* Capital Link Forum - 12th Annual Capital Link Closed-End Funds and Global ETFs Forum

Published in Investor Business Daily on April 29th, 2013 and in Barron's the week of May 4, 2013.

Within the context of the Annual Capital Link Forum on Closed-End Funds and Global ETFs, we also organize annually two categories of Awards.

The first category is the Closed-End Funds and the ETP/ETF Awards, aimed to identify and recognize those fund sponsors and executives who consistently apply high standards of financial disclosure, investor and shareholder relations and product innovation. The Awards are based on nominations by a committee of analysts and industry specialists who actively follow CEFs and ETP/ETFs. There are separate Nominating Committees for CEFs and ETFs.

The second category of Awards is the CEF & ETP/ETF Analyst Awards aimed to recognize those firms and individual analysts who contribute the most to the development of the CEF and ETP/ETF sectors with their research work. The Awards are based on nominations by a committee of industry participants from CEFs and ETFs. There are separate Nominating Committees for CEFs and ETFs.

Capital Link is not part of any Nominating Committee.

The Awards are presented during the luncheon of the Annual Capital Link Forum on Closed-End Funds and Global ETFs which is organized every April in New York City.

The Awards receive wide recognition and publicity. They were published in Barron's (Saturday, May 4, 2013) and Investors' Business Daily (Monday, April 29, 2013).

Most Innovative Closed-End Fund in 2012
To the Fund Sponsor who came up with the most innovative product in 2012.

1st: PIMCO Dynamic Income Fund (PDI)
2nd: Nuveen Long/Short Commodity Total Return Fund (CTF) & Prudential Short Duration (ISD)
3rd: DoubleLine Opportunistic Credit (DBL)

Best Shareholder Relations by a Non US Equity Fund Family in 2012
To the Fund Sponsor who practices best financial disclosure and is proactive in shareholder communications.

1st: Aberdeen Asset Management
2nd: ING Investment Management
3rd: Morgan Stanley Investment Management

Best Shareholder Relations by a US Equity Fund Family in 2012
To the Fund sponsor who practices best financial disclosure and is proactive in shareholder communications.

1st: Nuveen Investments
2nd: BlackRock
3rd: Eaton Vance & Legg Mason

Best Shareholder Relations by a Fixed Income Fund Family in 2012
To the Fund Sponsor who practices best financial disclosure and is proactive in shareholder communications.

1st: Nuveen Investments
2nd: BlackRock
3rd: Legg Mason

Best Investor Relations CEF Website in 2012
To the Fund Sponsor who maintains the most informative and user friendly financial website.

1st: Nuveen Investments
2nd: BlackRock
3rd: Legg Mason

For Contribution to the Closed-End Fund Sector in 2012
Awarded to an individual for his/her contribution to the Closed-End Fund sector in 2012.

1st: Jeffrey Margolin, Senior Vice President & Closed-End Fund Analyst, First Trust Advisors
2nd: David Lamb, Senior Vice-President, Global Structured Products, Nuveen Investments
3rd: Mariana Bush, Closed-End Funds & Exchange Traded Funds Analyst, Wells Fargo Advisors

Most Innovative ETP in 2012
To the Fund Sponsor who came up with the most innovative product in 2012.

1st: PIMCO Total Return ETF (BOND)
2nd: First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund (EMLP)
3rd: iShares Morningstar Multi-Asset Income Index Fund (IYLD)

Best Shareholder Relations by an ETP Sponsor in 2012
To the Fund Sponsor who practices best financial disclosure and is proactive in shareholder communications.

1st: iShares / BlackRock
2nd: Vanguard
3rd: State Street Global Advisors (SSgA)

Best Investor Relations Website in 2012
To the Fund Sponsor who maintains the most informative and user friendly financial website.

1st: iShares / BlackRock
2nd: State Street Global Advisors (SSgA)
3rd: Invesco PowerShares

Most Innovative Index / Index Based ETP
To the Fund Sponsor who came up with the most innovative index / index based ETP in 2012.

1st: iShares / Morningstar Multi Asset Income Index Fund (IYLD)
2nd: PowerShares S&P 500 High Dividend Portfolio (SPHD) & ALPS Sector Dividend Dogs ETF (SDOG)
3rd: Market Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat Research ETF (MOAT)

For Contribution to the ETF sector in 2012
Awarded to an individual for his/her contribution to the ETF sector in 2012.

1st: Ed McRedmond, Senior Vice President, Institutional & Portfolio Strategies, Invesco PowerShares
2nd: Bill Gross, Founder, Managing Director & Co-CIO, PIMCO
3rd: Dodd Kittsley, Director, Head of iShares Due Diligence Team, BlackRock

Best Research Analyst / Team for Closed-End Funds in 2012
Awarded to the Analyst / Team that had the best research coverage & contributions to the Closed-End Fund sector in 2012.

1st: Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (Michael Jabara, David Perlman & Stephen Minar)
2nd: Wells Fargo Advisors (Mariana Bush)
3rd: Bank of America Merrill Lynch (Elias Lanik, Gabe Moreen & Jon Maier) & Stifel Nicolaus (Alex Reiss)

Best Research Analyst / Team for ETF Sector in 2012
Awarded to the Analyst / Team that had the best research coverage & contributions to the ETP/ETF sector in 2012.

1st: Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (Michael Jabara, David Perlman & Ellen Weinstein)
2nd: Credit Suisse (Phil Mackintosh & Victor Lin)
3rd: Wells Fargo Advisors (Mariana Bush)