CHICAGO, IL -- (Marketwire) -- 12/13/12 -- Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC, a leading global provider of exchange traded funds (ETFs), announced today the PowerShares S&P 500® Low Volatility Portfolio (SPLV) received the William F. Sharpe Award for ETF Product of the Year. Listed on May 5, 2011, SPLV represents the first and largest low-volatility weighted ETF available to US investors. The ETF recently surpassed $3 billion in assets under management.

The William F. Sharpe Awards recognize the best and the brightest innovators in the field of indexing, ETFs, and investment management. This year's awards were presented at the 2012 Global Indexing & ETFs Conference held in Phoenix, AZ from December 2-5, 2012.

SPLV was recognized as ETF Product of the Year for having the most significant impact on the ETF market over the previous 12 months. This is the second consecutive year a PowerShares ETF has received this prestigious award, following the PowerShares Fundamental High Yield® Corporate Bond Portfolio (PHB) as the 2011 recipient.

"We would like to thank our industry peers for honoring Invesco PowerShares with the 2012 William F. Sharpe Award for ETF Product of the Year," said Ben Fulton, Invesco PowerShares managing director of global ETFs. "The PowerShares S&P 500® Low Volatility Portfolio (SPLV) was a groundbreaking listing that opened the door for investors seeking to reduce volatility in their core portfolios and has become the flagship ETF in this space. The concept of using low-volatility strategies to achieve long term capital growth objectives has been steadily gaining interest with advisors and investors."

Since inception through November 30, 2012, the PowerShares S&P 500® Low Volatility Portfolio (SPLV) achieved a total return including dividends of 18.31% vs. a total return of 9.91% for the S&P 500® Index, and it has done so with approximately 30% less volatility(1).

Leading the Intelligent ETF Revolution, Invesco PowerShares was early to recognize the advantages low volatility investing. Based upon the highly regarded S&P Dow Jones Indices, the PowerShares family of low volatility ETFs provides investors with diversification opportunities across key market segments.

• PowerShares S&P 500® Low Volatility Portfolio (SPLV)
• PowerShares S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility Portfolio (EELV)
• PowerShares S&P International Developed Low Volatility Portfolio (IDLV)

SPLV standardized performance as of Sept. 30, 2012 since fund inception (5/5/11)

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PowerShares S&P 500                              YTD      1 Year   Inception
Low Volatility Portfolio
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NAV                                              11.06%   22.66%   13.00%
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After Tax Held                                   10.21%   21.34%   11.76%
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After Tax Sold                                   7.16%    14.66%   10.32%
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Market Price                                     11.02%   22.50%   13.03%
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Performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results; current performance may be higher or lower than performance quoted. Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate and Shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. See invescopowershares.com to find the most recent month-end performance numbers. After Tax Held represents total return after taxes on distributions and assumes Shares have not been sold. After Tax Sold represents total return after taxes on distributions and the sale of Fund Shares. After-tax returns reflect the highest federal income tax rate but exclude state and local taxes. Market returns are based on the midpoint of the bid/ask spread at 4 p.m. ET and do not represent the returns an investor would receive if shares were traded at other times. Unmanaged index returns do not reflect any fees, expenses, or sales charges. An investment cannot be made directly into an index.

The PowerShares S&P 500® Low Volatility Portfolio (SPLV) is based on the S&P 500® Low Volatility Index (Index). The Fund will invest at least 90% of its total assets in common stocks that comprise the Index. The Index is compiled, maintained and calculated by Standard & Poor's and consists of the 100 stocks from the S&P 500® Index with the lowest realized volatility over the past 12 months. Volatility is a statistical measurement of the magnitude of up and down asset price fluctuations over time. The Fund is rebalanced and reconstituted quarterly in Feb, May, Aug, and Nov.

Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC is Leading the Intelligent ETF Revolution® through its family of more than 140 domestic and international exchange-traded funds, which seek to outperform traditional benchmark indexes while providing advisors and investors access to an innovative array of focused investment opportunities. With franchise assets over $74 billion as of Sept 30, 2012, PowerShares ETFs trade on both U.S. stock exchanges. For more information, please visit us at invescopowershares.com or follow us on Twitter @PowerShares.

Invesco, Ltd. Is a leading independent global investment management firm, dedicated to helping investors worldwide achieve their financial objectives. By delivering the combined power of our distinctive investment management capabilities, Invesco provides a wide range of investment strategies and vehicles to our retail, institutional and high net worth clients around the world. Operating in more than 20 countries, the firm is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol IVZ. Additional information is available at www.invesco.com.

(1) Source: Bloomberg L.P., as of Nov. 30, 2012

Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of index returns.

Unforeseen market conditions may prevent the fund from achieving its goal of providing low volatility.

There are risks involved with investing in ETFs, including possible loss of money. Shares are not actively managed and are subject to risks including those regarding short selling and margin maintenance requirements. Ordinary brokerage commissions apply. The fund's return may not match the return of the underlying index.

The prices of equity securities change in response to many factors, including the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer, the value of its assets, general economic conditions, interest rates, investor perceptions and market liquidity.

Foreign securities have additional risks, including exchange-rate changes, decreased market liquidity, political instability and taxation by foreign governments.

Investment in securities in emerging market countries involves risks not associated with investments in securities in developed countries.

The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach will result in its holding a smaller number of bonds than are in the underlying Index, and may be subject to greater volatility.

Investing in securities of medium capitalization companies involves greater risk than customarily is associated with investing in larger, more established companies.

The Funds are non-diversified and can invest a greater portion of their assets in securities of individual issuers than a diversified fund. As a result, changes in the market value of a single investment could cause greater fluctuations in Share price than would occur in a diversified fund. This may increase the Funds' volatility and cause the performance of a relatively small number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Funds' performance.

Investors cannot directly invest in an index and that unmanaged index returns do not reflect any fees, expenses or sales charges, past performance cannot guarantee future results.

The S&P 500® Index is an unmanaged index considered representative of the U.S. stock market.

Standard & Poor's® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P") and have been licensed for use by Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC. The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P or its affiliates, and S&P and its affiliates make no representation, warranty or condition regarding the advisability of buying, selling or holding units/shares in the Fund.

Note: Not all products available through all firms.

Invesco Distributors, Inc. is the distributor of the PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II.

PowerShares is a registered trademark of Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC. Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC and Invesco Distributors, Inc. are indirect, wholly owned subsidiaries of Invesco Ltd.

Not FDIC Insured - No Bank Guarantee - May Lose Value

Shares are not individually redeemable and owners of the shares may acquire those shares from the Funds and tender those shares for redemption to the Funds in Creation Unit aggregations only, typically consisting of 50,000 shares.

An investor should consider the Fund's investment objective, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. For this and more complete information about the Fund, call 800 983 0903. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

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