BOC largest stock in FTSE/ATHEX Mid 40

The Bank of Cyprus is to be the largest constituent company of the FTSE/ATHEX Mid 40 index as from 1 June 2006. Based on yesterday’s closing prices of the shares traded on the Athens Exchange, the Bank of Cyprus is expected to have a weight in the FTSE/ATHEX Mid 40 index of around 24%.

At the semi-annual meeting of the FTSE/ATHEX Index Advisory Committee on 3 May 2006, it was decided that Bank of Cyprus is included in the FTSE/ATHEX Mid 40 index effective 1 June 2006.

Even though Bank of Cyprus is ranked 11th among all ATHEX listed companies in terms of market capitalisation (based on yesterday’s closing share prices), the FTSE/ATHEX Ground Rules do not allow participation of a new company in the FTSE/ATHEX 20 index unless the company is ranked at 10th position or higher, or an already index-participating company is ranked at 30th position or lower or exits the index for any other reason.

At its meeting held, the FTSE/ATHEX Index Advisory Committee ranked Bank of Cyprus at the first position of the FTSE/ATHEX 20 Reserve List. Therefore, in the event that a company is deleted from the FTSE/ATHEX 20 index for any reason, then the Bank of Cyprus will fill the vacancy.