Indexes

Every index this site follows — what it tracks, who maintains it, and which ETF gets you in. No jargon.

Broad market indexes

S&P 500 Index

Tracked by SXR8 (iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD (Acc))

The 500 biggest companies in the United States, chosen by a committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices and weighted by size — the bigger the company, the bigger its slice. Together they cover roughly 80% of the value of the whole US stock market.

Nasdaq-100 Index

Tracked by SXRV (iShares Nasdaq 100 UCITS ETF (Acc))

The 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq exchange — which in practice means it is heavy on technology: chips, software, internet and everything with a keyboard.

MSCI ACWI Index

Tracked by SPYY (SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF (Acc))

ACWI stands for All Country World Index: about 2,500 large and mid-sized companies across 23 developed and 24 emerging markets, maintained by MSCI.

MSCI ACWI IMI Index

Tracked by SPYI (SPDR MSCI All Country World Investable Market UCITS ETF USD Unhedged (Acc))

IMI stands for Investable Market Index: the MSCI ACWI plus the thousands of small caps it leaves out — around 8,000 companies across 23 developed and 24 emerging markets, covering roughly 99% of everything you can actually buy.

FTSE All-World Index

Tracked by VWCE (Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF (Acc))

Around 4,000 large and mid-sized companies from nearly 50 developed and emerging markets, maintained by FTSE Russell. The index behind "VWCE and chill" — Europe's favorite one-fund portfolio.

Solactive GBS Global Markets Large & Mid Cap Index

Tracked by WEBN (Amundi Prime All Country World UCITS ETF (Acc))

Around 3,400 large and mid-sized companies from developed and emerging markets — Solactive's answer to the MSCI ACWI and FTSE All-World, covering roughly the largest 85% of the investable world.

MSCI World Index

Tracked by EUNL (iShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF (Acc))

About 1,300 large and mid-sized companies across 23 developed countries — the US, Europe, Japan and beyond — covering roughly 85% of each market. The classic "one number for the rich world's stock markets".

FTSE Developed World Index

Tracked by VGVF (Vanguard FTSE Developed World UCITS ETF (Acc))

Around 2,000 large and mid-sized companies across roughly 25 developed countries, maintained by FTSE Russell — the FTSE family's answer to the MSCI World.

Factor indexes

FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield Index

Tracked by VGWD (Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF (Dist)) — the Dividend factor

The roughly half of the FTSE All-World with the highest expected dividend yields — around 2,000 companies worldwide that pay out a bigger-than-average share of profits in cash.

MSCI World Enhanced Value Index

Tracked by IS3S (iShares Edge MSCI World Value Factor UCITS ETF) — the Value factor

Companies from the developed world that look cheap next to their earnings and book value — the global version of the value factor, roughly 400 names picked and weighted by MSCI's enhanced-value recipe.

MSCI World Momentum Index

Tracked by IS3R (iShares Edge MSCI World Momentum Factor UCITS ETF) — the Momentum factor

About 350 developed-world companies whose share prices have been rising the strongest over the past 6 and 12 months — MSCI's global take on the momentum factor.

MSCI World Sector Neutral Quality Index

Tracked by IS3Q (iShares Edge MSCI World Quality Factor UCITS ETF) — the Quality factor

Roughly 300 developed-world companies with the tidiest books: high return on equity, stable earnings and little debt — picked sector by sector so the index doesn't just become a tech fund.