iShares will begin trading its new “iShares S&P International Preferred Stock Index Fund” (NYSEArca :IPFF) Thursday, November 17, 2011. The iShares S&P International Preferred Stock Index Fund (the “Fund”) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the S&P International Preferred Stock Index. The S&P International Preferred Stock Index measures the performance of a select group of preferred stocks trading on non-U.S. developed market exchanges, as defined by S&P. The preferred stocks included in the Underlying Index are selected by S&P using the methodology described below.

In general terms, the Underlying Index includes developed-market preferred stocks with a market capitalization of over $100 million that meet minimum price, liquidity, maturity and other requirements determined by S&P. S&P excludes from the Underlying Index: (i) preferred stocks which are structured products and brand-name products issued by financial institutions or are packaged securities linked to indexes, baskets of stocks or another company’s stock; (ii) preferred stocks that are issued by special ventures such as highway, airport, or dam operators; (iii) preferred stocks that have a mandatory conversion or scheduled maturity within the next 12 months; and (iv) trust preferred stocks. Once an issue of preferred stock is included in the Underlying Index, the removal criteria listed below are used to test its continuing eligibility as opposed to the exclusion factors listed above.

All additions to the Underlying Index are made on a quarterly rebalancing date, and there are no intra-quarter additions made to the Underlying Index. Inclusion in the Underlying Index is limited to issues whose indicated dividend yield is greater than or equal to 1% and less than or equal to 20%. In addition, for initial inclusion eligibility, each individual issue must be a preferred stock which has traded an average of 250,000 shares per month over the previous six months, as of the rebalancing reference date. Issues with fewer than six months of trading history are evaluated over the available period and may be included should size and available trading history infer the issue satisfies this requirement.

Preferred stocks are removed from the Underlying Index on a quarterly rebalancing date if they: (i) have an outstanding market capitalization of less than $100 million; (ii) have a six-month average monthly trading volume of less than 125,000 shares and have been a component of the Underlying Index for at least 12 months; or (iii) have an undetermined indicated dividend yield or an indicated dividend yield of less than 1% or greater than 20%.

Share changes for existing Underlying Index components occur semiannually in January and July. The data reference date for additions to and deletions from the Underlying Index is the last trading date of the month immediately preceding the rebalancing month. The Underlying Index is rebalanced on a quarterly basis; and changes are effective after the close of trading on the third Friday of January, April, July and October. The Underlying Index is calculated with a modified capitalization weighted scheme, with modifications being made to Underlying Index shares to prevent single stock concentration. There is no limit to the number of lines of a single company’s preferred stock is allowed in the Underlying Index; however, a maximum weight of 10% is set per issuer. All eligible lines for an issuer are included in the Underlying Index and capped on a pro rata basis to a maximum of 4% by issue of the Underlying Index market capitalization. For purposes of this limitation, S&P defines a single issuer to include companies that are under common control or are guaranteed by the same entity which is also affiliated with such companies. In the event the market capitalization weight of an issuer would exceed 10% or an issue would exceed 4% of the Underlying Index, all other stock weights in the Underlying Index are increased proportionately to account for such difference.

A constituent is removed intra-quarter if it is called or undergoes mandatory conversion or redemption. Subject to market conditions, S&P will provide clients with five-days advance notice of a deletion. Should an existing member of the Underlying Index delist during the five-day notification period, it is removed at the closing price from its last day of trading. The quarterly rebalancing also results in deletions if constituents no longer meet continued eligibility requirements.

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses: 0.55%

Principal Investment Strategies

The Underlying Index measures the performance of a select group of preferred stocks from non-U.S. developed market issuers and traded in non-U.S. developed market venues as defined by the index provider. Securities listed in emerging markets are excluded. The Underlying Index does not seek to directly reflect the performance of the companies issuing the preferred stock. The Underlying Index includes developed-market preferred stocks with a market capitalization over $100 million that meet minimum price, liquidity, trading volume, maturity and other requirements determined by the sponsor of the Underlying Index (the “Index Provider”). The Underlying Index excludes certain issues of preferred stock, such as those that are issued by special ventures (e.g., toll roads or dam operators) or structured products that are linked to indexes or other stocks.

In general, preferred stock is a class of equity security that pays a specified dividend that must be paid before any dividends can be paid to common stockholders and takes precedence over common stock in the event of a company’s liquidation.

Although preferred stocks represent a partial ownership interest in a company, preferred stocks generally do not carry voting rights and have economic characteristics similar to fixed-income securities. Preferred stocks generally are issued with a fixed par value and pay dividends based on a percentage of that par value at a fixed or variable rate. Additionally, preferred stocks often have a liquidation value that generally equals the original purchase price of the preferred stock at the date of issuance. The Underlying Index may include many different categories of preferred stock, such as floating and fixed rate preferreds, cumulative and non-cumulative preferreds or preferred stocks with a callable or conversion feature.

As of the close of business on October 24, 2011, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the financial industry group, which compromised approximately 85% of the market capitalization of the Underlying Index. Component companies include energy, financial and utility companies.

In addition, the Underlying Index is currently concentrated in Canadian issues, with approximately 74% of the market capitalization of the Underlying Index comprised of Canadian issuances as of the close of business on October 24, 2011. As of that date, the Underlying Index also included securities of issuers in New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

BFA uses a “passive” or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to “beat” the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by keeping portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies.

BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. “Representative sampling” is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of the Underlying Index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index.

The Fund generally invests at least 90% of its assets in securities of the Underlying Index and in depositary receipts representing securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund may invest the remainder of its assets in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track its Underlying Index, and in futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options and swaps, as well as cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates.

The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received).

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider that is independent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index. The Fund’s Index Provider is Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (a subsidiary of The McGraw-Hill Companies) (“S&P”).

For the comlpete prospectus click: HERE

FUND LAUNCH, NYSE:IPFF