WARSAW, March 04, 2009 — First Data, a global leader in electronic commerce and payment processing services, and American Express, today announced a new merchant services agreement in Poland. Under the terms of the agreement First Data will become the exclusive merchant acquirer and merchant processor for American Express® Card transactions in Poland. 

First Data will assume responsibility for the range of merchant services including signing new merchants to accept American Express branded cards, managing relationships with existing merchants and processing merchant transactions on the American Express network. First Data will also be responsible for managing and implementing new solutions for American Express merchants in Poland, including migration to the EMV standard. American Express Card acceptance will remain available to Polish merchants through a number of acquiring agents, overseen by First Data.

“This exclusive agreement gives First Data’s Polish operation a sustainable, competitive advantage, unmatched by any other bank or competitor in the region,” said Nigel Bidmead, Senior Vice President and Head of First Data’s International Merchant business. “We believe that we will be able to further grow card acceptance for American Express in Poland and introduce a totally new level of service quality to our merchants.”

“In First Data we have an ideal services provider,” said Pascal J. Guignard, Vice President and General Manager, Global Network Services in Europe, Middle East and Africa, American Express. “In addition to their tremendous expertise in merchant acquiring they have had a strong presence in Poland since 1991. Through this agreement, American Express will be well positioned to enhance the value provided to merchants. Together we will continue to focus on expanding card acceptance and usage at merchant locations that attract high spending American Express Cardmembers from both within and outside Poland.”

First Data will leverage its nearly 20 years of payments experience and expertise in Poland to increase American Express’ market penetration. “We will use our highly skilled sales force to offer American Express products to merchants throughout Poland,” said Janusz Diemko, managing director of First Data in Poland. “I am confident that this cooperation with American Express will influence the growth of the Polish cards market as a whole.”

In addition to this agreement, American Express has had a card issuing agreement with Millennium Bank Polska S.A. (owned by Banco Comercial Portugues) since 1999. Today the bank issues a wide portfolio of American Express-branded cards to consumers throughout Poland. American Express will continue to maintain its travel and corporate card business in Poland, serving the needs of American Express Cardmembers and other travellers.

About First Data
First Data powers the global economy by making it easy, fast and secure for people and businesses to buy goods and services using virtually any form of electronic payment.  Whether the choice of payment is a gift card, a credit or debit card or a check, First Data securely processes the transaction and harnesses the power of the data to deliver intelligence and insight for millions of merchant locations and thousands of card issuers in 37 countries. For more information, visit www.firstdata.com.

About American Express
American Express Company is a diversified worldwide travel, financial and network services company, founded in 1850. It is a world leader in charge and credit cards, Travelers Cheques, travel, and business services. Since 1996 American Express has been aggressively pursuing a strategy of opening its merchant network and card product portfolio to third party issuers around the world. By leveraging its global infrastructure and the powerful appeal of the brand, American Express has gained even broader reach for its network worldwide.

NEW YORK and LONDON, Feb. 18 /PRNewswire/ — Fresh optimism over China’s growth prospects has led to a marked improvement in economic sentiment globally, according to the Merrill Lynch Survey of Fund Managers for February.

Investors are at their most hopeful about the year ahead since the credit crunch took hold in July 2007, with the number who forecast a worsening economy in the 12 months ahead falling to a net -6 percent. This compares with a net -24 percent in January. The majority recognises, however, that the world economy is in recession.

Fears of a prolonged slowdown in China appear to be fading. The number of investors who predict lower growth in China over the coming 12 months has fallen sharply, to a net 21 percent in February from a net 70 percent in January.

Similarly, severe pessimism about the outlook for corporate earnings has started to ease. A net 43 percent of respondents expect to see deteriorating profits over the coming year, significantly lower than the 63 percent who held that view in December. A net 49 percent of the panel predicts inflation will fall over the coming 12 months, compared with 64 percent in January and 82 percent in December.

“Fund manager expectations for Chinese economic growth rose dramatically to their highest levels since 2007, and faint global decoupling hopes now reside solely with China,” says Michael Hartnett, chief Global Emerging Markets Equity strategist at Banc of America Securities-Merrill Lynch Research.

Commodities coming back as equity allocations shift into cyclicals

Commodities have enjoyed the sharpest pick-up in terms of changes to asset allocations in the past two months. Investors hold a net 15 percent underweight position in commodities, down from a net 32 percent underweight in December.

Bond weightings were trimmed while equity allocations fell back to a net 34 percent underweight - the same position as in December. Investors have been pruning back their allocations to traditional defensive sectors and moving into more cyclical sectors.

Weightings fell in Telecoms, Insurance, Staples and Utilities. At the same time investors increased positions in Technology, Energy, Materials, Industrials and Discretionary Spending.

“Higher risk appetite, rising commodity sentiment and a strong valuation case could encourage further investment in energy and materials sectors. We see this as best played out through sterling-denominated assets,” said Gary Baker, Banc of America Securities-Merrill Lynch head of EMEA Equity Strategy.

U.S. in favour while Japan allocations fall

Appetite for U.S. equities has been reawakened in February, possibly boosted by poor market performance in January. The net overweight position in U.S. equities has risen to 15 percent this month, up from 7 percent one month ago. The U.S. benefits from having the best profits outlook, and 31 percent of respondents want to overweight U.S. equities in the next 12 months.

At the same time allocations to Japan have fallen starkly with investors who hold a net underweight position of 26 percent, compared to 15 percent in January. Traditionally, Japanese equities would benefit from a broad pick-up in sentiment. Japan also suffers from having an overvalued major currency, according to the survey.

For the first time, respondents view the yen as more overvalued than the euro. Pessimism over the euro has broadly moderated, while the region’s macro-economic outlook is somewhat more favorable.

“Eurozone growth expectations picked up to the highest level in 12 months in February,” said Baker. “But in contrast with the global picture, the number of European portfolio managers overweight cash spiked to the highest level since October 2001.”

Survey of Fund Managers

A total of 212 fund managers, managing a total of US$599 billion, participated in the global survey from 6 February to 12 February. A total of 177 managers, managing US$372 billion, participated in the regional surveys. The survey was conducted by Banc of America Securities-Merrill Lynch Research with the help of market research company Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS). Through its international network in more than 50 countries, TNS provides market information services in over 80 countries to national and multi-national organizations. It is ranked as the fourth-largest market information group in the world.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world’s largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk-management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving more than 59 million consumer and small business relationships with more than 6,100 retail banking offices, nearly 18,700 ATMs and award-winning online banking with nearly 29 million active users. Following the acquisition of Merrill Lynch on January 1, 2009, Bank of America is among the world’s leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to more than 4 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients in more than 150 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Many of the bank’s services to corporate and institutional clients are provided through its U.S. and UK subsidiaries, including Banc of America Securities LLC, Banc of America Securities Limited, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith Incorporated and Merrill Lynch International. For additional information, visit www.bankofamerica.com.

Merrill Lynch

Merrill Lynch is one of the world’s leading wealth management, capital markets and advisory companies, with offices in 40 countries and territories and total client assets of approximately $1.5 trillion at September 26, 2008. As an investment bank, it is a leading global trader and underwriter of securities and derivatives across a broad range of asset classes and serves as a strategic advisor to corporations, governments, institutions and individuals worldwide. Merrill Lynch has approximately 50 percent ownership in BlackRock Inc., one of the world’s largest publicly traded investment management companies, with approximately $1.3 trillion in assets under management at December 31, 2008. For more information on Merrill Lynch, please visit www.ml.com. Merrill Lynch was acquired by Bank of America on January 1, 2009.

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SOURCE: Banc of America Securities-Merrill Lynch Research

Web site: http://www.bankofamerica.com/
http://www.ml.com/

The addition of these types of rewards to the Membership Rewards program reflects a shifting demand in the way consumers want to use points. While many Cardmembers have traditionally used points as a way to treat themselves to luxury vacations, these economic times have many consumers looking for more flexibility and choice in the way they can use points.

“The introduction of these rewards to the Membership Rewards program underscores American Express’ commitment to continuously listen to our Cardmembers and provide rewards that are the most relevant to their lifestyle and resonate most with them,” says Tracey Beberman, vice president, Membership Rewards Marketing, American Express. “These new rewards give them even more ways to redeem points and get the kinds of things they want and need.”

Fill up the Tank with Points
The newly introduced Express Rewards (SM) Gas Card allows Cardmembers to use points for the expense of gas. The Express Rewards Gas Card lets Cardmembers fill up at virtually any gas station that accepts American Express® Cards. The Express Rewards Gas Card is available in $50 and $100 denominations for 6,500 and 13,000 points, respectively.

