MSCI is a leading provider of equity indices.
Equity Indices
MSCI designs and calculates global equity indices, which, over the last 40 years, have become the most widely used global equity benchmarks by institutional investors. MSCI's global equity benchmark indices contribute to the investment process by serving as relevant performance benchmarks and effective research tools, and as the basis for various investment vehicles.
MSCI consistently applies its index construction and maintenance methodology across developed, emerging and frontier markets. This consistent approach makes it possible to aggregate individual country and industry indices to create meaningful composite, regional, sector and industry benchmarks. Over 2,400 organizations worldwide subscribe to MSCI Equity Index products.
Products include:
- Global, Regional and Country Equity Indices
- Sector, Industry Group and Industry Indices
- Global Value and Growth Indices
- Global Small Cap Indices
- Thematic and Strategy Indices
- Hedged and GDP-weighted Indices
- Custom Equity Indices
- Real Time Equity Indices
MSCI International Equity Indices are available in local currency and USD, and with or without dividends reinvested.
MSCI publishes 9,000 indices in real time. The indices are available in price, net and gross.
US Equity Indices
In 2003, MSCI launched a new family of US Equity Indices to provide a much broader and deeper coverage of the US equity market. The new index series reflects the full breadth of investment opportunities within the US equity markets by capitalization size, value and growth investment styles and sector groups.
By design, the MSCI US Equity Indices offer:
- More accurate representation of the US equity market and segments
- More frequent index reviews
- Robust value and growth style methodology
- Float weighted
- Transparent methodology
- More accurate representation of the investment process of size and style managers via unique buffer rules
- GICS®
- Longest GICS sector history available in the market
- Lower index turnover via unique buffer rules
- Consistency with MSCI Global Equity Index Series
Global Industry Classification Standard
In late 1999, MSCI, in collaboration with Standard & Poor's, introduced the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS®). The GICS is designed to ease the investment research and management process for financial professionals worldwide by providing the most up to date and detailed security classification. The global investment community has overwhelmingly accepted the GICS as the new classification standard.
- GICS Direct
GICS Direct is a joint product offering from MSCI and Standard & Poor's. It provides more than 36,000 company classifications (over 40,000 securities) worldwide in accordance with the GICS®.
Distribution
MSCI delivers index and security level data through more than 50 third party financial information and analytics software providers. In addition, MSCI distributes its index data directly to clients in electronic and print products.
Timeline
Click here for a timeline of MSCI indices' major developments.
