The expansion of the family of PowerShares Funds continues with the launch of nine new funds, Invesco Trimark Ltd. said Tuesday.

With the launch, investors and their advisors can now choose from a suite of 17 funds in total.

The funds combine many of the key features of U.S.-listed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with those of mutual funds offered in Canada.

“PowerShares Funds allow financial advisors — particularly those without direct access to the ETF market — to help their clients build stronger, more effectively diversified portfolios,” says Peter Intraligi, president of Invesco Trimark.

PowerShares Funds are based on next-generation indices that provide investors with access to core fixed-income and equity mandates as well as to global regions and niche sectors that may be difficult or cost prohibitive to access through traditional mutual funds. They also offer enhanced portfolio risk management, U.S.-dollar currency hedging and competitive total costs.

The following additional nine funds are now available:

PowerShares 1-5 Year Laddered Corporate Bond Index Fund

This fund Invests in short-term investment-grade bonds issued by Canadian companies using a laddered approach that staggers the maturity levels from one to five years.

PowerShares Real Return Bond Index Fund

This fund Invests primarily in Government of Canada Real Return Bonds, offering a hedge against inflation and adding diversification to a fixed-income portfolio over the long term.

PowerShares High Yield Corporate Bond Index Fund

This fund invests primarily in a diverse group of high-yield bonds issued in the U.S. domestic market. The fund hedges a substantial portion of its U.S.-dollar exposure at all times.

PowerShares Diversified Yield Fund

This fund nvests in a diversified portfolio of PowerShares Funds that invest in corporate bonds and high-yielding Canadian equity securities. The fund also offers investors the option of receiving targeted annual distributions with Invesco Trimark’s tax-efficient flexible distribution (T-FLEX) series T6 and T8.

PowerShares Canadian Preferred Share Index Class

This fund invests in preferred shares of Canadian companies, providing investors with both tax-efficient dividend income and modest growth potential.

PowerShares Global Dividend Achievers Fund

This fund seeks to provide a return similar to the return of one or more PowerShares ETFs that invest primarily in dividend-paying equities from developed markets globally that have increased their dividends for five or more consecutive fiscal years.

PowerShares FTSE RAFI U.S. Fundamental Fund

This fund seeks to provide a return similar to the return of one or more PowerShares ETFs that invest in the largest U.S. equities with the highest fundamental weightings.

PowerShares FTSE RAFI Global+ Fundamental Fund

This fund seeks to provide a return similar to the return of one or more PowerShares ETFs that invest in companies with the highest fundamental weightings across both developed and emerging markets globally.

PowerShares India Class

This fund seeks to provide a return similar to the return of one or more PowerShares ETFs that invest primarily in India.

IE