How can we help you to create benchmarks that reflect your own perspectives on change?

Finding the right index for you

Norbert van Veldhuizen

Head of Equity Index Product, EMEA

Kingsley Ford

Global Head of Index Investments Group

As index-based investment has become more popular, there’s increasing demand for bespoke versions of our core benchmarks. FTSE Russell can help you find or develop the right index for your individual needs.

In recent years the diversity in the investment requirements of our clients has increased dramatically.

Change is accelerating, whether it’s the impact of AI, climate change, the macro environment, the political landscape, shifting trade flows or elections.

Clients are interested not just in our flagship standard indices, like the FTSE 100, the Russell 2000 or the FTSE World Government Bond Index, but in adaptations of these and other benchmarks.

We’re observing an increasing demand for customisation and personalisation. And, there’s an increasing polarisation of views on the best strategy.

Every financial institution, asset owner and asset manager has its own opinion on the world, the economy and how the financial markets are going to evolve. They want to implement their individual investment strategies and to have their own say on changing the index parameters.

Investors are increasingly specifying which countries, sectors and companies they may or may not wish to invest in. One client may want to exclude defence stocks, another to halve the carbon intensity of a portfolio.

That’s something we can easily tailor into our standard index rules. We have the flexibility to change parameters, implement them and achieve the customisation of the indices.

Many clients also want quantitative models for the implementation of overlay strategies or construction approaches like target exposure, optimisations and factor tilts.

We can deliver these customisations on demand to each client, whether that’s a European asset manager, a US endowment or a Middle Eastern sovereign.

Those clients are also under increasing pressure to set out how they do things and what's important to them, their shareholders and stakeholders.

Taking advantage of market trends

We see our role as helping clients take advantage of market trends and dynamics—to help them tailor indices where they see opportunities in the market and gaps in demand.

Our investor and asset owner clients are looking to put their money to work in the most effective way. Our product issuer clients, such as asset managers, ETF issuers and banks, are trying to spot new product opportunities.

Our transparent governance structure and our index expertise are some of the reasons why people come to FTSE Russell for solutions.

Our clients view us, in effect, as consultants. We don’t offer them investment advice, but we can deconstruct things, identify the drivers and help them navigate the financial markets.

Our classifications and index standards set ground rules and they deliver a framework for use in asset allocation and investment strategy setting.

We are constantly investing in our technology platforms to deliver efficiency, quality and flexibility. We promise engagement and are ready to spend time with clients to really understand and address their needs.

Above all, there’s breadth and depth in our interactions with clients. As they navigate the constantly changing world, they want a benchmark provider with the ability to offer a solution that matches their precise requirements.

We promise engagement and are ready to spend time with clients to really understand and address their needs.

Explore our index solutions

Custom index solutions

We provide trusted custom benchmark solutions across asset classes and investment objectives.

More about custom index solutions

Disclaimer

© 2024 London Stock Exchange Group plc and its applicable group undertakings (“LSEG”). LSEG includes (1) FTSE International Limited (“FTSE”), (2) Frank Russell Company (“Russell”), (3) FTSE Global Debt Capital Markets Inc. and FTSE Global Debt Capital Markets Limited (together, “FTSE Canada”), (4) FTSE Fixed Income Europe Limited (“FTSE FI Europe”), (5) FTSE Fixed Income LLC (“FTSE FI”), (6) FTSE (Beijing) Consulting Limited (“WOFE”) (7) Refinitiv Benchmark Services (UK) Limited (“RBSL”), (8) Refinitiv Limited (“RL”) and (9) Beyond Ratings S.A.S. (“BR”). All rights reserved.

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