NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- S&P Dow Jones Indices, the world's largest provider of financial market indices, announced today the launch of the S&P MidCap 400 Low Volatility Index and the S&P SmallCap 600 Low Volatility Index – which seek to measure the performance of the least volatile stocks within their respective benchmark index. Both indices have been licensed to Invesco PowerShares, for the creation and launch of an exchange traded products. Invesco PowerShares is also the licensee for the closely followed S&P 500 Low Volatility index.

"The simple construction of the indices has resonated with investors," says Vinit Srivastava, director of strategy indices at S&P Dow Jones Indices. "The S&P MidCap 400 Low Volatility Index and the S&P SmallCap 600 Low Volatility Index provide investors with exposure to small and mid-cap benchmarks that exhibit similar low volatility anomaly as large cap benchmarks."

The S&P MidCap 400 Low Volatility Index measures the performance of the 80 least volatile stocks in the S&P MidCap 400. The S&P SmallCap 600 Low Volatility Index measures the performance of the 120 least volatile stocks in the S&P SmallCap 600. These indices are an extension of the S&P Low Volatility Index family which is designed to serve as benchmarks for low volatility or low variance strategies in their respective regional or country stock market. The other indices in the family are:

• S&P 500 Low Volatility Index
• S&P 500 Low Volatility Index (CAD Hedged)
• S&P BMI Emerging Markets Low Volatility Index
• S&P BMI International Developed Low Volatility Index
• S&P Europe 350 Low Volatility Index

For more information on the S&P Low Volatility Indices, please visit: www.spindices.com.

About S&P Dow Jones Indices
S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a subsidiary of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., is the world's largest, global resource for index-based concepts, data and research. Home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500© and the Dow Jones Industrial Average^SM, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC has over 115 years of experience constructing innovative and transparent solutions that fulfill the needs of institutional and retail investors. More assets are invested in products based upon our indices than any other provider in the world. With over 830,000 indices covering a wide range of assets classes across the globe, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC defines the way investors measure and trade the markets. To learn more about our company, please visit www.spdji.com.

Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P"), a subsidiary of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC ("Dow Jones").  These trademarks have been licensed to S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, S&P and their respective affiliates (collectively "S&P Dow Jones Indices") do not sponsor, endorse, sell, or promote any investment fund or other investment vehicle that is offered by third parties and that seeks to provide an investment return based on the performance of any index. This document does not constitute an offer of services in jurisdictions where S&P Dow Jones Indices does not have the necessary licenses. S&P Dow Jones Indices receives compensation in connection with licensing its indices to third parties.

SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices