Fitch Affirms Preferred Share Ratings of 2 Pioneer Corporate Fixed-Income Closed End Funds at 'AAA'

Fitch Ratings has affirmed the 'AAA' ratings assigned to the following auction market preferred shares (AMPS) issued by two leveraged closed-end funds advised by Pioneer Investments Management Inc. (Pioneer):

Pioneer Floating Rate Trust (NYSE: PHD):

--$60,850,000 of auction market preferred shares, series M with a liquidation preference of $25,000 per share;

--$60,800,000 of auction market preferred shares, series Th with a liquidation preference of $25,000 per share;

--$60,800,000 of auction market preferred shares, series W with a liquidation preference of $25,000 per share.

Pioneer High Income Trust (NYSE: PHT):

--$50,500,000 of auction market preferred shares, series M, with a liquidation preference of $25,000 per share;

--$50,500,000 of auction market preferred shares, series W, with a liquidation preference of $25,000 per share;

--$50,000,000 of auction market preferred shares, series TH, with a liquidation preference of $25,000 per share.

KEY RATING DRIVERS

The affirmation of the 'AAA' ratings reflects:

--Sufficient asset coverage provided to the AMPS by the underlying portfolios of assets;

--The structural protections afforded by mandatory de-leveraging provisions in the event of asset coverage declines;

--The legal and regulatory parameters that govern the funds' operations;

--The capabilities of Pioneer as investment advisor.

Fitch's ratings on AMPS speak only to timely repayment of interest and principal in accordance with the governing documents and not to potential liquidity in the secondary market.

LEVERAGE

As of Jan. 18, 2013, PHD's total assets were approximately $516 million, and total leverage, consisting of AMPS, was approximately $182 million, or 35% of total assets. As of the same date, PHT's total assets were approximately $552 million and total leverage, consisting of AMPS was approximately $151 million, or 27% of total assets.

ASSET COVERAGE

At the time of the rating affirmations, the funds' asset coverage ratios, as calculated in accordance with the Fitch total and net overcollateralization tests (Fitch OC tests) per the 'AAA' rating guidelines outlined in Fitch's applicable criteria, were in excess of 100%.The funds' governing documents require that asset coverage for the ARPS, as calculated in accordance with the Fitch OC tests, be maintained in excess of 100%. As such, should the asset coverage decline below 100%, the governing documents require the funds to restore compliance within a 40 business day period.

Additionally, as of the same date, the funds' asset coverage ratios for total outstanding AMPS, as calculated in accordance with Pioneer's interpretation of the Investment Company Act of 1940, were in excess of 200%, which is also a minimum asset coverage required by the funds' governing documents.

PIONEER FLOATING RATE TRUST (PHD):

PHD is a diversified, closed-end management investment company, registered under the 1940 Act that commenced operations in December 2004. The fund's investment objective is to seek high current income with a secondary objective of capital preservation. The fund seeks to achieve these objectives by investing at least 80% of its assets in senior floating-rate loans, all or any portion of which may be below investment-grade. The fund also may invest in other floating- and variable-rate instruments, including senior loans, second lien loans and high-yield corporate bonds. The fund does not have a policy of maintaining a specific average credit quality, or a minimum portion of its portfolio that must be rated investment grade.

PIONEER HIGH INCOME TRUST (PHT):

PHT is a diversified, closed-end management investment company, registered under the 1940 Act that commenced operations in April 2002. The fund's investment objective is to seek high current income with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. The fund seeks to achieve these objectives by investing at least 80% of its assets in below investment-grade (high-yield) debt securities, loans and preferred stock. While the fund may have some exposure to emerging market debt and international high-yield bonds, the focus is on domestic high-yield securities. The fund may also invest up to 50% of the total assets in illiquid securities.

THE ADVISOR

Pioneer acts as the funds' investment advisor and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Pioneer Global Asset Management S.p.A., an investment management arm of UniCredit Banking Group. As of Jan. 31, 2013, Pioneer Global Asset Management S.p.A. had approximately $211.9 billion of assets under management.

RATING SENSITIVITIES

The assigned ratings may be sensitive to material changes in the leverage composition, portfolio credit quality or market risk of the fund. A material adverse deviation from Fitch guidelines for any key rating driver could cause the rating to be lowered by Fitch.

For additional information about Fitch's rating guidelines applicable to debt and preferred stock issued by closed-end funds, please review the criteria referenced below, which can be found on Fitch's web site at 'www.fitchratings.com'.

Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'. The ratings above were solicited by, or on behalf of, the issuer, and therefore, Fitch has been compensated for the provision of the ratings.

The sources of information used to assess these ratings were Pioneer and the public domain.

Applicable Criteria and Related Research:

--'Rating Closed-End Fund Debt and Preferred Stock' (Aug. 15, 2012);

--'2013 Outlook: Closed-End Funds' (Dec. 14, 2012).

Applicable Criteria and Related Research

Rating Closed-End Fund Debt and Preferred Stock

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=686101

2013 Outlook: Closed-End Funds

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=696831

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