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TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 24, 2011) - For the second year in a row, BMO Capital Markets has been named the World's Best Metals and Mining Investment Bank by Global Finance Magazine.

Each year Global Finance selects the best financial institutions around the world. These awards have become a recognized and trusted standard of excellence.

"2010 was a standout year for our team and our clients," said Egizio Bianchini, Vice-Chair and Co-Head Global Metals & Mining, BMO Capital Markets. "This award is testament to our commitment to clients. Whether it is advisory services, capital raising, research or investing, we are here to help our clients stay ahead, and we look forward to another great year helping them achieve their ambitions."

In 2010, BMO Capital Markets achieved the following:

• Ranked #1 in North American mining M&A by Bloomberg, with 20 deals totalling close to US$18 billion.
• Ranked in the Top 3 in North American mining equity underwriting, with 56 deals (24 of them as Bookrunner), totalling more than C$1 billion.
• Solidified its position as the largest mining research group in the world, with 10 dedicated analysts covering more than 150 global metals, mining and fertilizer stocks.

"Today's global mining industry is a maze of complex economic, geographic, environmental and regulatory challenges. With nearly a century of service to clients, we understand the forces shaping the industry, and this award recognizes our ability to assist companies who are looking for new global opportunities," added Jason Neal, Co-Head Global Metals & Mining, BMO Capital Markets.

"The investment banking industry has changed as a result of the financial crisis," said Global Finance publisher Joseph D. Giarraputo. "The best institutions are those that have a business model focused on customer needs, and BMO Capital Markets Metals and Mining team is an excellent example of this."

Global Finance editors, with input from industry experts, use a number of criteria to arrive at their selections. These include market share, number and size of deals, service and advice, structuring capabilities, distribution network, efforts to address market conditions, innovation, pricing, and market reputation.

About BMO Capital Markets Global Metals and Mining

BMO Financial Group has been supporting the Metals & Mining industry for nearly 100 years. With more than 50 professionals in 26 offices worldwide, including Australia, Europe and China, BMO Capital Markets Global Metals and Mining group is a one-stop provider of financial solutions to an industry where vision, speed and the ability to transcend borders have become the benchmarks for success.

About BMO Capital Markets

BMO Capital Markets is a leading, full-service North American financial services provider, with more than 2,000 employees operating in 14 North American offices and 26 worldwide, offering corporate, institutional and government clients access to a complete range of investment and corporate banking products and services. BMO Capital Markets is a member of BMO Financial Group (NYSE:BMO)(TSX:BMO), one of the largest diversified financial services providers in North America with US$410 billion total assets and 38,000 employees as at January 31, 2011.