NEW YORK, July 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Led by a 29.9% increase in the S&P GSCI Industrial Metals Index, the S&P GSCI increased 6.55% during the first half of 2009. According to Standard & Poor's Index Services, industrial metals were the strongest sector performer during the first six months of the year; however, due to the greater weight of energy in the S&P GSCI (currently 71%), the 8.05% year-to-date increase in the S&P GSCI Energy Index was the largest contributor to the S&P GSCI's first half returns.

"The commodity market exhibited stabilization in the first half of 2009 following the near historic volatility in 2008. In addition, it seemed to be anticipating a potential recovery in the global economic situation," says Michael McGlone, Director of Commodity Indexing at Standard & Poor's and author of the S&P GSCI Commodity Perspective posted monthly to www.spgsci.standardandpoors.com.

According to McGlone, the emergence of economic "green shoots" benefited the S&P GSCI in the first half of the year, but pressured agriculture prices. In June, the S&P GSCI Agriculture Index was the worst performing sector, posting a 12.13% decline and resulting in a year-to-date loss of 4.94%. Agriculture was the biggest first half sector drag on S&P GSCI returns.

The S&P GSCI is the most closely followed benchmark for investment performance in the commodity markets. For more information on the S&P GSCI, please visit: www.spgsci.standardandpoors.com.

    S&P GSCI Total Return Analysis for June 30, 2009
                             Weight    Value     MTD     QTD     YTD
    S&P GSCI Index            (%)    6/30/2009 Change  Change  Change
    --------------            ---    --------- ------  ------  ------

    S&P GSCI                100.00%   4257.24   0.57%  19.24%   6.55%
    S&P GSCI Energy Index    71.11%    987.30   3.52%  26.67%   8.05%
    S&P GSCI Industrial
     Metals Index             6.69%   1215.61   6.28%  22.60%  29.91%
    S&P GSCI Precious
     Metals Index             3.04%   1203.49  -6.22%   0.51%   5.70%
    S&P GSCI Agriculture
     Index                   14.46%    563.65 -12.13%   1.13%  -4.94%
    S&P GSCI Livestock
     Index                    4.69%   2109.85  -0.76%  -4.57% -11.49%
    S&P GSCI Softs Index      4.16%     68.44  -1.52%  14.73%  15.22%



                             YTD        YTD     3-MO.   12-MO
    S&P GSCI Index           High       Low    Change  Change
    --------------           ----       ---    ------  ------

    S&P GSCI               4520.96    3116.66  24.62% -59.87%
    S&P GSCI Energy Index  1041.38     646.34  32.65% -66.30%
    S&P GSCI Industrial
     Metals Index          1297.42     853.25  35.00% -42.90%
    S&P GSCI Precious
     Metals Index          1303.94    1040.96  -1.46%  -4.44%
    S&P GSCI Agriculture
     Index                  663.49     509.40   6.59% -43.00%
    S&P GSCI Livestock
     Index                 2467.74    1997.70  -6.34% -31.73%
    S&P GSCI Softs Index     70.93      55.85  13.96% -17.82%

    Source: Standard & Poor's

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SOURCE Standard & Poor's