Practical Points
As consumers try to make their dollars stretch a bit further these days, necessary, and often unexpected, spending such as replacing a big-ticket household appliance can be more of a burden. To address this need the Membership Rewards program recently added large home appliances to its existing household products offerings. Now, Cardmembers can redeem for everything from dishwashers and refrigerators to washers and dryers from well-known brands such as KitchenAid®, GE Profile(TM) and Whirlpool®. Examples of the items currently available include:

• KitchenAid® Architect® II K Series(TM) Built-In Dishwasher Fully Classic Console (white) — 134,000 points
• Whirlpool® Front Load Duet HT® Washer or Dryer — 170,000 points
• KitchenAid® Architect® Series II Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator (white) — 250,000 points

In addition, Cardmembers can redeem for a number of additional household products from microwaves and kitchen mixers to air conditioners and dehumidifiers starting at 25,000 points. Some of the items currently available include:

• Whirlpool® 1100W Full Size Microwave Oven (white) — 25,800 points
• Hunter® Permalife Large Room Air Purifier — 52,500 points
• DeLonghi 40-Pint Dehumidifier with Pump — 63,500 points
• KitchenAid® Professional 600(TM) Series Stand Mixer — 66,000 points

More Casual Dining and Shopping Partners
During these challenging times Cardmembers still want to enjoy shopping and dining out. With that in mind, the Membership Rewards program has expanded its array of casual dining and shopping partners. New dining partners include Legal Seafood® and Longhorn®. On the retail side, in addition to existing partners such as Gap® and Banana Republic®, Old Navy® has been added to the roster of available shopping partners in order to offer more choice at all point levels. Most gift cards can be redeemed starting at 1,000 points. Additional dining and retail gift card partners include:

• Olive Garden® and Red Lobster®
• California Pizza Kitchen®
• Home Depot®
• Nike®

“The beauty of the Membership Rewards program is that we offer everything from the extravagant to the most basic household item, because that is what our customers tell us they want from their rewards program,” says Beberman. “While one Cardmember may choose to redeem points toward a year lease on a Lamborghini or even to rent a private island, another Cardmember can redeem points for a Gas Card to simply get from point A to B. We offer rewards at both extremes and everywhere in between.”

About The Membership Rewards Program
The Membership Rewards program from American Express has more than 140 redemption partners. The program allows Cardmembers to earn one point for virtually every dollar charged on eligible, enrolled American Express Cards. Membership Rewards points are redeemable in a wide selection of reward categories. Enrollees may also customize their own redemption experiences through the program’s Create Your Reward and Experiences options and use points for just about anything they can imagine. Points have no expiration date, and there is no limit on the number of points a Cardmember can earn. For more information about the Membership Rewards program, Cardmembers can visit: www.membershiprewards.com or call 1-800-THE-CARD.

About American Express
American Express Company (www.americanexpress.com) is a leading global payments, network and travel company founded in 1850.

Presentation slides and a link to the live audio webcast will be posted on the day of the event to www.jpmorganchase.com under Investor Relations, Investor Presentations.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.2 trillion and operations in more than 60 countries. The firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers, small business and commercial banking, financial transaction processing, asset management, and private equity. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase & Co. serves millions of consumers in the United States and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its J.P. Morgan, Chase, and WaMu brands. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.

NEW YORK, February 12, 2009 — American Express OPEN today announced the expansion of its OPEN Savings® program with the launch of partners Carey International and Epson America. OPEN Savings(1) provides small business owners with automatic savings virtually every time they use an American Express Business Card to make purchases at any OPEN Savings partner.

Business Cardmembers can now receive an automatic 5% discount on:

* Carey International, a premier provider of worldwide chauffeured services and luxury ground transportation; and

* Epson America, including WorkForce(TM) printers, Epson projectors, scanners and other innovative products.

OPEN Savings has delivered more than $300 million in savings to American Express Business Cardmembers since 2004. OPEN Savings eliminates the need for offer codes, coupons or program enrollment and provides automatic savings from an array of well-known brands. Savings can also be combined with other marketplace offers or volume discount pricing that businesses may already be receiving from program partners.

“With the addition of these new partners, businesses can now effortlessly reduce their ground transportation and some office equipment expenses,” said Mary Ann Fitzmaurice Reilly, senior vice president, American Express OPEN. “Time-pressed business owners who are weary of coupons or special offer codes now have a better and simpler way to save, with OPEN Savings’ automatic and combinable discounts. These new OPEN Savings partners can help increase the millions of dollars in savings that we’re already delivering to our business Cardmembers.”

To learn more about automatic discounts with these new partners, or about the OPEN Savings program, visit www.opensavings.com.

About American Express OPEN(SM)
American Express OPEN is dedicated exclusively to the success of business owners and their companies. OPEN supports business owners with exceptional service. With tailored products and services, the team delivers purchasing power, flexibility, control and rewards to help customers run their business. Specifically, business owner customers can leverage an enhanced set of products, tools, services and savings, including charge and credit cards, convenient access to working capital, robust online account management capabilities and savings on business services from an expanded lineup of partners. To obtain more information about OPEN(SM), visit OPEN.com, or call 1-800-NOW-OPEN to apply for a card or loan. Terms and conditions apply.

American Express Company www.americanexpress.com is a leading global payments, network and travel company founded in 1850.

About Carey International
Carey International is the world’s premier provider of chauffeured services and luxury ground transportation with locations in over 550 cities and 60 countries. Since 1921, the Carey brand has represented uncompromising reliability and impeccable professionalism, safety, security and quality. Carey provides a full range of chauffeured services, including luxury airport limousine services as well as transportation for road shows, special events, and tours. Certified professional chauffeurs, a state-of-the-art fleet of luxury vehicles and an industry-leading quality assurance program, set the standard for luxury limousine and executive car services. Carey also has the only Meeting and Events division in the chauffeured transportation industry, providing end-to-end event transportation and meeting management services including planning, logistics, on-site coordination and centralized billing. For more information, please visit www.carey.com.

About Epson America Inc.
Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business, photography, and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transactions terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America, Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America, Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.

(1) OPEN Savings®: Payment must be made with an American Express® Business Card at the time of purchase. Savings will be credited to your American Express Business Card billing statement. All savings referenced are in addition to any offers made by participating companies. Participation and offers are subject to change without notice. Terms and conditions apply. For more information, please visit opensavings.com.

MBNA Connect allows customers to download an application to their computers, and keep up to date with secure account balances, transaction updates, latest offers, mini-statements and more via desktop alerts.

MBNA Connect received the ‘Best Online Initiative’ award at the Card Awards ceremony which was held at Battersea Evolution in London and was hosted by radio presenter John Humphreys. The application has been developed by MBNA in conjunction with Skinkers Limited.

MBNA Connect is a secure downloadable application available to MBNA Online Banking customers. It allows customers to access account information on their desktops without having to log in to their account. The tool provides the customer with the most up-to-date balance, recent transactions, service information and personalised offers. MBNA Connect also provides a facility to configure a variety of alerts relating to account activity.

The key benefits that MBNA customers will gain by using MBNA Connect include:

• Improved financial management (for example: customers can set an alert to notify them when their balance reaches a certain amount);
• Proactive alerting to help customers avoid unnecessary charges when approaching their credit limit;
• Reduced risk of fraud (for example: customers can set an alert to notify them if a transaction goes over a certain amount);
• Increased awareness of offers and benefits designed specifically for the customer and delivered in a non-intrusive manner;
• Personalised rather than generic promotional offers.

Greg Reed, president of MBNA UK Card, said: “MBNA Connect is like having your own personal banking advisor on your desktop. This unique technology, which has been developed by Skinkers, is a first for the financial services industry. We are delighted to have received this award.”

David Long, chief executive officer at Skinkers, said: “We are delighted that our technology is being used by MBNA to form part of a shift in online marketing and CRM for the banking industry. MBNA Connect is based on our Live Notification Platform technology that not only utilises the desktop as an effective communication channel but also enhances existing communication channels through scalable and audited communication and reporting. We hope that we can work with MBNA in the future to bring together all their customer communications under our technology platform.”

MBNA customers can view a demonstration of MBNA Connect by logging into their online banking service.

Notes to Editors:

The information contained in MBNA Europe’s press releases is intended solely for journalists and should not be used by consumers to make financial decisions. Any consumer interested in finding out more about any of MBNA Europe’s products should visit www.mbna.co.uk for full terms and conditions.

About MBNA Europe Bank

MBNA Europe, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC), is the recognized leader in affinity marketing. MBNA credit cards and related products and services are endorsed by more than 5,000 organisations worldwide. For more information, visit the company’s web site at www.mbna.co.uk or Bank of America’s site at www.bankofamerica.com.

