Standard & Poor's Announces Changes in the S&P/TSX Canadian Indices

TORONTO , Dec. 22 /CNW/ - Standard & Poor's Canadian Index Operations announces the following index changes:

    
    -   The Series E First Preferred Shares of Great-West Lifeco Inc.
        (TSX:GWO.PR.X) have been called for redemption on Thursday,
        December 31, 2009, at $26.00 per share. The shares will be removed
        from the S&P/TSX Preferred Share Index after the close of Wednesday,
        December 30, 2009.
    -   The 5.75% First Preferred Shares, Series A, of IGM Financial Inc.
        (TSX:IGM.PR.A) have been called for redemption on Thursday, December
        31, 2009, at $26.00 per share. The shares will be removed from the
        S&P/TSX Preferred Share Index after the close of Wednesday,
        December 30, 2009.
    

Company additions to and deletions from an S&P equity index do not in any way reflect an opinion on the investment merits of the company.

About Standard & Poor's Index Services

Standard & Poor's Index Services, the world's leading index provider, maintains a wide variety of investable and benchmark indices to meet an array of investor needs. Over $1 trillion is directly indexed to Standard & Poor's family of indices, which includes the S&P 500, the world's most followed stock market index, the S&P Global 1200, a composite index comprised of seven regional and country headline indices, the S&P Global BMI, an index with approximately 11,000 constituents and the S&P GSCI, the industry's most closely-watched commodities index. For more information, please visit www.standardandpoors.com/indices.

About Standard & Poor's

Standard & Poor's, a subsidiary of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), is the world's foremost provider of independent credit ratings, indices, risk evaluation, investment research and data. With offices in 23 countries and markets, Standard & Poor's is an essential part of the world's financial infrastructure and has played a leading role for nearly 150 years in providing investors with the independent benchmarks they need to feel more confident about their investment and financial decisions. For more information, visit: www.standardandpoors.com.

For further information: Tony North, [phone], [email protected]; Dave Guarino, [phone], [email protected]