD-Hedged)                 XSP          0.14311
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iShares S&P/TSX Capped Consumer Staples Index
Fund                                                    XST          0.04977
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iShares Russell 2000® Index Fund (CAD-Hedged)         XSU          0.16251
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iShares Diversified Monthly Income Fund                 XTR          0.06000
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iShares S&P/TSX Capped Utilities Index Fund             XUT          0.11193
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iShares S&P/TSX Venture Index Fund                      XVX                -
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iShares MSCI World Index Fund                           XWD          0.21981
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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 September 30, 2011, BlackRock's AUM was US$3.345 trillion. BlackRock offers products that span the risk spectrum to meet clients' needs, including active, enhanced and index strategies across markets and asset classes. Products are offered in a variety of structures including separate accounts, mutual funds, iShares® (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®. Headquartered in New York City, as of September 30, 2011, the firm has approximately 10,200 employees in 27 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® ETFs

The iShares business is a global product leader in ETFs with over 410 funds globally across equities, fixed income and commodities, which trade on 16 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 securities 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.