SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun. 12, 2012-- GigOptix, Inc. (NYSE MKT:GIG), a leading fabless supplier of semiconductor and optical components that enable high speed information streaming, today announced that it will join the Russell Microcap® Index when Russell Investments reconstitutes its family of U.S. indexes on June 25, according to a preliminary list of additions posted June 8 on www.russell.com.

Membership in the Russell Microcap Index, which remains in place for one year, means automatic inclusion in the appropriate growth and value style indexes. Russell determines membership for its equity indexes primarily by objective, market-capitalization rankings and style attributes.

"Being included in the Russell Index is a validation of the progress we have made over the last five years. As we continue to execute on our growth strategy, we believe our membership will be a valuable tool to help raise our investment profile in the financial community," said Curt Sacks, Chief Financial Officer of GigOptix.

Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for both passive and active investment strategies. In the institutional marketplace, an industry-leading $3.9 trillion in assets currently are benchmarked to them. Russell calculates more than 80,000 benchmarks daily covering approximately 98 percent of the investable market globally, 83 countries and more than 10,000 securities.

Annual reconstitution of Russell Indexes captures the 4,000 largest U.S. stocks as of the end of May, ranking them by total market capitalization to create the Russell 3000^® Index and Russell Microcap Index. These investment tools originated from Russell's multi-manager investment business in the early 1980s when the company saw the need for a more objective, market-driven set of benchmarks in order to evaluate outside investment managers.

Total returns data for the Russell Microcap and other Russell Indexes is available at http://www.russell.com/indexes/data/US_Equity/Russell_US_Index_returns.asp.

About GigOptix, Inc.

GigOptix is a leading supplier of semiconductor and optical components that enable high speed information streaming and address emerging high growth opportunities in the communications, industrial, defense and avionics industries. The Company offers a unique broad portfolio of Drivers, TIAs and TFPSTM optical modulators for 40G,100G and 400G fiber-optic telecommunications and data-communications networks, and high performance MMIC solutions that enable next generation wireless microwave systems up to 90GHz. GigOptix also offers a wide range of ASIC solutions through its ChipX product line.

About Russell

Russell Investments (Russell) is a global asset manager and one of only a few firms that offers actively managed, multi-asset portfolios and services that include advice, investments and implementation. Working with institutional investors, financial advisors and individuals, Russell’s core capabilities extend across capital markets insights, manager research, Indexes, portfolio implementation and portfolio construction.

Russell has approximately $155 billion in assets under management (as of 3/31/2012) and works with 2,400 institutional clients, more than 580 independent distribution partners and advisors, and individual investors globally. Founded in 1936, Russell is a subsidiary of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company.

Source: GigOptix, Inc.

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