pure 0001209466 2012-11-02 2012-11-02 0001209466 ck0001209466:S000013789Member ck0001209466:C000037807Member ck0001209466:I000-SP500FinancialsSectorIndexReflectsNoDeductionForFeesExpensesOrTaxesMember 2012-11-02 2012-11-02 0001209466 ck0001209466:S000013789Member ck0001209466:C000037807Member ck0001209466:I000-BlendedRedRocksGlobalListedPrivateEquityIndexReflectsNoDeductionForFeesExpensesOrTaxesMember 2012-11-02 2012-11-02 0001209466 ck0001209466:S000013789Member ck0001209466:C000037807Member ck0001209466:I000-RedRocksGlobalListedPrivateEquityIndexReflectsNoDeductionForFeesExpensesOrTaxesMember 2012-11-02 2012-11-02 0001209466 ck0001209466:S000013789Member ck0001209466:C000037807Member rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsAndSalesMember 2012-11-02 2012-11-02 0001209466 ck0001209466:S000013789Member ck0001209466:C000037807Member rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsMember 2012-11-02 2012-11-02 0001209466 ck0001209466:S000013789Member ck0001209466:C000037807Member 2012-11-02 2012-11-02 0001209466 ck0001209466:P0001-S000013789Member ck0001209466:S000013789Member 2012-11-02 2012-11-02 Other 2012-11-02 POWERSHARES EXCHANGE TRADED FUND TRUST 0001209466 false 2012-11-02 2012-11-02 2012-08-31 PowerShares Global Listed Private Equity Portfolio <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0in;font-size:11.0pt;font-family:'calibri','sans-serif';margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none">  <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0in;font-size:11.0pt;font-family:'calibri','sans-serif';margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none">POWERSHARES EXCHANGE-TRADED FUND TRUST <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:'calibri','sans-serif';margin-top:6.0pt;margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center; line-height:normal;text-autospace:none">SUPPLEMENT DATED NOVEMBER 2, 2012 TO THE PROSPECTUS DATED AUGUST 31, 2012 OF: <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:'calibri','sans-serif';margin-top:6.0pt;margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center; line-height:normal;text-autospace:none">PowerShares Aerospace & Defense Portfolio PowerShares CleantechTM Portfolio PowerShares DWA Technical LeadersTM Portfolio PowerShares Global Listed Private Equity Portfolio PowerShares Golden Dragon China Portfolio PowerShares Lux Nanotech Portfolio PowerShares Morningstar StockInvestor Core Portfolio PowerShares S&P 500 BuyWrite Portfolio PowerShares S&P 500® High Quality Portfolio PowerShares Water Resources Portfolio PowerShares WilderHill Clean Energy Portfolio PowerShares WilderHill Progressive Energy Portfolio <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:'calibri','sans-serif';margin-top:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none">•  Effective immediately, on page 23, the table under the section titled "PowerShares Global Listed Private Equity Portfolio—Summary Information—Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2011" is deleted and replaced with the following:   Effective September 30, 2009, PowerShares Global Listed Private Equity Portfolio changed its underlying index to the Red Rocks Global Listed Private Equity Index. reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:'calibri','sans-serif';margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center; line-height:normal;text-autospace:none">Please Retain This Supplement For Future Reference.   PSP Return Before Taxes -0.1984 -0.1682 -0.1519 2006-10-24 Return After Taxes on Distributions -0.2150 -0.1838 -0.1677 2006-10-24 Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares -0.1263 -0.1393 -0.1270 2006-10-24 Red Rocks Global Listed Private Equity Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) -0.1850 0.0000 0.0000 2006-10-24 Blended—Red Rocks Global Listed Private Equity Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) -0.1850 -0.1359 -0.1208 2006-10-24 S&P 500 ® Financials Sector Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) -0.1706 -0.1689 -0.1556 2006-10-24 <div> <div style="display:none;" >~ http://www.powershares.com/20121102/role/PerformanceTableData_P0001-S000013789Member row primary compact * row dei_LegalEntityAxis compact ck0001209466_S000013789Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * column rr_PerformanceMeasureAxis compact * column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact ck0001209466_S000013789Member ~</div> </div> Effective September 30, 2009, PowerShares Global Listed Private Equity Portfolio changed its underlying index to the Red Rocks Global Listed Private Equity Index. Prior to September 30, 2009, the Fund’s original underlying index was the Red Rocks Capital Listed Private Equity Index. "Five Years" and "Since Inception" performance for the Red Rocks Global Listed Private Equity Index is not available because the Index did not commence calculation and publication until September 30, 2009. The data included as "Blended—Red Rocks Global Listed Private Equity Index" is comprised of the Listed Private Equity Index from October 24, 2006, the Fund’s inception, until September 30, 2009, followed by the performance of the Red Rocks Global Listed Private Equity Index from September 30, 2009 through December 31, 2011.