"The NASDAQ OMX Middle East North Africa Index enables investors to track companies in a region that has experienced robust economic growth and strong job creation in recent years," said NASDAQ OMX Executive Vice President John Jacobs. "This index provides investors with a benchmark for a region that is actively implementing structural changes to promote continued economic growth and investment."

PowerShares Capital Management LLC, a leading provider of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), will develop an ETF based on the NASDAQ OMX Middle East North Africa Index and list the ETF on The NASDAQ Stock Market.

The NASDAQ OMX Middle East North Africa Index is calculated in real-time across the combined exchanges and is disseminated in dollars. The Index commenced calculation today with a value of 250.00.

The NASDAQ OMX Middle East North Africa Index is currently comprised of companies domiciled in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Index has diverse sector representation with financials having the largest weight followed by telecommunication services, industrials, materials, energy, consumer discretionary and utilities. -- www.nasdaq.com