American Stock Exchange News Release

Options Release
Media Contact: Kelsey Hubbard
American Stock Exchange
212-306-1640/kelsey.hubbard@amex.com

AMERICAN STOCK EXCHANGE TO TRADE OPTIONS ON TWO NEW SECURITIES

New York, April 12, 2006 -  The American Stock Exchange (Amex) will launch trading in options on Thursday, April 13, 2006 on the following Nasdaq Stock Market listed stocks of:

  • Conexant Systems, Inc. (Option Symbol: TQP/Stock Symbol: CNXT)
  • Pacific Ethanol, Inc. (Option Symbol: PFQ/Stock Symbol: PEIX)

    Conexant Systems, Inc. options will open with position limits of 5,000,000 shares. The options will trade on the March expiration cycle. The specialist will be AGS Specialist, LLC. Conexant Systems, Inc. provides semiconductor products for communications electronics.

    Pacific Ethanol, Inc. options will open with position limits of 5,000,000 shares. The options will trade on the March expiration cycle. The specialists will be Susquehanna Investment Group. Pacific Ethanol, Inc. is seeking to construct a large-scale ethanol production facility in Madera, California.

    For more information on any Amex-listed company, please visit www.amex.com.

    • About American Stock Exchange

    The American Stock Exchange® (Amex®) is the only primary exchange that offers trading across a full range of equities, options and exchange traded funds (ETFs), including structured products and HOLDRSSM. In addition to its role as a national equities market, the Amex is the pioneer of the ETF, responsible for bringing the first domestic product to market in 1993. Leading the industry in ETF listings, the Amex lists 163 ETFs to date. The Amex is also one of the largest options exchanges in the U.S., trading options on broad-based and sector indexes as well as domestic and foreign stocks.