NEW YORK, Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Standard & Poor''s, the world''s leading index provider, announced today that the S&P GSCI increased 0.17% in September led by strength in the precious metals sector. According to Standard & Poor''s, the S&P GSCI Precious Metals Index increased 6.49% in September and has returned 16.19% for the year. Year-to-date, the S&P GSCI is up 4.68%.

Looking at the sectors, energy was little changed in September; however, the S&P GSCI Energy Index decline of 4.07% acted as the biggest index drag during the quarter. The S&P GSCI Industrial Metals Index, the best performing sector in 2009 with a year-to-date return of 56.83%, gained 20.72% during the third quarter.

"In addition to the mean reversion factor from 2008 and plenty of demand from China, many analysts have suggested that metals are gaining favor due to the low opportunity cost demand of dollar based metal investing from extremely low base rates," says Michael McGlone, Director of Commodity Indexing at Standard & Poor''s and author of the S&P GSCI Commodity Perspective posted monthly to http://www.spgsci.standardandpoors.com/.

The S&P GSCI Enhanced Index ended September with a year-to-date gain of 12%, despite a 0.94% decline during the third quarter. McGlone noted, "2009 has been a year favoring enhanced strategies due to extreme contango conditions in some of the energy components."

The S&P GSCI Agriculture Index ended September with a year-to-date decline of 6.77% on the heels of a 1.92% decline during the third quarter. Despite cheaper feed prices, the S&P GSCI Livestock Index was the weakest sector during the third quarter with a 5.75% decline. Year-to-date, the Index has fallen 16.58%.

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: http://www.spgsci.standardandpoors.com/.

S&P GSCI Total Return Analysis for September 30, 2009 Weight Value MTD QTD YTD S&P GSCI Index (%) 9/30/2009 Change Change Change S&P GSCI 100.00% 4182.21 0.17% -1.76% 4.68% S&P GSCI Energy Index 70.24% 947.08 0.55% -4.07% 3.65% S&P GSCI Industrial Metals Index 7.93% 1467.50 -2.40% 20.72% 56.83% S&P GSCI Precious Metals Index 3.26% 1322.94 6.49% 9.93% 16.19% S&P GSCI Agriculture Index 14.25% 552.81 -1.92% -1.92% -6.77% S&P GSCI Livestock Index 4.31% 1988.53 1.42% -5.75% -16.58% S&P GSCI Softs Index 5.13% 83.18 0.95% 21.53% 40.03% S&P GSCI Enhanced Index 584.66 -0.35% -0.94% 12.00% YTD YTD 3-MO. 12-MO. S&P GSCI Index High Low Change Change S&P GSCI 4520.96 3116.66 -1.20% -43.09% S&P GSCI Energy Index 1041.38 646.34 -0.70% -51.73% S&P GSCI Industrial Metals Index 1540.02 853.25 28.31% -11.74% S&P GSCI Precious Metals Index 1342.47 1040.96 3.08% 13.31% S&P GSCI Agriculture Index 663.49 509.40 -13.82% -21.86% S&P GSCI Livestock Index 2467.74 1941.95 -6.47% -28.88% S&P GSCI Softs Index 83.18 55.85 19.68% 19.09% S&P GSCI Enhanced Index 625.48 439.30 0.07% -35.20% Source: Standard & Poor''s About Standard & Poor''s Index Services

Standard & Poor''s Index Services, the world''s leading index provider, maintains a wide variety of investable and benchmark indices to meet an array of investor needs. Over $1 trillion is directly indexed to Standard & Poor''s family of indices, which includes the S&P 500, the world''s most followed stock market index, the S&P Global 1200, a composite index comprised of seven regional and country headline indices, the S&P Global BMI, an index with approximately 11,000 constituents, and the S&P GSCI, the industry''s most closely watched commodities index. For more information, please visit http://www.standardandpoors.com/indices.

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CONTACT: David Guarino, Communications, Standard & Poor''s,
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Web Site: http://www.spgsci.standardandpoors.com/