Smo Gold Regulatory News (BARS)

16 May 2011 11:19

BLACKROCK ABSOLUTE RETURN STRATEGIES LTD

ANNUAL INFORMATION UPDATE

Annual Information Update for the period 19 May 2010 up to and including 13 May 2011.

Pursuant to the requirements of Prospectus Rule 5.2 the following summarises the information that has been published or made available to the public by the Company. Please note that some of this information may be out of date.

1. Announcements via a Regulatory Information Service (RIS):

(RIS Announcements can be viewed at or downloaded via the internet from http://dev.uk-wire.com using EPIC code BARS.)

1.1 Net Asset Values

Net asset values are released estimated weekly/estimated monthly and final monthly.

1.2 General Announcements3 May 2011 Total Voting Rights 3 May 2011 Submission of Document 28 April 2011 Doc Re: Submission of Document 28 April 2011 Total Voting Rights 26 April 2011 Conversion of Securities 20 April 2011 Final Results 18 April 2011 Submission of Documents 15 April 2011 Holdings in Company 1 April 2011 Trail Conversion 1 April 2011 Total Voting Rights 18 March 2011 Conversion of Securities 16 March 2011 Submission of Document 2 March 2011 Settlement - Reverse Auction Tender Offer 1 March 2011 Conversion of Securities 1 March 2011 Total Voting Rights 1 March 2011 Compliance with Model Code 16 February 2011 Submission of Document - Monthly Factsheet 2 February 2011 Holdings in Company 2 February 2011 Reverse Auction Tender Offer Strike Price 1 February 2011 Total Voting Rights 1 February 2011 Submission of Document - 4Q10 Update 27 January 2011 Conversion of Securities 26 January 2011 Total Voting Rights 24 January 2011 Holdings in Company 19 January 2011 Doc Re: Submission of Document 17 January 2011 Results of the Reverse Auction Tender Offer 4 January 2011 Total Voting Rights 23 December 2010 Transaction in Own Shares 23 December 2010 Total Voting Rights 16 December 2010 Doc Re: Submission of Document 15 December 2010 Conversion of Securities 13 December 2010 Reverse Auction Tender Offer 1 December 2010 Blocklisting - Interim Review 1 December 2010 Conversion of Securities 1 December 2010 Holdings in Company 16 November 2010 Submission of Document 8 November 2010 Proposed Reverse Auction Tender Offer 4 November 2010 Interim Management Statement 3 November 2010 Doc Re: Submission of Document 29 October 2010 Total Voting Rights 28 October 2010 Conversion of Securities 19 October 2010 Doc Re: Submission of Document 18 October 2010 Doc Re: Submission of Document 17 September 2010 Conversion of Securities 17 September 2010 Doc Re: Submission of Document 14 September 2010 Holdings in Company x 2 7 September 2010 Total Voting Rights 1 September 2010 Conversion of Securities 27 August 2010 Doc Re: Submission of Document 23 August 2010 Half Yearly Report 17 August 2010 Doc Re: Submission of Documents 2 August 2010 Tender Offer - Strike Price 2 August 2010 Doc Re: Submission of Documents 30 July 2010 Total Voting Rights 29 July 2010 Doc Re: Submission of Document 28 July 2010 Conversion of Securities 20 July 2010 Result of Tender Offer 19 July 2010 Portfolio Update 12 July 2010 Correction: Conversion of Securities 2 July 2010 Statement re Liquidity Profile 29 June 2010 Result of EGM 29 June 2010 Result of AGM 25 June 2010 Holdings in Company 17 June 2010 Conversion of Securities 16 June 2010 Doc Re: Submission of Documents 3 June 2010 Conversion of Securities 21 May 2010 Blocklisting - Interim Review

2. Documents Filed with the JFSC Companies Registry:

Date Description 21 February 2011 Annual Return 2011 31 August 2010 Register of members 6 July 2010 Special resolution

3. Printed Publications:

The Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2010 and the Half Yearly Report for the six months ended 30 June 2010 are available from the Company's registered office, c/o of The Company Secretary, BlackRock Absolute Return Strategies Ltd, Forum House, Grenville Street, St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands JE1 0BR or can be downloaded from www.blackrockinternational.com/bars/Library/Literature.

Other sources of information:

The Company's Ordinary shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and the price of these shares is published in the Financial Times and The Times under `Investment Companies' and in The Daily Telegraph under "Investment Trusts". The share price is also available on the Company's website at www.blackrockinternational.com/bars/Library/Literature.

In addition, monthly and quarterly updates on the Company are produced by the Investment Manager and can be downloaded from www.blackrockinternational.com/bars/Library/Literature.

16 May 2011