NEW YORK, July 9, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) today announced that The NASDAQ Stock Market(r) (NASDAQ(r)) has listed a new exchange traded fund (ETF) sponsored by Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC -- a leading provider of ETFs. NASDAQ is the most liquid U.S. market for ETFs, capturing 35.7% of all U.S. ETF volume in May. Average daily matched share volume was 320 million, more than any other U.S. exchange.
The Invesco PowerShares-sponsored ETF is trading on the NASDAQ ETF Market. This market is designed specifically to support ETFs and Index Linked Notes (ILNs) during their critical period of incubation and further strengthen NASDAQ's leadership position in the U.S. ETF sector.
Effective today, NASDAQ listed the PowerShares MENA Frontier Countries Portfolio (Nasdaq:PMNA).
The PowerShares MENA Frontier Countries Portfolio is based on the NASDAQ OMX Middle East North Africa Index(sm). This Index is designed to measure the performance of the largest and most liquid securities of companies domiciled in Middle Eastern and North African that have smaller economies or less developed capital markets than traditional emerging markets. The Index currently includes securities domiciled in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
"This PowerShares ETF is trading on a market that is designed specifically to provide new ETFs with very high levels of visibility and liquidity during their initial listing period," stated John Jacobs, executive vice president, NASDAQ OMX Global Financial Products. "Because of its unique electronic model, The NASDAQ ETF Market helps all newly NASDAQ-listed ETFs develop into established products and is instrumental in the overall growth of ETF trading in the U.S."
The focus of The NASDAQ ETF Market is the Designated Liquidity Provider, a Market Maker who has been selected to maintain liquidity in qualified ETFs (i.e., Qualified Securities). NASDAQ requires Designated Liquidity Providers to maintain a higher standard of market quality measured by spread, depth, and time quoting at or near the National Best Bid and Offer (NBBO). They receive price incentives to support ETFs during their period of initial listing, when ETFs need to develop more active trading.
Designated Liquidity Providers are selected by NASDAQ based on factors including experience with making markets in ETFs and ILNs, adequacy of capital, willingness to promote NASDAQ as a marketplace, issuer preference, operational capacity, support personnel, and history of adherence to NASDAQ rules and securities laws.
The NASDAQ ETF Market allows the traditional floor-based specialist, which has historically provided initial liquidity to new ETFs, to play a similar role by placing two-sided quotes in the NASDAQ Market Center. This enables ETF sponsors to continue to have the ability to develop "preferred" relationships with intermediaries. ETF issuers may choose a single Designated Liquidity Provider or multiple, competing liquidity providers. This flexible structure enables ETF issuers and traders to interact based on the needs of the issuer as they vary throughout the life cycle of the ETF.
NASDAQ OMX is a leading index calculator, designer and creator of some of the world's most popular ETFs, including PowerShares QQQ(tm) (Nasdaq:QQQQ) -- one of the most heavily traded listed equity securities in the U.S. and one of the most active ETFs in the world. PowerShares QQQ is designed to correspond to the price and yield performance of the NASDAQ-100 Index(r), the basis of more than 500 investment products in more than 36 countries.
For more information about the NASDAQ ETF Market, please contact Richard Keary, NASDAQ New Listings, at +212.401.8903 or richard.keary@nasdaqomx.com or NASDAQ Market Sales at 800.846.0047 or sales@nasdaq.com.
For more information about Invesco PowerShares' ETFs, please visit http://www.powershares.com/products/default.aspx.
About NASDAQ OMX Global Financial Products
NASDAQ OMX Global Financial Products (NOGFP) is engaged in the design, development, calculation, licensing, and marketing of NASDAQ OMX indexes. NOGFP specializes in the development of indexes focusing on NASDAQ OMX's brand themes of innovation, technology, growth, and globalization. NOGFP also provides custom index services and design solutions as a third-party provider to selected financial organizations. For more information about NASDAQ OMX indexes, visit www.nasdaq.com/indexes.
About NASDAQ OMX
The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. is the world's largest exchange company. It delivers trading, exchange technology and public company services across six continents, and with over 3,900 companies, it is number one in worldwide listings among major markets. NASDAQ OMX Group offers multiple capital raising solutions to companies around the globe, including its U.S. listings market; the OMX Nordic Exchange, including First North; and the 144A PORTAL Market. The company offers trading across multiple asset classes including equities, derivatives, debt, commodities, structured products and ETFs. NASDAQ OMX Group technology supports the operations of over 60 exchanges, clearing organizations and central securities depositories in more than 50 countries. OMX Nordic Exchange is not a legal entity but describes the common offering from NASDAQ OMX Group exchanges in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Iceland, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. For more information about NASDAQ OMX, visit www.nasdaqomx.com.
Invesco PowerShares is leading the intelligent ETF revolution through its family of more than 100 domestic and international index-based and actively managed exchange traded funds. With assets under management as of April 30, 2008 of $13.86 billion, PowerShares ETFs trade on all of the major U.S. stock exchanges that trade ETFs. For more information, please visit us at www.invescopowershares.com.
Invesco PowerShares is a part of Invesco Ltd., a leading independent global investment management company dedicated to helping people worldwide build their financial security. By delivering the combined power of its distinctive worldwide investment management capabilities, including AIM, Atlantic Trust, Invesco, Perpetual, PowerShares, Trimark, and WL Ross, Invesco provides a comprehensive array of enduring investment solutions for retail, institutional and high-net-worth clients around the world. Operating in 20 countries, the company is currently listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol IVZ. Additional information is available at www.invesco.com.
NASDAQ(r), OMX(r), and the NASDAQ OMX Middle East North Africa Index(sm) are trade/servicemarks of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (which with its affiliates are the "Corporations") and are licensed for use by PowerShares Capital Management, LLC for purposes of the PowerShares MENA Frontier Countries Portfolio. The PowerShares MENA Frontier Countries Portfolio has not been passed on by the Corporations as to its legality or suitability. The PowerShares MENA Frontier Countries Portfolio is not issued, endorsed or sold by the Corporations and the Corporations make no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the PowerShares MENA Frontier Countries Portfolio. The Corporations make no warranties and bear no liability with respect to the PowerShares MENA Frontier Countries Portfolio.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The matters described herein may contain forward-looking statements that are made under the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about NASDAQ OMX's products and offerings. We caution that these statements are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors beyond NASDAQ OMX's control. These factors include, but are not limited to, factors detailed in NASDAQ OMX's annual report on Form 10-K, and periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to release any revisions to any forward-looking statements.
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