About Skinkers

Skinkers is the market leader in enterprise communication management platforms. Our solutions ensure ShouldKnow information is delivered to audiences with visibility and impact. ShouldKnow information is important and useful information that audiences need to know e.g. Banking notifications, service outages, corporate communications, breaking news etc. Audiences can select what type of ShouldKnow information they would like to receive and the technology can support what device they would like it sent to (computers, handhelds and mobile phones). Skinkers technology is used by many of the world’s leading brands.

###

February 9, 2009
Journalists May Contact:
Paul Lawler, MBNA Europe, Tel: 01244 574136
paul.lawler@mbna.com

London, 9 February 2009 - J.P. Morgan’s Treasury Services business today announced it has gone live with the first phase of enhancements to its international mass payments operating platform.

The enhancements will deliver immediate benefits to clients using the bank’s Global ACH service, including later cut-off times for receipt of payment instructions and intelligent routing which automatically selects the most expeditious route if a cut-off is missed.

Global ACH provides a single gateway for high volume multicurrency payments and collection services across multiple regions. Clients will also now have access to full SEPA credit and debit services from J.P. Morgan accounts domiciled in Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.

Alex Caviezel, head of J.P. Morgan Treasury Services in Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “These payment platform enhancements will provide clients with more options to manage their payables and receivables processes more efficiently. The new capabilities are part of J.P. Morgan Treasury Services’ $1 billion global expansion and investment plan, which was announced last September.”

About J.P. Morgan Treasury Services
The Treasury Services business of J.P. Morgan is a top-ranked, full-service provider of innovative payment, collection, liquidity and investment management, trade finance, commercial card and information solutions to corporations, financial services institutions, middle market companies, small businesses, governments and municipalities worldwide. With more than 50,000 clients and a presence in 36 countries, J.P. Morgan Treasury Services is the world’s largest provider of treasury management services and a division of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., member FDIC. More information can be found at www.jpmorgan.com/ts

About JPMorgan Chase
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.2 trillion and operations in more than 60 countries. The firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers, small business and commercial banking, financial transaction processing, asset management, and private equity. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase & Co. serves millions of consumers in the United States and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its J.P. Morgan, Chase, and WaMu brands. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.

As an established supporter and end-user of EMV technology, American Express has acquired a one-fourth share of EMVCo from the respective holdings of JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa Inc., and will therefore have an equal interest in the organisation. EMVCo’s management structure has been changed to give American Express representation on the organisation’s Executive Committee and Board of Managers, in addition to equal participation in its working groups.

“EMVCo welcomes American Express as its fourth global payment system member,” said Tad Fordyce, Chairman of the EMVCo Executive Committee and Head of Global Cross Product Platforms at Visa Inc. “American Express will be able to lend expertise at both the technical and management level which will directly support the EMVCo goal to enhance global chip standards, and offer secure and interoperable payments at the point of sale around the world.”

Susan Hillel, Senior Vice President of Global Network Operations at American Express, says: “American Express is delighted to join and become a member of EMVCo. We are committed to driving interoperability in payments and know that our participation in EMVCo will facilitate this for our merchant, issuer and cardmember customers. Involvement by the four major payment organisations will drive secure and interoperable payments globally for transactions made with chip cards by aligning and progressing EMV Specifications. We look forward to working with JCB, MasterCard and Visa on this very critical industry initiative.”

Kazuhiro Matsumoto, member of the EMVCo Executive Committee and Executive Vice President of Global Infrastructure and Technologies at JCB International, comments: “The participation of American Express within EMVCo supports our focus on broadening industry involvement within the organisation and leveraging the experience of all major payment stakeholders. This new member will bring extensive industry knowledge and valuable chip card experience to EMVCo which will considerably benefit the smart card industry as a whole.”

Art Kranzley, member of the EMVCo Executive Committee and Chief Emerging Technology Officer at MasterCard Worldwide, adds: “The existing members of EMVCo recognise the benefits of expanding industry involvement in the ongoing development and support of the EMV Specifications. Achieving global chip standards and interoperability has never been more important as smart card payment technology is rapidly being deployed throughout the world. EMVCo looks forward to having American Express participate as a new owner-member who brings additional market experience and resource to the organisation.”

EMVCo’s growing commitment to increase industry engagement with its activities was demonstrated last year when it announced the launch of a new subscriber service. The programme will provide interested parties with an opportunity to access advanced information regarding revisions to the EMV Specifications and draft documents, and attend an annual user meeting. For further information visit www.emvco.com.

About EMVCo
EMVCo LLC was formed in February 1999 by Europay International, MasterCard International and Visa International to manage, maintain and enhance the EMV™ Integrated Circuit Card Specifications for Payment Systems. With the acquisition of Europay by MasterCard in 2002 and JCB Co., Ltd. joining the organisation in 2004, EMVCo is currently operated by JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa Inc.

EMVCo’s primary role is to manage, maintain and enhance the EMV Integrated Circuit Card Specifications to ensure interoperability and acceptance of payment system integrated circuit cards on a worldwide basis.

EMVCo is also responsible for type approval processes for terminal compliance testing and Common Core Definitions (CCD) and Common Payment Application (CPA) card compliance testing. These testing processes ensure that a single terminal and card approval process is developed at a level that will allow cross payment system interoperability through compliance with the EMV specifications. Additional information can be found at www.emvco.com.

About American Express
American Express Company is a leading global payments, network and travel company founded in 1850. Global Merchant Services is the merchant network of American Express, which acquires, processes and maintains relationships with millions of merchants around the globe, which welcome American Express-branded Cards.

“We are very pleased to add these directors to our board,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ken Lewis. “Their experience managing large, complex organizations and working throughout multiple countries will serve Bank of America well as we successfully integrate Merrill Lynch’s global operations into our company. These directors will provide strong leadership and perspectives.”

Rossotti, 67, is a senior advisor at The Carlyle Group, focusing primarily on investments in the fields of information technology and business services. He began serving on the Merrill Lynch Board of Directors in 2004 and is expected to serve on both of Bank of America’s Corporate Governance and Compensation and Benefits Board committees.

Colbert, 69, is the retired executive vice president of Miller Brewing Company. He began serving on the Merrill Lynch Board of Directors in 2006 and is expected to serve on Bank of America’s Asset Quality Board committee.

Prueher, 66, is a consulting professor at Stanford University’s Institute of International Studies and senior advisor on The Preventive Defense Project. Admiral Prueher served as Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China from 1999 to 2001. He began serving on the Merrill Lynch Board of Directors in 2001 and is expected to serve on Bank of America’s Audit Board committee.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world’s largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk-management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving more than 59 million consumer and small business relationships with more than 6,100 retail banking offices, nearly 18,700 ATMs and award-winning online banking with nearly 29 million active users. Following the acquisition of Merrill Lynch on January 1, 2009, Bank of America is among the world’s leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to more than 4 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients in more than 40 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

http://www.bankofamerica.com

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SOURCE: Bank of America

Web site: http://www.bankofamerica.com/

NEW YORK, January 26, 2009 — American Express Global Commercial Card today released a new study detailing how companies are instituting best practices and driving savings to control their costs in an economic downturn.

Working with Accenture, American Express interviewed a number of Fortune 500 companies in industries ranging from consumer products to business services. These companies had median gross revenues of $30 billion, and were identified as having leading T&E spending policies.

The research revealed that leading companies are focusing on three core strategies to improve expense management:

1. Hold Employees Accountable,
2. Drive Value through Data Analysis, and
3. Plan for the Long-Term.

Click here to see the full study.

“Today’s economic crisis is putting great pressure on companies to reduce costs and control spending wherever they can,” said Gunther Bright, Senior Vice President, Global Client Group at American Express. “By gathering best practices from some of the best expense management programs in the world, we can share a number of concrete, straightforward steps that virtually any company can take to reduce costs and deliver savings and value well into the future.”

Hold Employees Accountable
Perhaps the simplest recommendations begin with making employees more accountable for their corporate spending decisions – which require little or no investment.

* Communicate: Make spending policies more clear and accessible to employees to increase understanding and compliance.
* Educate: Explain the financial implications, for individuals and the company, of disregarding corporate policies, which encourages employees to make cost effective decisions.
* Enforce: Offer carrots and sticks. Some companies hold managers accountable for policy violations; others tie compliance to performance assessments.

For example, a large business services company interviewed for the study sends automatic email notifications to employees to encourage compliance to spending policies and to remind individuals when they miss expense submission deadlines.

