Ardour Solar Energy IndexSM Returned -22.30 Percent Year-to-Date Through May 2008

Ardour Solar Energy IndexSM Returned -22.30 Percent Year-to-Date Through May 2008


NEW YORK-- June 5 2008 The Ardour Solar Energy IndexSM (Bloomberg ticker: SOLRX), the pure-play leader in tracking the solar energy industry, returned 4.1% in May 2008 and -22.3% year-to-date through end-May 2008.*

The SOLRX index is comprised of a basket of securities of companies from around the world that are engaged in various aspects of the solar energy industry, including solar electricity, heating and lighting. The Index includes only those companies that generate at least 66% of their revenues from solar energy. On an index-weighted basis, the constituents of SOLRX derive well over 90% of their revenues from solar energy.

SOLRX was launched on April 21, 2008 and includes many companies of global prominence—such as First Solar, Q Cells and Renewable Energy, with weightings of 9.5%, 11.7% and 8.4%, respectively, as of May 31, 2008. The Index comprised 27 companies in all as of that same date. SOLRX is published by Ardour Global Indexes, LLCSM and is a member of the Ardour FamilySM of Alternative Energy Indexes, which serve as leading alternative energy industry benchmarks.

Market Vectors—Solar Energy ETF (Amex: KWT) seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the SOLRX index. KWT generally holds all the securities that make up the Index in proportion to their Index weightings.

*Past performance does not guarantee future results. The Index’s return does not represent the performance of any fund. The Index charges no fees, including management fees or brokerage expenses, and no such fees or expenses were deducted from the performance shown. Investors cannot invest directly in the Index. Performance information presented for the Index covering the period prior to April 21, 2008 is based on hypothetical, back-tested data. Prior to April 21, 2008, the Index was not calculated in real time by an independent calculation agent. Hypothetical, back-tested performance has inherent limitations and is not indicative of future results. No representation is being made that any investment will achieve performance similar to that shown.

About the Ardour Solar Energy IndexSM (SOLRX)

The Ardour Solar Energy IndexSM is a rules-based, modified global-capitalization-weighted, float-adjusted index intended to give investors an efficient means of tracking the overall performance of a global universe of listed companies engaged in the solar industry. The Index is weighted based on the market capitalization of each of the component stocks, modified to conform to various asset diversification requirements, which are applied in conjunction with the scheduled quarterly adjustments to the Index. Index values are calculated on both a price-only and total-return basis.

About Ardour Global Indexes, LLCSM

Ardour Global Indexes, LLCSM was founded in 2005 for the express purpose of developing bench-marking tools for the global alternative energy industry. It is a partnership between Ardour Capital Investments, LLC, a premier investment bank specializing in alternative energy finance, and S-Network Energy Technologies, LLC, a developer of indexes and investment products focused on both traditional and alternative energy.

Ardour Global Indexes, LLC SM and Ardour Solar Energy IndexSM are service marks of Ardour Global Indexes, LLCSM and have been licensed for use by Van Eck Associates Corporation in connection with Market Vectors–Solar Energy ETF (KWT). KWT is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Ardour Global Indexes, LLCSM and Ardour Global Indexes, LLCSM makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the KWT. The Ardour Solar Energy IndexSM is calculated by Dow Jones Indexes. Van Eck’s Market Vectors–Solar Energy ETF (KWT), based on the Ardour Solar Energy IndexSM, is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Dow Jones Indexes, and Dow Jones Indexes makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in KWT.

About Van Eck Global

Founded in 1955, Van Eck Associates Corporation was among the first U.S. money managers helping investors achieve greater diversification through global investing. Today, the firm continues that 50+ year tradition by offering global investment choices in hard assets, emerging markets, precious metals including gold, and other specialized asset classes.

Van Eck also offers a number of mutual funds. Van Eck’s mutual funds are sold nationwide through retail brokers, financial planners and investment advisors. Designed for investors seeking innovative choices for portfolio diversification, they are often categorized in asset classes having returns with low correlations to those of more traditional U.S. equity and fixed income investments.

Van Eck also offers exchange-traded funds, separate accounts and alternative investments. In addition, it offers the Worldwide Insurance Trust Funds, a series of investment choices within the variable annuity contracts and variable life policies of widely known and highly regarded insurers.

KWT is subject to risks associated with the stock market, index tracking, sector investing, investing in small- or mid-cap companies, foreign investments, replication management, non-diversified investments, absence of prior active market, trading issues, fluctuation of net asset value and risks of investing in solar energy investments. Because of their narrow focus, sector investments tend to be more volatile than investments that diversify across many sectors and companies.

Fund shares are not individually redeemable and will be issued and redeemed at their NAV only through certain authorized broker-dealers in large, specified blocks of shares called “creation units” and otherwise can be bought and sold only through exchange trading. Creation units are issued and redeemed principally in kind.

Investors may call 1.888.MKT.VCTR or visit www.vaneck.com/kwt for a free prospectus. They should consider the investment objective, risks, and charges and expenses of Market Vectors-Solar Energy ETF carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other information about KWT. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

Please call 1.888.MKT.VCTR or visit www.vaneck.com/kwt for the most recent month-end performance of Market Vectors-Solar Energy ETF. This information will be available no later than seven business days after the most recent month end.

Van Eck Securities Corporation, Distributor, 99 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016

Contacts MacMillan CommunicationsMike MacMillan/Lindsey Wetmiller212-473-4442Lindsey@macmillancom.com