NASDAQ Announces the Annual Re-Ranking of the NASDAQ-100 Index

NEW YORK, Dec 11, 2009 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX News Network) -- The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) announced today the annual re-ranking of the NASDAQ-100 Index(R), effective with the market open on Monday, December 21, 2009.

The following seven issues will be added to the NASDAQ-100 Index: Vodafone Group Plc (Nasdaq:VOD), Mattel, Inc. (Nasdaq:MAT), BMC Software, Inc. (Nasdaq:BMC), Mylan Inc. (Nasdaq:MYL), QIAGEN N.V. (Nasdaq:QGEN), SanDisk Corporation (Nasdaq:SNDK), and Virgin Media Inc. (Nasdaq:VMED).

"We are delighted that these companies have been included in the NASDAQ-100 Index," said NASDAQ OMX Executive Vice President John L. Jacobs. "Of the seven new companies in the index, four transferred their listed securities from the NYSE to The NASDAQ Stock Market(R). Inclusion in the NASDAQ-100 Index, a globally recognized brand, provides these companies with increased visibility and distinguishes them as some of the world's leading large-cap growth companies."

The NASDAQ-100 Index is composed of the 100 largest non-financial stocks on The NASDAQ Stock Market and dates to January 1985 when it was launched along with the NASDAQ Financial-100 Index(R), which is comprised of the 100 largest financial stocks on NASDAQ(R). These indexes were originally designed to segment NASDAQ into two major industry groups to support media coverage and to act as benchmarks for financial products such as options, futures, and funds. The NASDAQ-100 Index is re-ranked each year in December, timed to coincide with the quadruple witch expiration Friday of the quarter.

On a cumulative price return basis, the NASDAQ-100 Index has returned 1314% since inception, although past performance is not indicative of future performance.

The NASDAQ-100 Index is the basis of the PowerShares QQQ(R) Trust (Nasdaq:QQQQ) which aims to provide investment results that, before expenses, correspond with the NASDAQ-100 Index performance. In addition, options, futures and structured products based on the NASDAQ-100 Index and the PowerShares QQQ Trust trade on various exchanges.

As a result of the re-ranking of the NASDAQ-100 Index, the following seven securities will be removed: Akamai Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:AKAM), Hansen Natural Corporation (Nasdaq:HANS), IAC/InterActive Corp (Nasdaq:IACI), Liberty Global's Class A Common Stock (Nasdaq:LBTYA), Pharmaceutical Product Development, Inc. (Nasdaq:PPDI), Ryanair Holdings plc (Nasdaq:RYAAY), and Steel Dynamics, Inc. (Nasdaq:STLD).

To learn more about the criteria for inclusion to the NASDAQ-100, visit https://indexes.nasdaqomx.com/data.aspx?IndexSymbol=NDX.

About NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group

NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group is engaged in the design, development, calculation, licensing, and marketing of NASDAQ OMX Indexes. NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group specializes in the development of indexes focusing on NASDAQ OMX's brand themes of innovation, technology, growth, and globalization. NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group also provides custom index services and design solutions as a third-party provider to selected financial organizations. For more information about NASDAQ OMX indexes, visit www.nasdaq.com/indexes.

About NASDAQ OMX Group

The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. is the world's largest exchange company. It delivers trading, exchange technology and public company services across six continents, with approximately 3,700 listed companies. NASDAQ OMX offers multiple capital raising solutions to companies around the globe, including its U.S. listings market, NASDAQ OMX Nordic, NASDAQ OMX Baltic, NASDAQ OMX First North, and the U.S. 144A sector. The company offers trading across multiple asset classes including equities, derivatives, debt, commodities, structured products and exchange-traded funds. NASDAQ OMX technology supports the operations of over 70 exchanges, clearing organizations and central securities depositories in more than 50 countries. NASDAQ OMX Nordic and NASDAQ OMX Baltic are not legal entities but describe the common offering from NASDAQ OMX exchanges in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Iceland, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. For more information about NASDAQ OMX, visit http://www.nasdaqomx.com. *Please follow NASDAQ OMX on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/NASDAQ-OMX/108167527653) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/nasdaqomx).

Notes to editors:

NASDAQ(R), NASDAQ-100(R), NASDAQ-100 Index(R), NASDAQ-100 Index Tracking Stock(R) and QQQ(R) are registered trademarks of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (collectively, with its affiliates "NASDAQ OMX") and are licensed for use by Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC. PowerShares QQQ has not been passed on by NASDAQ OMX as to its legality or suitability, and is not issued or sold by NASDAQ OMX. NASDAQ OMX makes no warranties and bears no liability with respect to Powershares QQQ.

Company Briefs:

The following are brief descriptions of the 7 companies to be added to the NASDAQ-100 Index in descending order based on market capitalization as calculated in the NASDAQ-100 Index annual re-ranking review. Securities listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market that meet the eligibility criteria were ranked by market capitalization using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price (NOCP) as of the end of October and total shares outstanding filed in public SEC documents through the end of November.

Vodafone Group Plc provides a range of mobile telecommunications services, including voice and data communications. Vodafone has equity interests in 31 countries and around 40 partner networks with almost all the Group's mobile subsidiaries operating principally under the brand name Vodafone. In the United States their associated undertaking operates as Verizon Wireless. The Berkshire, England, company's American Depositary Receipts had a market capitalization of $14.3 billion at the time of the ranking.

Mattel, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets a broad variety of children's products on a worldwide basis. The Company sells its products to retailers and directly to consumers. Mattel's products include branded fashion dolls, infant and preschool products, toy cars, and electrical vehicles, among others. The El Segundo, California, company had a market capitalization of $6.8 billion at the time of ranking.

BMC Software, Inc. provides management solutions for mainframe and distributed information technology systems. The Company's portfolio of software solutions spans enterprise systems, applications, databases and IT process management. BMC also provides maintenance and support for its products and performs software implementation, integration and education services for its customers. The Houston, Texas, company had a market capitalization of $6.8 billion at the time of ranking.

Mylan Inc. is a global generic and specialty pharmaceuticals company. The company operates an active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturer and runs a specialty business focused on respiratory, allergy, and psychiatric therapies. The Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, company had a market capitalization of $5.0 billion at the time of ranking.

Qiagen N.V. provides sample and assay technologies and products. These technologies (in the format of consumables and automated solutions) are used to process biological samples and to analyze analytes contained therein, such as DNA and RNA. The Company provides these technologies to customers conducting molecular diagnostics, applied testing, pharmaceutical research and development and academic research. The Venlo, Netherlands, company had a market capitalization of $4.8 billion at the time of ranking.

SanDisk Corporation supplies flash data storage products. The Company designs, manufactures, and markets industry-standard, solid-state data, digital imaging, and audio storage products using its patented, high-density flash memory and controller technology. The Milpitas, California, company had a market capitalization of $4.7 billion at the time of ranking.

Virgin Media Inc. conducts operations in the United Kingdom (UK) broadband communications and media sector. The Company provides cable television, cable telephony, and Internet access to residential customers, as well as voice, data, and managed solutions services for businesses. Virgin Media Inc. also supplies basic television channels to the UK television broadcasting market. The New York, New York, company had a market capitalization of $4.6 billion at the time of ranking.

NDAQG

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SOURCE: The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.

CONTACT:  The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.
Media Contact:
Wayne Lee
+1.301.978.4875
Issuer & Investor Contact:
Lisa Chaney
+1.301.978.8281

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