Drive Value through Data Analysis
The study found that companies with strong expense management programs tend to embed three key steps in their analysis:

* Consolidate: Companies with leading practices consolidate data from multiple sources at the global, regional, and local levels to gain a complete picture of their expenditures.
* Analyze: In a time of economic uncertainty, it is important to understand spending trends and related financial impacts. Companies that have developed a sophisticated approach to data analysis often consider it to be a competitive advantage.
* Act: Data analysis gives business leaders the information they need to act with certainty and make fact-based, beneficial decisions about spending and policy, and hold their suppliers accountable.

For example, a large technology company that participated in the research uses a database tool to gather global expense information, as well as corporate, agency and ERP data on a monthly basis to help them manage expenses and supplier negotiations.

Plan for the Long-Term
Expense management professionals have the support of senior leaders for cost-cutting measures, as companies use the current economic climate to justify structural changes that will improve their performance in the short-term and position them for success over the long-term.

* Simplify: One principal strategy for cost-cutting is to simplify and improve operations by standardizing processes, streamlining systems and reducing redundancies.
* Improve: Leading expense management programs make targeted investments in technologies like database and meeting management tools with quick returns to drive savings and deliver long-term value.

“Insights like these are particularly useful during challenging economic times, as they place a focus on leading business practices that help companies identify steps they can take to achieve cost savings,” said James Ellis, managing director of Accenture’s Finance Operations practice. “For companies that enter a down economy from a strong position, dollars saved oftentimes can be redirected to activities that deliver more value to a company.”

About American Express Global Commercial Card
Through its Global Commercial Card group, American Express provides the Corporate Card, Corporate Purchasing Solutions, and other expense management services to mid-sized companies and large corporations worldwide. In the U.S., it is the leading issuer of commercial cards, serving more than 60% of the Fortune 500, as well as tens of thousands of mid-sized companies. American Express issues local-currency commercial cards in 40 countries, and International Dollar Corporate Cards in an additional 100 countries. For more information, visit www.americanexpress.com/corporate.

American Express Company (www.americanexpress.com) is a leading global payments, network and travel company founded in 1850.

* Refer to Appendix I for the components of return on average equity

# Denotes a variance of more than 100%.

NEW YORK, January 26, 2009 — American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) today reported fourth-quarter income from continuing operations of $238 million, down 72 percent from $858 million a year ago. Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations were $0.21, down 71 percent from $0.73 a year ago.

Net income totaled $172 million for the quarter, down 79 percent from a year ago. On a per-share basis, net income was $0.15, down 79 percent from $0.71 a year ago.

Consolidated total revenues net of interest expense declined 11 percent to $6.5 billion, down from $7.3 billion a year ago.

Consolidated provisions totaled $1.4 billion compared to $1.5 billion in the year-ago period, which included a significant credit related charge.

Consolidated expenses totaled $4.9 billion, up 5 percent from $4.7 billion a year ago. Both periods included significant items, which are outlined below.

The company’s return on average equity (ROE) was 21.7 percent, down from 37.3 percent a year ago.

“Our fourth quarter results reflect an operating environment that was among the harshest we have seen in decades,” said Kenneth I. Chenault, chairman and chief executive officer. “Nevertheless, we met our near term goals – staying liquid, staying profitable, and investing selectively to strengthen our competitive position over the longer term.”

“We remained profitable in the quarter and generated $2.8 billion in earnings for the full year 2008. We exceeded all of our funding requirements, in part by raising $6.2 billion through a new retail certificate of deposit program.

“We also continued to invest in the business, announcing a multiyear partnership with Delta Airlines this quarter, expanding our global network business and successfully integrating the corporate card business we purchased from General Electric.

“While our business volumes compared favorably with other major competitors, overall cardmember spending declined 10 percent year-over-year, or 5 percent adjusting for foreign exchange rates. As anticipated, loan delinquencies and write-offs rose. These trends, together with the restructuring charge, had a significant impact on our bottom line.

“In January, we further bolstered our capital position with a $3.4 billion investment from the U.S. Treasury Capital Purchase Program. These additional funds will enhance our ability to continue extending loans to credit-worthy consumers and small business owners.

”We authorized more than $73 billion of U.S. charge card spending during the quarter, and we are providing U.S. consumer and small business cardmembers with open credit lines that are on par with year-ago levels, despite the difficult conditions in the marketplace. Our aim is to accommodate the spending needs of our cardmembers, while helping to ensure that they do not incur inappropriate debt levels.

“We remain cautious about the economic outlook through 2009, and expect cardmember spending to remain soft with past-due loans and write-offs rising from current levels. However, we believe the longer-term growth potential of the payments sector remains very attractive. The investments we are making in our business will help ensure that we can capitalize on those opportunities when the environment improves.”

The fourth quarter results included:

• $421 million ($273 million after-tax) of reengineering costs, primarily related to severance and other costs associated with previously announced staff reductions, and
• A previously announced $106 million ($66 million after-tax) increase in the company’s Membership Rewards reserve, in connection with the company’s extension of its partnership agreement with Delta Air Lines.

Significant items in the year-ago fourth quarter included:

• $1.13 billion ($700 million after-tax) gain from the company’s settlement with Visa, and
  • $143 million ($89 million after-tax) of incremental investments in business-building initiatives,
  • $74 million ($46 million after-tax) in litigation-related costs pertaining to the lawsuit against Visa, and
  • $50 million ($31 million after-tax) in contributions to the American Express Charitable Fund.
• $685 million ($430 million after-tax) charge related to the company’s enhancements to its method of estimating the liability for Membership Rewards,
• $438 million ($274 million after-tax) credit-related charge in the U.S. Card Services Segment.

During the fourth-quarter, non-U.S. revenues, provisions and expenses were lower due to the translation effects of a comparatively stronger U.S. dollar.

The net tax benefit for the quarter of $78 million was principally due to the impact of recurring permanent benefits on lower pre-tax income.

Discontinued operations

Discontinued operations for the fourth quarter generated a loss of $66 million compared with a loss of $27 million during the year-ago period, which primarily reflected mark-to-market adjustments within the American Express International Deposit Company investment portfolio.

Segment Results

U.S. Card Services reported fourth-quarter net income of $4 million, down from $7 million a year ago.

Total revenues net of interest expense for the fourth quarter decreased 13 percent to $3.2 billion, driven by lower cardmember spending as well as lower securitization income, net.

Provisions for losses decreased 8 percent to $1.1 billion from the year ago levels, which included the credit-related charge mentioned above. The provision for the current quarter reflected higher write-off and past due rates. On a managed basis1 the net loan write-off rate was 6.7%, up from 5.9% in the third quarter and 3.4% a year ago. Owned net write-offs were 7.0% in the quarter, up from 6.1% in the third quarter and 3.5% a year ago.

Total expenses decreased 15 percent. Marketing, promotion, rewards and cardmember services expenses decreased 31 percent from the year-ago period, which included a portion of the 2007 Membership Rewards charge mentioned above. The current quarter reflected scaled-back marketing activities as well as the Delta Air Lines related rewards expense. Salaries and employee benefits and other operating expenses increased 16 percent from year-ago levels, reflecting $30 million ($20 million after-tax) of the reengineering charge mentioned above.

International Card Services reported fourth-quarter net income of $36 million, compared to a net loss of $68 million a year ago.

Total revenues net of interest expense decreased 8 percent to $1.1 billion, primarily driven by reduced cardmember spending.

Provisions for losses rose 10 percent to $243 million, from $220 million a year ago reflecting higher past due and write-off rates.

Total expenses decreased 22 percent. Marketing, promotion, rewards and cardmember services expenses decreased 53 percent from year-ago levels, which included a portion of the 2007 Membership Rewards charge mentioned earlier. The current quarter also reflected lower marketing expenses. Salaries and employee benefits and other operating expenses increased 15 percent from year-ago levels, reflecting $84 million ($55 million after-tax) of the reengineering charge mentioned earlier, as well as higher operating expenses.

Global Commercial Services reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $18 million compared to net income of $110 million a year ago.

Total revenues net of interest expense decreased 7 percent to $1.0 billion, reflecting lower level of spending by corporate cardmembers as well as lower travel commissions and fees.

Provisions for losses totaled $69 million up 25 percent from $55 million in the year ago period due to higher write-offs and past due rates.

Total expenses increased 11 percent. Salaries and employee benefits and other operating expenses increased 20 percent from the year-ago period reflecting $136 million ($88 million after-tax) of the reengineering charge mentioned earlier. Marketing, promotion, rewards and cardmember services expenses decreased 41 percent from the year-ago period, which included a portion of the 2007 Membership Rewards charge mentioned above.

Both revenues and expenses reflected the impact of the acquisition of a commercial card and corporate purchasing unit in March 2008.

Global Network & Merchant Services reported fourth-quarter net income of $215 million, down 15 percent from $254 million a year ago.

