Franklin Templeton Investments Wins Thirteen Lipper Fund Awards in the Gulf Region

Franklin Templeton Investments¹ is delighted to announce that seven of its Luxembourg-registered SICAV funds have won Lipper Fund Awards for delivering consistently strong risk-adjusted performance relative to their peers, at the Gulf Lipper Awards ceremony in Dubai. The award-winning funds are:

1. Templeton Global Bond Fund ²

Ranked first in the Lipper Global Classification “Bond Global” for the ten year category, the Templeton Global Bond Fund seeks to provide superior risk-adjusted total returns consisting of interest income, capital appreciation and currency gains by identifying sources of investment opportunities worldwide.

Launched in February 1991, the Fund is managed by California-based Dr. Michael Hasenstab, Portfolio Manager and Senior Vice President, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Group. Hasenstab specializes in global macro-economic analysis with a focus on currency, interest rates and sovereign credit analysis of developed and emerging markets countries.

2. Templeton Global Total Return ²

Ranked first in the Lipper Global Classification “Bond Global” for the three-year and five-year categories, the Templeton Global Total Return Fund primarily invests in fixed or floating-rate debt securities and debt obligations of government or government-related issuers and corporate issuers worldwide, as well as in certain financial derivative instruments. The Fund seeks to provide superior risk-adjusted total returns consisting of interest income, capital appreciation and currency gains by identifying sources of investment opportunities worldwide. Launched in 2003, the fund is also managed by Dr. Hasenstab.

3. Templeton Asian Growth Fund ²

Ranked first in the Lipper Global Classification “Equity Asia Pacific Ex Japan” for the three, five and 10 year categories, the Templeton Asian Growth Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in equity securities of companies that are incorporated or have their area of primary activity in Asia.

Launched in June 1991, the Fund is managed by Singapore-based Dr. Mark Mobius, Executive Chairman, Templeton Emerging Markets Group, one of the longest tenured managers in emerging markets with over 40 years of experience. He and his team invest with a long-term view in Asian companies they believe are undervalued, fundamentally strong, growing, and capable of weathering difficult times. They look at a wide range of criteria to evaluate companies in Asia, including earnings prospects, return on capital, margins, asset value, growth and cash flow.

4. Templeton China Fund ²

Ranked first in the Lipper Global Classification “Equity Greater China” for the five years category, the Templeton China Fund seeks capital appreciation by investing primarily in equity securities of companies (i) organised under the laws of or with their principal offices in the People's Republic of China (“China”), Hong Kong or Taiwan or (ii) which derive the principal portion of their revenue from goods or services sold or produced, or have the principal portion of their assets in China, Hong Kong or Taiwan. Launched in September 1994, the fund is also managed by Dr. Mobius.

5. Franklin European Growth Fund ²

Ranked first in the Lipper Global Classification “Equity Europe” over three and five years, the Franklin European Growth Fund aims to achieve long-term capital appreciation by investing principally in equity and / or equity-related securities of companies of any market capitalization in European countries.

Launched in December 2000, the Fund is managed by New York based Edwin Lugo, Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Franklin Global Advisors. Lugo currently leads Franklin Global Advisors’ nonU.S. small- and mid-cap growth equity team and has over 17 years of investment experience.

6. Franklin Global Small-Mid Cap Growth Fund ²

Ranked first in the Lipper Global Classification “Equity Global Small and Mid Caps” over three and five years, the Franklin Global Small-Mid Cap Growth Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation primarily by investing in small and mid-cap growth equity securities of companies in any developed country around the world. Launched in April 2002, the Fund is also managed by Lugo.

7. Franklin U.S. Opportunities Fund²

Ranked first in the Lipper Global Classification, “Equity North America” over five and 10 years, the Franklin U.S. Opportunities Fund aims to achieve capital appreciation by investing principally in equity securities of U.S. companies believed to possess sustainable growth characteristics, and which meet growth, quality and valuation criteria.

Launched in April 2000, the fund is co-managed by California-based portfolio managers Conrad Herrmann and Grant Bowers both part of the Franklin Equity Group.

Andrew Ashton, senior director and regional head of the CEEMEA region (Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa) – Franklin Templeton Investments, said, “We are delighted that Lipper has recognised the strong, consistent performance of many of our Franklin Templeton Investment Funds, awarding them the top accolade in their respective categories. We believe this is a great reflection of the firm's commitment to deliver consistent long-term, risk-adjusted returns to our investors across the globe. With more than 60 years of investment experience, Franklin Templeton Investments has continuously broadened its expertise with extensive research capabilities across a number of asset classes”.

Dhiraj Rai, Director – Gulf and Eastern Mediterranean, added: “These awards deliver a clear message recognizing Franklin Templeton Investments’ global expertise in both Equity and Fixed Income space by a respected independent and well known research platform”.

The Lipper Fund Awards are awarded to funds in 21 countries in Asia, Europe and the Americas. Lipper designates award-winning funds in most individual classifications for the one-, three-, five- and 10-year periods. Only one fund is honored for each category per performance period.

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Notes to Editors:

1. Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN], is a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton Investments. Franklin Templeton Investments provides global and domestic investment management solutions managed by its Franklin, Templeton, Mutual Series, Fiduciary Trust, Darby and Bissett investment teams. The San Mateo, CA-based company has more than 60 years of investment experience and over US$727 billion in assets under management as of 29 February 2012.

Franklin Templeton Investment Management Limited in Dubai is authorized and regulated in the UK by the Financial Services Authority and regulated in Dubai by the Dubai Financial Services Authority.

2. Templeton Global Bond Fund, Templeton Global Total Return, Templeton Asian Growth, Franklin European Growth Fund, Franklin Global Small-Mid Cap Growth Fund, Franklin U.S. Opportunities Fund and Templeton China Fund are sub-funds of Franklin Templeton Investment Funds, a Luxembourg-domiciled SICAVs. For further information, please refer to the latest Full or Simplified Prospectus.

Past performance is no guarantee of future performance. This document does not constitute or form part of any offer for shares or an invitation to apply for shares. Subscriptions for shares can only be made on the basis of the latest available audited annual report accompanied by the current prospectus or Simplified Prospectus (available from the address below).

The price of the shares of the Funds and the income received from them can go down as well as up, and investors may not get back the full amount invested. Currency fluctuations may affect the value of overseas investment. An investment in the Franklin Templeton Investment Funds SICAV entails risks, which are described in the Full or Simplified Prospectus. No shares of the SICAV may be directly or indirectly offered or sold to nationals or residents of the United States of America.

This press release is intended to be of general interest only, and does not constitute professional advice. Franklin Templeton Investments and its management groups have exercised professional care and diligence in the collection and processing of the information in this press release. Franklin Templeton Investments makes no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy of this document. Franklin Templeton Investments shall not be liable to any user of this report or to any other person or entity for the inaccuracy of information contained in this press release or for any errors or omissions in its contents, regardless of the cause of such inaccuracy, error or omission. Any research and analysis contained in this document has been procured by Franklin Templeton Investments for its own purposes.

Issued by Franklin Templeton Investment Management Limited (FTIML) in Dubai, authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority and regulated in Dubai by the DFSA. Dubai office: Franklin Templeton Investment Management Limited, Gate Building, East Wing, 2nd floor Dubai International Financial Centre, P.O. Box 506613, Dubai, U.A.E., Tel.: +9714-4284100, Fax:+9714-4284140, www.franklintempletongem.com