Index spotlight

Devised in 2020, the European Union’s Climate Transition Benchmarks (CTBs) and Paris-aligned Benchmarks (PABs) were designed to support climate goals that have continued to evolve since then. In response, the indices’ methodologies have recently been updated to reflect shifting priorities and real-world developments.

Introduced in 1996, the MDAX tracks Germany’s listed mid-cap companies, widely regarded as the backbone of the national economy. The index has become a popular barometer for investors, both in terms of the breadth of investable products linked to it and the returns it has delivered over the past three decades.

In its third year of existence, the iShares EURO STOXX 50 ESG ETF offers exposure to a core Eurozone benchmark minus controversial business activities. Sophie Thurner, ETF Product Strategist at BlackRock, explains how the ESG ETF fits in investors’ portfolios and how its underlying index has adapted to evolving regulation.

The 25-year-old iShares STOXX Europe 50 UCITS ETF (DE) will be renamed to reflect its new index, which offers exposure to a smaller number of mega-caps in the broad European region.

Tom Shuttlewood, Head of Strategy and Digital Asset Indices within Product Development at STOXX, spoke during the Eurex Focus Day on Volatility about possible avenues to expand the current offering of the STOXX volatility indices.

Prices for the metal have climbed 24% this year amid ongoing structural demand and mining disruptions. The STOXX® Global Copper Miners index has performed more than twice as well — jumping 55% in 2025. We look at what’s inside the index.

Germany’s DAX is outperforming pan-European indices and its ETFs are luring record flows in 2025. Veronika Kylburg, Head of Global Benchmarks DAX at STOXX, discusses with the ETF publication what some of the drivers are behind this performance and explores the benchmark’s methodology changes since 2018.

The STOXX Global Junior Gold Miners and STOXX Global Silver Mining indices have each risen 126% in 2025 amid record prices for the underlying precious metals.

In a recent webinar, Lukas Ahnert, Senior Product Specialist at Xtrackers by DWS, and Arun Singhal, Head of Product Management and Client Success at STOXX, discussed the drivers behind Europe’s stock rally and the latest investment strategies designed in collaboration by both firms.

The asset manager has updated the objective of an existing ETF to track an index focused on European companies with significant share in their respective market segments, competitive business advantage and superior profitability.

Large-scale investments in the area of AI infrastructure — such as semiconductors and cloud computing — herald gains in company efficiencies and profits in coming years. The iShares AI Infrastructure UCITS ETF, which tracks a STOXX index, has topped USD 100 million in assets only nine months following its launch in December last year.

Amid strong demand for European defense stocks this year, seeking ‘pure’ exposure to the theme through military equipment revenues has enabled investors to outperform.