Fourth-quarter total revenues net of interest expense decreased 9 percent to $945 million. The decrease reflected lower merchant-related revenues from the decrease in global card billed business, offset in part by higher revenues from Global Network Services’ bank partners.

Provisions for losses were $36 million, primarily reflecting merchant-related provisions. The year-ago provision was $28 million.

Total expenses decreased 4 percent, reflecting lower brand advertising. Salaries and employee benefits and other operating expenses included $28 million ($17 million after-tax) of the reengineering charge mentioned above.

Corporate and Other reported a fourth-quarter net income of $1 million, compared with net income of $555 million last year. The year-ago quarter included the previously mentioned gain from the company’s settlement with Visa. The fourth quarter 2008 reflects the recognition of $220 million ($136 million after-tax) for the previously announced MasterCard and Visa settlements as well as $143 million ($93 million after-tax) of the reengineering charges mentioned above.

American Express Company is a leading global payments and travel company founded in 1850. For more information, visit www.americanexpress.com.

Ed. Note: On November 10, 2008, American Express became a bank holding company regulated by the Federal Reserve Board and consequently fourth-quarter earnings results incorporate some financial reporting changes in accordance with SEC regulations.

The 2008 Fourth Quarter Earnings Supplement will be available today on the American Express web site at http://ir.americanexpress.com. An investor conference call will be held at 5:00 p.m. (ET) today to discuss fourth-quarter earnings results. Live audio and presentation slides for the investor conference call will be available to the general public at the same web site. A replay of the conference call will be available later today at the same web site address.

AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
U.S. Card Services

(Billions, except percentages)

(A) “Owned,” a GAAP basis measurement, reflects only cardmember loans included in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.

(B) Loan balances for all periods presented used to calculate average loans have been revised in connection with the Company’s conversion to a bank holding company. Specifically, deferred card fees net of deferred direct acquisition costs for cardmember loans were reclassified from other liabilities to cardmember loans for all periods.

(C) The managed basis presentation assumes that there have been no off-balance sheet securitization transactions, i.e., all securitized cardmember loans and related income effects are reflected as if they were in the Company’s balance sheets and income statements, respectively. The difference between the “owned basis” (GAAP) information and “managed basis” information is attributable to the effects of securitization activities. The Company presents U.S. Card Services information on a managed basis because that is the way the Company’s management views and manages the business. Management believes that a full picture of trends in the Company’s cardmember lending business can only be derived by evaluating the performance of both securitized and non-securitized cardmember loans. Management also believes that use of a managed basis presentation presents a more accurate picture of the key dynamics of the cardmember lending business. Irrespective of the on and off-balance sheet funding mix, it is important for management and investors to see metrics for the entire cardmember lending portfolio because they are more representative of the economics of the aggregate cardmember relationships and ongoing business performance and trends over time. It is also important for investors to see the overall growth of cardmember loans and related revenue in order to evaluate market share. These metrics are significant in evaluating the Company’s performance and can only be properly assessed when all non-securitized and securitized cardmember loans are viewed together on a managed basis. The Company does not currently securitize international loans.

This release includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements, which address the Company’s expected business and financial performance, among other matters, contain words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “optimistic,” “intend,” “plan,” “aim,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “likely,” and similar expressions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: consumer and business spending on the Company’s credit and charge card products and Travelers Cheques and other prepaid products and growth in card lending balances, which depend in part on the economic environment, and the ability to issue new and enhanced card and prepaid products, services and rewards programs, and increase revenues from such products, attract new cardmembers, reduce cardmember attrition, capture a greater share of existing cardmembers’ spending, and sustain premium discount rates on its card products in light of regulatory and market pressures, increase merchant coverage, retain cardmembers after low introductory lending rates have expired, and expand the Global Network Services business; the Company’s ability to manage credit risk related to consumer debt, business loans, merchants and other credit trends, which will depend in part on the economic environment, including, among other things, the housing market, the rates of bankruptcies and unemployment, which can affect spending on card products, debt payments by individual and corporate customers and businesses that accept the Company’s card products, and on the effectiveness of the Company’s credit models; the impact of the Company’s efforts to deal with delinquent cardmembers in the current challenging economic environment, which may affect payment patterns of cardmembers, the Company’s near-term write-off rates, including during the first half of 2009, and the volumes of the Company’s loan balances in 2009; the write-off and delinquency rates in the medium- to long-term of cardmembers added by the Company during the past few years, which could impact their profitability to the Company; the Company’s ability to effectively implement changes in the pricing of certain of its products and services; fluctuations in interest rates (including fluctuations in benchmarks, such as LIBOR and other benchmark rates, and credit spreads), which impact the Company’s borrowing costs, return on lending products and the value of the Company’s investments; the Company’s ability to meet its ROE target range of 33 to 36 percent on average and over time, which will depend in part on factors such as the Company’s ability to generate sufficient revenue growth and achieve sufficient margins, fluctuations in the capital required to support its businesses, the mix of the Company’s financings, and fluctuations in the level of the Company’s shareholders’ equity due to share repurchases, dividends, changes in accumulated other comprehensive income and accounting changes, among other things; the actual amount to be spent by the Company on marketing, promotion, rewards and cardmember services based on management’s assessment of competitive opportunities and other factors affecting its judgment; the ability to control and manage operating, infrastructure, advertising and promotion expenses as business expands or changes, including the ability to accurately estimate the provision for the cost of the Membership Rewards program; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; the Company’s ability to grow its business, generate excess capital and, over time, meet or exceed its return on shareholders’ equity target by reinvesting approximately 35 percent of annually-generated capital, and returning approximately 65 percent of such capital to shareholders which will depend on the Company’s ability to manage its capital needs and the effect of business mix, acquisitions and rating agency requirements; the success of the Global Network Services business in partnering with banks in the United States, which will depend in part on the extent to which such business further enhances the Company’s brand, allows the Company to leverage its significant processing scale, expands merchant coverage of the network, provides Global Network Services’ bank partners in the United States the benefits of greater cardmember loyalty and higher spend per customer, and merchant benefits such as greater transaction volume and additional higher spending customers; the ability of the Global Network Services business to meet the performance requirements called for by the Company’s recent settlements with MasterCard and Visa; trends in travel and entertainment spending and the overall level of consumer confidence; the uncertainties associated with business acquisitions, including, among others, the failure to realize anticipated business retention, growth and cost savings, as well as the ability to effectively integrate the acquired business into the Company’s existing operations; the underlying assumptions and expectations related to the February 2008 sale of the American Express Bank Ltd. businesses and the transaction’s impact on the Company’s earnings proving to be inaccurate or unrealized; the success, timeliness and financial impact (including costs, cost savings, and other benefits, including increased revenues), and beneficial effect on the Company’s operating expense to revenue ratio, both in the short-term (including during 2009) and over time, of reengineering initiatives being implemented or considered by the Company, including cost management, structural and strategic measures such as vendor, process, facilities and operations consolidation, outsourcing (including, among others, technologies operations), relocating certain functions to lower-cost overseas locations, moving internal and external functions to the internet to save costs, and planned staff reductions relating to certain of such reengineering actions; the Company’s ability to reinvest the benefits arising from such reengineering actions in its businesses; bankruptcies, restructurings, consolidations or similar events (including, among others, the Delta Airlines/Northwest Airlines merger) affecting the airline or any other industry representing a significant portion of the Company’s billed business, including any potential negative effect on particular card products and services and billed business generally that could result from the actual or perceived weakness of key business partners in such industries; the triggering of obligations to make payments to certain co-brand partners, merchants, vendors and customers under contractual arrangements with such parties under certain circumstances; a downturn in the Company’s businesses and/or negative changes in the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ credit ratings, which could result in contingent payments under contracts, decreased liquidity and higher borrowing costs; the ability of the Company to satisfy its liquidity needs and execute on its funding plans, which will depend on, among other things, the Company’s future business growth, its credit ratings, market capacity and demand for securities offered by the Company, performance by the Company’s counterparties under its bank credit facilities and other lending facilities, regulatory changes, including changes to the policies, rules and regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, the Company’s ability to securitize and sell receivables and the performance of receivables previously sold in securitization transactions and the Company’s ability to meet the criteria for participation in certain liquidity facilities and other funding programs, including the Commercial Paper Funding Facility and the Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program, being made available through the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and other federal departments and agencies; the Company’s ability to redeem or otherwise access in a timely manner up to $500 million invested in the Primary Reserve Fund, from which redemptions have been currently suspended; accuracy of estimates for the fair value of the assets in the Company’s investment portfolio and, in particular, those investments that are not readily marketable, including the valuation of the interest-only strip relating to the Company’s lending securitizations; the Company’s ability to invest in technology advances across all areas of its business to stay on the leading edge of technologies applicable to the payments industry; the Company’s ability to protect its intellectual property rights (IP) and avoid infringing the IP of other parties; the potential negative effect on the Company’s businesses and infrastructure, including information technology, of terrorist attacks, natural disasters or other catastrophic events in the future; political or economic instability in certain regions or countries, which could affect lending and other commercial activities, among other businesses, or restrictions on convertibility of certain currencies; changes in laws or government regulations; the potential impact of regulations adopted by federal bank regulators relating to certain credit and charge card practices, including, among others, the imposition by card issuers of interest rate increases on outstanding balances and the allocation of payments in respect of outstanding balances with different interest rates, which could have an adverse impact on the Company’s net income; accounting changes; outcomes and costs associated with litigation and compliance and regulatory matters; and competitive pressures in all of the Company’s major businesses. A further description of these and other risks and uncertainties can be found in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, Item 1A of Part 2 in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2008, and the Company’s other reports filed with the SEC.

