Transaction in Own Shares

21 July 2016

BlackRock Income Strategies Trust plc (the Company)
Transaction in own shares: purchase of own shares to be held in treasury

The Company announces that it has today purchased 1,600,000 of its Ordinary Shares at a price of 117.00 pence per share to be held in treasury.

Following settlement of this purchase on 25 July 2016 the issued share capital of the Company will be 267,287,282 Ordinary shares, excluding 23,825,000 Ordinary shares which are held in treasury.  Shares held in treasury do not carry any voting rights, 8.2% of the Company’s total issued share capital (291,112,282 Ordinary Shares, including treasury shares) will be held in treasury following settlement.

For reporting purposes under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules the market should exclude any shares held in treasury and should use the figure of 267,287,282 following settlement when determining if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company.

All enquiries:
S Beynsberger
Company Secretary
BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited
Tel: [phone]