DIFX welcomes Barclays Capital as member

Notes and media contacts

About DIFX

The DIFX aims to become the main exchange in its region for equities, bonds, Islamic products, funds, index products and derivatives. The target areas of the DIFX for seeking issuers include the whole of the Middle East and North Africa, as well as South Africa, Turkey and the Indian sub-continent.

The regulator of the DIFX is the Dubai Financial Services Authority. The DIFX is located in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and its owner is the DIFC Authority.

About Barclays Capital
Barclays Capital is the investment banking division of Barclays Bank PLC, which has an AA rating and a balance sheet of over £560 billion. With a distinctive business model, Barclays Capital provides large corporates, government and institutional clients with solutions to their financing and risk management needs. Barclays Capital has offices in 25 countries, employs over 8,000 people and has the global reach and distribution power to meet the needs of issuers and investors worldwide. In January 2005, Barclays Capital received recognition from two of the finance industry's most prestigious publications by being named IFR magazine's 'Bank of the Year' and Risk magazine's 'Derivatives House of the Year'; and in November 2005, Financial News magazine awarded Barclays Capital 'European Investment Bank of the Year' in their annual Awards for Excellence. In the Middle East, Barclays Capital is licensed to operate from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), having opened its office in the landmark Gate Building on 3 July 2005. Since spring 2004, Barclays Capital has significantly expanded the resources devoted to the Middle East, bringing the firm's expertise in debt financing and risk management to the region. The Barclays Capital team in the Middle East & North Africa is headed by Nicholas Hegarty. For further information about Barclays Capital, please visit www.barclayscapital.com

For further information
Tim Harrison/Lavina Chatterjee
ASDA'A Financial
Edelman affiliate in Middle East and North Africa
Dubai, UAE
Tel: +971-4-3344550
Fax: +971-4-3344556

Mark Fisher
Head of Corporate Communications
Tel: +971 4 361 2220
Mob: + 971 50 624 5805

Florence Goodman
Barclays Bank
Head of Public Relations and Corporate Affairs UAE/ME
Tel: +971 4 362 6785
Fax: +971 4 368 3882
Cell: +971 50 651 0871