Holding(s) in Company

9th Feb 2012 15:54

TR-1(i): NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES

(1). Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attached (ii):

BlackRock Absolute Return Strategies Ltd

(2). Reason for the notification (please tick the appropriate box or boxes):

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights: ( x )

An acquisition or disposal of qualifying financial instruments which may result in the acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached: ( )

An acquisition or disposal of instruments with similar economic effect to qualifying financial instruments: ( )

An event changing the breakdown of voting rights: ( )

Other (please specify) : ( )

(3). Full name of person(s) subject to the notification obligation (iii):

Investec Wealth & Investment Limited

(4). Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.) (iv):

n/a

(5). Date of the transaction (and date on which the threshold is crossed or reached if different) (v):

8 February 2012

(6). Date on which issuer notified:

9 February 2012

(7). Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or reached:

4%(8). Notified details:

A: Voting rights attached to shares Class/type of shares (if possible using the ISIN code): denominated shares of no par value - GBP JE00B2PXDB91, USD JE00B2PXNQ43, Euro JE00B2PXNC07

Situation previous to the triggering transaction(vi):Number of Shares - JE00B2PXDB91: 669,495Number of Shares - JE00B2PXNQ43 - 91,043Number of Shares - JE00B2PXNC07 - 6,789Number of Voting rights - JE00B2PXDB91 (viii): 1,004,242Number of Voting rights - JE00B2PXNQ43 (viii): 91,043Number of Voting rights - JE00B2PXNC07 (viii): 8,825Resulting situation after the triggering transaction(vii):Number of shares:Direct - JE00B2PXDB91: N/ADirect - JE00B2PXNQ43: N/ADirect - JE00B2PXNC07: N/ANumber of voting rights (ix):Direct - JE00B2PXDB91 (x): N/ADirect - JE00B2PXNQ43 (x): N/ADirect - JE00B2PXNC07 (x): N/AIndirect - JE00B2PXDB91(xi): 780,186Indirect - JE00B2PXNQ43 (xi): 69,471Indirect - JE00B2PXNC07 (xi): 6,281% of voting rights:Direct JE00B2PXDB91: N/ADirect JE00B2PXNQ43: N/ADirect JE00B2PXNC07: N/AIndirect - JE00B2PXDB91: 4.23%Indirect - JE00B2PXNQ43: 0.38%Indirect - JE00B2PXNC07: 0.03%

B. Financial Instruments

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction (xii):

Type of financial instrument:

Expiration date (xiii):

Exercise/Conversion Period/Date (xiv):

Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised/ converted:

% of voting rights:

C. Financial Instruments with similar economic effect to Qualifying Instruments (xv), (xvi)

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction:

Type of financial instrument:

Exercise Price:

Expiration date (xvii):

Exercise/Conversion Period/Date (xviii):

Number of voting rights instrument refers to:

% of voting rights (xix) (xx):

Nominal:Delta:Total (A + B + C):

Number of voting rights: 855,938

% of voting rights: 4.64%

(9). Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable (xv):

Proxy Voting:

(10). Name of the proxy holder:

N/A

(11). Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease to hold:

N/A

(12). Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold voting rights:

N/A(13). Additional information:N/A(14). Contact name:Mrs K V HigginsFor BlackRock Investment Management (UK) LimitedSecretary

(15). Contact telephone number:

020 7743 1089

9 February 2012

XLON

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