Solactive is to introduce its proprietary Global Benchmark Series (GBS), one of the largest projects undertaken by the German index provider which, once completed, will include around 2,000 equity indices, covering developed and emerging markets based on the Solactive Country Classification Framework.
The Solactive Developed Markets Large & Mid Cap benchmark indices aim to track the performance of 23 developed countries covering the top 85 per cent in terms of free float market capitalisation. The construction of the GBS follows a consistent bottom-up approach, Solactive writes.
Individual country indices can be merged to form any regional index combination ensuring full flexibility in the creation of custom equity benchmarks. The benchmarks are available as both market-cap-weighted and equally-weighted indices, calculated in three different versions (price return, total return, net total return) and denominated in EUR, USD and domestic currency.
The Solactive Developed Markets Large & Mid Cap benchmark indices mark the beginning of the Global Benchmark Series. These will be complemented with the launch of additional size segments (Small Cap, AllCap) over the course of 2018, as well as the Solactive Emerging Markets benchmarks, which will be delivered in early 2019, the firm writes.
Steffen Scheuble, CEO of Solactive, says: “Customers have increasingly approached us asking for cost-efficient benchmarks. Thanks to the GBS, customers will not only experience a wider range of choices in the benchmark space but will also have access to more price-competitive solutions compared to what is currently available in the market.”
The indices can be used as direct underlying or benchmarks of financial products. In addition, they can also serve as the starting universe for smart beta or thematic indices and further provide the basis on which to conduct derived index analytics. The benchmarks are available for licensing, with the possibility of customising the country selection and forming regional indices as needed.
