NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) Sept. 26, 2013--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services today said it assigned its 'BBB+f' fund credit quality and 'S1' fund volatility ratings on the iShares Short Maturity Bond ETF. BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA) is the fund's investment adviser. The fund credit quality ratings are based on our analysis of the credit quality of the portfolio's eligible investments, the counterparties, and overall management. The 'BBB+f' rating signifies that the portfolio holdings provide adequate protection against losses from credit defaults. The fund is among nearly 300 investment portfolios of the iShares Trust. The trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on Dec. 16, 1999, and is authorized to have multiple series or portfolios. The trust is an