The preferred shares will pay dividends at a rate of 5% annually for the first five years and then 9% annually thereafter. The United States Treasury’s term sheet describing the capital purchase program is available on its website at www.ustreas.gov.

On November 10, 2008, American Express announced the United States Federal Reserve approved its application to become a bank holding company and that it would be regulated by the Federal Reserve. The table below provides information regarding the Company’s consolidated capital ratios at September 30, 2008. The pro forma data assumes the completion of the sale of the preferred shares to the Treasury as if it occurred on September 30, 2008, as described above.

American Express Company is a leading global payments and travel company founded in 1850. For more information, visit www.americanexpress.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. The words “will,” “expect,” “could,” “would,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they were made. American Express Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the company’s ability to complete the issuance of preferred shares and warrants to the United States Department of the Treasury under the Capital Purchase Program and the company’s results, performance and events subsequent to the third quarter of 2008. A further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties can be found in the reports of the company filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (including its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended September 30, 2008).

With operations and employees based in Calgary, UBS Commodities Canada Ltd. will become an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of J.P. Morgan. The acquisition will allow J.P. Morgan to immediately expand its presence in the Canadian natural gas, power and crude oil physical and financial markets, while further expanding the investment bank’s overall Canadian client franchise. J.P. Morgan’s Calgary office will be run by Brian Cumming, a managing director with extensive experience in the commodity markets. Mr. Cumming was most recently based in J.P. Morgan’s London office.

J.P. Morgan will also acquire UBS’ global agricultural business, which includes a London-based trading and marketing team. The addition of UBS’ business will expand J.P. Morgan’s client franchise and risk management capabilities across agricultural products.

“We continue to take advantage of opportunities that will further enhance and diversify our global commodities business,” said Blythe Masters, head of Global Commodities at J.P. Morgan. “The addition of these businesses and talented teams further expands our North American energy franchise and provides further depth to our growing agricultural and soft commodities platform.”

J.P. Morgan’s Global Commodities division has grown significantly over the past two years, both organically and through acquisitions. During that time, J.P. Morgan has hired more than 100 trading, sales and marketing professionals across the regions. Earlier this year, J.P. Morgan acquired two key commodity franchises, ClimateCare and Bear Energy. ClimateCare is a carbon-offset company that originates and trades carbon emission reduction offsets in both the compliance and voluntary markets.
Bear Energy was a large physical and financial U.S. power and gas franchise based in Houston that J.P. Morgan obtained as part of the larger Bear Stearns acquisition.

About J.P. Morgan

J.P. Morgan is the investment banking arm of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.3 trillion and operations in more than 60 countries. The firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers, small business and commercial banking, financial transaction processing, asset management, and private equity. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase & Co. serves millions of consumers in the United States and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its J.P. Morgan, Chase, and WaMu brands. Information about J.P. Morgan is available at www.jpmorgan.com.

The Chase grants will support educational, community development and arts and culture programs mostly in Detroit’s North End and Southwest neighborhoods.

“Chase can make the biggest difference in Detroit by focusing our philanthropic efforts in two neighborhoods-the North End and Southwest-and working closely with key organizations and community leaders there,” said Sarah McClelland, president of Chase in Michigan. “We have been serving both neighborhoods with bank branches since 1933, so we know both their challenges and their potential.”

This month, Chase will donate 100 handheld computers to help kindergartners and first- graders improve their math and language skills at Academy of the Americas, a public school in Southwest Detroit.

Developed by Chicago-based nonprofit Innovations For Learning, the handheld Teachermate computers disguise math and English and Spanish reading drills by offering engaging activities, cartoon characters and colorful graphics. The grant also covers teacher training and eight personal computers for the participating classrooms.

“Students love these because they are fun to use. Teachers love them because they are effective in assigning customized exercises and creating reports to track individual students’ progress,” McClelland said. “The Teachermate adjusts if a student has trouble with a task so teachers can see easily who needs help in which areas.”

Chase also will grant $200,000 to Detroit Renaissance for the Detroit Creative Business Accelerator — one of its Road to Renaissance projects — and $150,000 to Goodwill Industries for workforce development for unemployed young men in Detroit’s North End.

“Our community needs to expand its range of employers and industries and our workers need to learn new and expanded skills to help those companies - and their own families - thrive,” McClelland said.

Other Detroit nonprofits receiving funding from Chase are:

* Center for Empowerment and Economic Development: Provides small business support services such as training and mentoring in the North End and Southwest Detroit

* Southwest Housing Solutions: Adds a full-time and two part-time counselors for foreclosure mitigation programs and evening and weekend counseling hours, reaching more than 300 additional clients annually

* WARM Training Center: Trains homeowners and community development corporations on cost-effective, energy-efficient home renovations and simple repairs

* Youthville Detroit: Tutors 11- to 18-year-olds in math and literacy in the North End, targeting each individual’s subject weaknesses following computer-based skills assessment

* Detroit Hispanic Development Corp.: Provides new computers and graphic arts equipment to support its Urban Arts Academy, which trains Southwest Detroit teens in arts, entrepreneurial and leadership skills.

* Vanguard Community Development Corporation: Prepares students for the ACT college exam and provides science tutoring at the all-girls Detroit International Academy, a public school in the North End, and a separate after-school youth arts entrepreneurship program in the North End

* Southwest Solutions: Trains low-income, Spanish-speaking families with young children to become literate in English during the day at the Academy of the Americas and evenings at several Southwest Detroit locations

The JPMorgan Chase Foundation supports non-profit organizations and community programs in Michigan and around the world.

About Chase
Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM). Chase operates 295 branches and 444 ATMs in Michigan, part of a national network of more than 5,400 branches and 14,000 ATMs under the Chase and WaMu brands. Chase has 157 million credit cards issued and serves consumers and small businesses through bank branches, ATMs and mortgage offices as well as through relationships with auto dealerships and schools and universities. It also serves more than 30,000 commercial banking clients, including corporations, municipalities, financial institutions and not-for-profit entities. More information about Chase is available at www.chase.com.

Agreement to result in expanded opportunities for American Express across Co-brand credit card, Membership Rewards, merchant services and travel

ATLANTA and NEW YORK, December 09, 2008 — Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and American Express (NYSE: AXP) today announced a multiyear extension of their exclusive Co-brand Credit Card partnerships. The companies have offered a portfolio of card products since 1996 that provide valuable opportunities to earn and redeem Delta SkyMiles®. The multiyear extension allows continued expansion of the program with positive benefits to both Delta and American Express.

The companies also agreed to extensions of their other partnership arrangements, including American Express Membership Rewards, merchant acceptance and travel.

As part of the broad-based partnership agreement, Delta will receive an immediate $1 billion boost to its liquidity from a purchase of SkyMiles. Delta expects to receive an additional $1 billion from contract improvements through 2010.

In return, American Express will be able to grow the value of its Co-brand Cards and the Membership Rewards program. American Express Cardmembers will be offered expanded options for booking travel on the world’s largest airline. In addition, American Express will have the opportunity to increase merchant acceptance in more places in the Midwest region of the United States.

“As Delta integrates the Northwest WorldPerks program into Delta SkyMiles, our extended agreement with American Express offers continued financial benefits for both companies,” said Delta President Edward H. Bastian. “Pairing the world’s premier airline loyalty program with the world-class American Express brand continues a history of offering superior and innovative programs for our customers.”

“Working with Delta since the early ‘90s has helped us strengthen Cardmember loyalty and build substantial amounts of business,” said Jud Linville, president and CEO of American Express Consumer Services. “Our Delta Co-brand Cards are among our most successful products, and we are delighted to build on this position following Delta’s recent acquisition of Northwest. This is a great opportunity to expand in the Midwest, extend popular Membership Rewards options with new routes, and enhance unique Co-brand Card offers like the ability to redeem miles for any seat, any time on the world’s largest airline.”

