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Exchange-Traded Fund

In the wide and varied family of the thousands and thousands of funds out there, the exchange-traded fund is one of the more consumer-friendly ones.

Unlike mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, behave more like stocks. You can buy into an ETF at any time, and sell it whenever you feel like it. And like a stock, an ETF's value can rise and fall--depending on what the ETF is invested in.What do ETFs invest in? Well, they're typically linked to an index like the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the S&P 500. So, if you had an ETF that trades the same companies that make up the Dow or the S&P, it will rise and fall in value pretty much the same amount as the Dow or S&P.

You can also buy ETFs that invest in other types of products, like bonds, currencies, gold or other commodities. The ETF market has grown considerably in the past few years, so there is no shortage of ETFs to invest in.

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Friday, September 05, 2008

NRC: Funding to Search for Ways to Help 500,000 Children Breathe Easier

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CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE-EDWARD-ISLAND AND MONTREAL, QUEBEC, Sep 05, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) ----Merck Frosst Canada Ltd. is funding an asthma-related project initiated by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). Earlier this year, Merck Frosst approved a proposal by a Charlottetown-based immunologist at the NRC Institute for Nutrisciences and Health. Under the direction of Dr. Marianna Kulka, the pre-clinical pediatric asthma study is expected to wrap up by December 2008.

"NRC's relationship with Merck Frosst is an example of our strategy to unite public and private research strengths as we put science to work for Canada," says NRC President Dr. Pierre Coulombe. "By teaming up with biopharmaceutical leaders like Merck Frosst, NRC can further innovate to help improve human health, including the health of Canadian children."

More than half a million Canadian children have asthma. Through Merck Frosst's Investigator Initiated Study Program, NRC will receive nearly $76,000, including a supply of the study medication SINGULAIR(R) (montelukast), to conduct a pre-clinical research project relating to pediatric asthma. Canadian scientists at the Merck Frosst Centre for Therapeutic Research in Montreal discovered the study drug montelukast

"Partnering with the scientists from the National Research Council will foster synergy that will help better understand the pathophysiology of childhood asthma," says Dr Michel Cimon, Medical Director, Merck Frosst Canada. "Through research projects such as this one, Merck Frosst is committed to working closely with Canadian renowned scientists like Dr. Kulka."

About NRC

Recognized globally for research and innovation, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) works hand in hand with partners from industry, government and universities to help ignite the spark of innovation in communities across the country and give Canadian companies a competitive edge in today's marketplace. For more information, visit http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

About Merck Frosst

At Merck Frosst, patients come first. Merck Frosst Canada Ltd. is a research-driven pharmaceutical company discovering, developing and marketing a broad range of innovative medicines and vaccines to improve human health. Merck Frosst is one of the top 25 R&D investors in Canada, with an investment of close to $110 million in 2007. More information about Merck Frosst is available at www.merckfrosst.com and additional information about SINGULAIR(R) may be found by visiting http://merckfrosst.ca/mfcl/en/corporate/newsroom/product_news/singulair.html

(R)Registered Trademark of Merck & Co., Inc. Used under license.

www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

 Contacts:
   National Research Council Canada Natalie Hall Media Relations 613-990-6091 Natalie.Hall@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca Merck Frosst Canada
   Ltd. Martine Drolet Manager, Public Affairs 514-428-3037

SOURCE: NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL CANADA-NRC and Merck Frosst Canada Ltd.

mailto:Natalie.Hall@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

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