In late 2009, Delta plans to merge Northwest WorldPerks with SkyMiles to create the world’s premier airline loyalty program and a consolidated Co-brand Credit Card program. Northwest WorldPerks Co-brand Cardholders can continue to earn WorldPerks miles just as they do today on their U.S. Bank issued cards, and all WorldPerks miles earned prior to integration will be safe and transferred in full to Delta SkyMiles when the two programs are integrated.

Delta plans to continue its longstanding partnership with U.S. Bank through their existing corporate relationships including merchant acquiring, an expanded debit card program and corporate lending.

The award-winning Delta SkyMiles program offers members multiple mileage-earning opportunities when flying Delta, Delta Shuttle®, the Delta Connection® carriers, Delta AirElite® and other SkyTeam® airlines. Now in its 27th year, SkyMiles is one of the longest-running and most successful loyalty programs in the travel industry. It was named “Best Domestic Frequent Flyer program” for 2007 and 2008 by readers of Executive Traveler magazine and “Best Frequent Flyer Program” for 2006 and 2007 by Business Traveler magazine. The program also received top honors for “Best Bonus Promotion” from InsideFlyer magazine at the 2007 Freddie Awards. Details of the SkyMiles program are available at delta.com/skymiles.

About American Express
American Express Company (www.americanexpress.com) is a leading global payments and travel company founded in 1850. American Express issues a broad and diverse set of consumer, small business and corporate card products and services globally, including charge cards, credit cards, reward cards and co-brand cards. All American Express Cards offer access to a wide array of rewards, unique experiences and world-class customer service. Over the years, American Express Card products and services have been recognized as leaders in the industry by many organizations and media outlets. Most recently American Express ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Credit Card Companies,” for the second consecutive year according to the second annual nationwide study by J.D. Power and Associates (jdpower.com).

About Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines is the world’s largest airline. From its hubs in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita, Delta, its Northwest subsidiary and Delta Connection carriers offer service to more than 376 destinations worldwide in 66 countries and serve more than 170 million passengers each year. Delta’s marketing alliances allow customers to earn and redeem either SkyMiles or WorldPerks on more than 16,000 daily flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta and its 75,000 worldwide employees are reshaping the aviation industry as the only U.S. airline to offer a full global network. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and flight status at delta.com.

Forward-looking Statements
Statements in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements regarding our estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections or strategies for the future, may be “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections and strategies reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the cost of aircraft fuel; the impact that our indebtedness will have on our financial and operating activities and our ability to incur additional debt; the restrictions that financial covenants in our financing agreements will have on our financial and business operations; labor issues; interruptions or disruptions in service at one of our hub airports; our increasing dependence on technology in our operations; our ability to retain management and key employees; the ability of our credit card processors to take significant holdbacks in certain circumstances; the effects of terrorist attacks; competitive conditions in the airline industry; and our ability to achieve expected synergies from our merger with Northwest.

Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties that could cause differences between actual results and forward-looking statements is contained in Delta’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 and Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2008. Caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on Delta’s forward-looking statements, which represent Delta’s views only as of Dec. 9, 2008, and which Delta has no current intention to update.

NEW YORK, December 01, 2008 — The holidays are upon us, and so are the deals. This year, American Express is taking holiday deals to a new level with the re-opening of My WishList (www.amexnetwork.com/mywishlist), a cyber-storefront famous for making once-in-a-lifetime experiences and high-end products affordable for Cardmembers. The annual site, which returns today and runs through December 18th, features incredible deals on some of the hottest products in consumer electronics and fashion, as well as luxurious travel and experiential packages that cannot be found anywhere else. And, on December 18th, this year’s Ultimate Wish Giveaway sweepstakes will feature the opportunity to be one of the first to take home one of three 2010 Mercedes GLK 350s.

This year’s holiday My WishList offers deals on the season’s most sought-after items at discounts of up to 50 percent, making it easy for Cardmembers to find “door-buster” deals from the comfort of their own homes. Products include:

* The G1 (The Google Phone) for $125 (Dec 1st)
* Sharp Acquos 42 inch HD TVs for $700 (Dec 2nd)
* Dell Studio 15 Laptop for $499 (Dec 8th)
* Luxury Resorts Boca and West Hollywood Accommodation Packages, 2-nights stay for two for $500 (Dec 9th)
* ESPN Ultimate Remote for $149 (Dec 10th)
* Garmin Nuvi GPS for $269.99 (Dec 10th)
* Myvu Personal Media Viewer for $224.95 (Dec 12th)
* RAFE Hand Bags starting at $260 (Dec 13th)
* Hayden-Harnett Clara Clutch Wallets for $154 (Dec 13th)
* American Girl Dolls for $250 (Dec 14th)
* Nintendo DS with Brain Teaser Game for $130 (Dec 15th)
* And many more…

“This year, My WishList is all about providing Cardmembers with the products and experiences that they want this holiday season,” said Luke Gebb, vice president, Global Network Marketing, American Express Merchant Services. “We’re offering experiences that are typically not ‘for sale’ such as a private dinner hosted by celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay, or the opportunity to spend the day at the Marie Claire’s New York City offices with the magazine’s fashion director Nina Garcia.”

My WishList also offers Cardmembers access to unique experiences at affordable prices, including:

* Ultimate Fighter Pilot Adventure
o Experience the thrill of air-to-air combat with the ultimate fighter pilot adventure in a real military fighter plane. Also, jet-set in style by enjoying a private tour of LA’s exciting nightlife from the Sunset Strip to glittering Beverly Hills and dine among the stars at a swanky West Hollywood hot spot.
o This A-list package includes airfare for two and a three-night stay at the aloft Ontario Rancho Cucamonga hotel.
o On sale at 3pm ET Friday, December 5th for the WishList Price of $1,500

* The London NYC Gordon Ramsay Dinner
o Spend the ultimate dream evening dining at the exclusive Chef’s Table at The London NYC, hosted and prepared by renowned Chef Gordon Ramsay.
o Package includes round trip tickets for two from JetBlue to New York City, as well as Vista Suite accommodations for two at The London NYC in Manhattan for three nights.
o On sale at 7pm ET Tuesday, December 9th for the WishList Price of $2,500

* Nina Garcia Fashion Experiences
o Go behind-the-scenes at Marie Claire and attend a real fashion photoshoot with Nina Garcia.
With this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one Cardmember and a guest will spend the day at the Marie Claire New York City offices, visit a fashion photo-shoot and meet Nina Garcia, Marie Claire’s fashion director and bestselling author of The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own. On sale at 12pm ET Tuesday, December 16th for the WishList Price of $1,500.
o Spend a fashion-filled afternoon shopping for essential pieces for your own wardrobe with Nina Garcia. This opportunity for you and a friend includes a private lunch with the Project Runway judge, a shopping spree and style consultation at the J Crew Collection store in New York City, two J Crew gift cards, and two signed copies of Ms. Garcia’s bestselling books. On sale at 3pm ET Tuesday, December 16th for the WishList Price of $1,500.
o Both packages include round trip tickets for two to New York City, as well as accommodations for two at The W Hotel in Manhattan for two nights.

* Terms, conditions and restrictions apply to all experiences

Starting December 1st, Cardmembers can visit My WishList and, each day during the designated times starting at noon, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern Time, can click on the “I WANT IT!” button for opportunities to buy these products, experiences and many more at the discounted prices. In addition, My WishList features great deals and offers from Best Buy, Borders and PetSmart, as well as offers on electronics, outdoor gear and home goods from more than 130 participating merchants.

Past WishList promotions have been an overwhelming success – last December, My WishList experienced nearly 6 million visits to the site. In addition, Cardmember feedback played a critical role in crafting this season’s WishList – with offers valued collectively at around $7 million – full of once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences, handbags, the latest electronics and more.

About American Express
American Express Company is a leading global payments, network and travel company founded in 1850. Merchant Services is the merchant network of American Express, which acquires and maintains relationships with millions of merchants around the globe which welcome American Express-branded Cards.

My Wishlist
My Wishlist runs from 12/01/08 and through 12/18/08 and is available to legal U.S. residents, 18 or older, who are holders of any consumer American Express Card in good standing. Quantities are limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. Offers are subject to change and availability. All sales are final. Void where prohibited. Additional restrictions apply. Program and product offers are subject to full terms and conditions available on amexnetwork.com/mywishlistterms. Payment must be made on any American Express Card.

The Ultimate Wish Giveaway
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THE ULTIMATE WISH GIVEAWAY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR ODDS OF WINNING. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and DC 18 years of age or older, who are holders of any American Express® Card in good standing issued prior to 11/1/08. There are 3 separate Giveaways, which must be entered into separately on 12/18/08 during the 5 minutes after the start times, of 12:00P.M. ET, 3:00P.M. ET, and 7:00P.M. ET . Eligible Cardmembers may enter an unlimited number of times. One Prize per Giveaway of a 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 (ARV $45,000 each). The time when you press the “I WANT IT” button and the number of entries received during the applicable Giveaway will determine odds of winning. See complete Official rules at amexnetwork.com/mywishlistterms. Sponsor: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. Void where prohibited.

When you decide that you would like to get a credit card for your business it is important that you are receiving a business credit card and not a personal credit card. There are a variety of different companies that will allow you to get a credit card with your business name on it, but they will then use your personal credit history when you are applying for the card. Of course if you are trying to establish credit for your new business, these particular cards will not be of much benefit to you, as it will only affect your personal credit and not the credit history that you are trying to build for the company that you own.

One of the biggest benefits that many business owners enjoy when they have a business credit card for their company is the fact that these cards allow you to keep all of your personal finances and your business finances completely separate. These types of cards also make it very convenient for being able to track specific purchases that are made within the company, and you will have a detailed record of all of the transactions that have been made on the cards. This can also make the bookkeeping within a company quite a bit easier to maintain.

If you have not established any credit for your particular business yet, another type of credit card that you may need to get is a secured business credit card. These types of credit cards require that you pay a specified amount down on the card before you are able to make any transactions with them. After the specified amount has been paid then they can be used just as any other type of credit card. The initial amount that you pay towards the credit card will be kept in the event that you were to default on the credit card payments. When a company is just starting out and has not established a line of credit yet, the secured credit cards are very helpful in being able to do this.

If you are thinking of applying for a business credit card for your company, it can be very helpful if you would use the advantages that are available on the Internet. You can simply go online and research the variety of different web sites that offer business credit cards. It would also be a huge benefit for you to compare the various fees that may pertain to each card, and you will also need to compare the interest rates that are being offered on each specific card that you are checking in to.

A high interest rate is another problem for a large number of people. You should always pay close attention to the interest rate you are receiving on your credit cards. Many individuals take advantage of the benefit to be had in transferring their credit card balance to one that offers a lower interest rate. This can be very helpful as long as you are paying more than the minimum payment each month.

Small businesses can benefit a great deal in using credit cards if they have several employees who will need the freedom to make certain purchases, such as gasoline for company vehicles, or even automobile repairs. Making sure that you continuously pay the balance of the credit cards will also help to build your company’s credit line. If you do not keep a close watch on purchases made however, it can also result in the misuse of the credit cards.

If used properly credit cards can help to build your credit and if they are misused, they can ruin your credit. If you will take the time to follow a few simple guidelines, it can help to keep you on track with your credit card purchases.

• The credit cards that you plan to use are the only ones that you should keep
• Always pay more than the minimum balance, and when possible pay the balance in full each month
• Keep close track on every purchase made on the credit cards and do not use them unless it is necessary
• Make sure that you are paying the lowest interest rates possible

Almost all of us are aware that credit cards can do a lot of harm to people’s credit rating and put you in a financial mess very quickly, but when used properly you can enjoy the freedom of using the credit cards when needed, and be able to build a good credit rating at the same time.

Bank of America currently holds approximately 10.75 percent of the issued shares. The shares being acquired under the option may not be sold until August 29, 2011 without CCB’s consent. Bank of America intends to remain a long-term and significant strategic investor in CCB. In addition, both companies intend to further their mutual cooperation and other initiatives under the 2005 Strategic Assistance Agreement.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world’s largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk-management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving more than 59 million consumer and small business relationships with more than 6,100 retail banking offices, more than 18,000 ATMs and award-winning online banking with more than 25 million active users. Bank of America offers industry leading support to more than 4 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients in more than 150 countries and has relationships with 99 percent of the U.S. Fortune 500 companies and 83 percent of the Fortune Global 500. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
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AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

SOURCE: Bank of America

CONTACT: Investors, Kevin Stitt, +1-704-386-5667, or Lee McEntire,
+1-704-388-6780; or Media, Scott Silvestri, +1-980-388-9921,
scott.silvestri@bankofamerica.com, all of Bank of America

Web site: http://www.bankofamerica.com/

NEW YORK, November 12, 2008 — J.P. Morgan today announced that during the past year it assisted California, Indiana, Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington in providing assistance to victims of natural catastrophes. Disaster Food Stamp Program funds totaling nearly $250 million were distributed to more than 710,000 households via J.P. Morgan’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.

“EBT and debit cards are an effective payment mechanism during disaster situations as they provide benefit recipients with immediate access to assistance,” said Laurie Neill, managing director of Public Sector Solutions, J.P. Morgan. “J.P. Morgan is proud to have helped our state government clients prepare for and react to major emergencies effectively.”

In response to hurricanes Gustav and Ike in September 2008, J.P. Morgan’s EBT cards were used to assist Louisiana in deploying one of the largest Disaster Food Stamp Program benefit issuances in U.S. history. More than $208 million in emergency benefits were issued to 609,595 households.

DSS Interim Secretary Kristy Nichols said, “In the wake of the two hurricanes, DSS worked with Florida and J.P. Morgan to implement the first-ever technology partnership between states for issuing Disaster Food Stamp Program benefits.”

Teams from Louisiana, Florida, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) and J.P. Morgan worked together to develop a system that links the two states, should Louisiana encounter technical issues in future emergency situations.

Indiana suffered two major storms this year. In October, Indiana issued more than $17.6 million through J.P. Morgan EBT cards to approximately 50,000 households after floods hit twenty southeast counties in September. In June, residents in 53 counties across Indiana were impacted by severe storms and flooding. Almost 3,000 households received $3.3 million in Disaster Food Stamp Program benefits.

Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) distributed nearly $11 million in Disaster Food Stamp Program benefits to 23,557 households following flooding and power outages resulting from a series of storms in nine locations, including Omaha. J.P. Morgan has provided EBT cards to Nebraska for its regular Food Stamp Program since 2002.

“The Disaster Food Stamp Program operates under a different set of eligibility and benefit delivery requirements than the regular Food Stamp Program,” said Todd Landry, director of the Division of Children and Family Services in Nebraska’s DHHS. “People who might not ordinarily qualify for benefits may be eligible under the Disaster Food Stamp Program if they have had disaster damage to their homes, expenses related to protecting their homes, lost income as a result of the disaster, or have no access to bank accounts or other resources.”

In December 2007, the Washington Department of Social and Health Services initiated the “Feed Washington Families” Disaster Food Stamp Program to enable victims of the worst floods and windstorms in Southwest Washington’s recorded history to buy food. Washington distributed more than $4.6 million in program benefits to 17,000 households using J.P. Morgan’s EBT cards. In addition to issuing the cards, J.P. Morgan monitored retailer activity reports and was able to report which retailers were still operating during the disaster. This information enabled the state to tell applicants where they could go to make food purchases.

Last year’s wildfires in southern California prompted the largest evacuation in California’s history and destroyed at least 1,800 homes. In October 2007, J.P. Morgan assisted California’s Department of Social Services distribute emergency relief to citizens in San Bernardino and San Diego counties. Nearly $3.8 million in funds were distributed to more than 8,800 households.

J.P. Morgan is the leading provider of EBT and debit card solutions with more than 70 million benefit and payment transactions each month, across the U.S. and internationally. EBT has eliminated the inefficient paper food stamp process while government payment cards eliminate the costly process of producing and mailing checks and eliminate check fraud. Federal, state, county and municipal agencies can deliver recurring or one-time payments to citizens for disaster relief, child support, unemployment and workers’ compensation, payroll, gun buybacks and many other programs and purposes. Recipients can make purchases at millions of merchants and access their funds at ATMs worldwide. More information can be found at www.jpmorgan.com/publicsector.

About J.P. Morgan Treasury Services
The Treasury Services business of J.P. Morgan is a top-ranked, full-service provider of innovative payment, collection, liquidity and investment management, trade finance, commercial card and information solutions to corporations, financial services institutions, middle market companies, small businesses, governments and municipalities worldwide. With more than 50,000 clients and a presence in 39 countries, J.P. Morgan Treasury Services (JPM TS) is the world’s largest provider of treasury management services. JPM TS is a division of J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., member FDIC. More information can be found at www.jpmorgan.com/ts.

About JPMorgan Chase & Co.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.3 trillion and operations in more than 60 countries. The firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers, small business and commercial banking, financial transaction processing, asset management, and private equity. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase & Co. serves millions of consumers in the United States and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its J.P. Morgan, Chase, and WaMu brands. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.