Index spotlight

As the index turns 25 on June 21, we take a look at what makes up the world of smaller-capitalization German stocks.

The STOXX Europe 600 turned 26 this month, a lifetime during which the index has become a trusted barometer for the region’s equities. Used widely for the benchmarking of funds, the index is also the center of a growing ecosystem of investment products.

While Europe is known for some of the world’s most iconic brands, its stock univese offers additional opportunities that may be lesser known.

STOXX’s European benchmarks offer transparent and liquid exposure to the region, and are at the center of a wide ecosystem of derived investment strategies and products. Those characteristics have made the indices the top choice for issuers of investable products.

Prices for copper have climbed more than 10% this year as analysts speak of a new “secular bull market.” The positive sentiment has caught on shares of mining companies, with the STOXX® Global Copper Miners Index jumping 16.3% last month.

The digital assets market is growing strongly, yet it still lacks the maturity of traditional markets. A blue-chip index can bring transparency, help standardize prices and enable institutional-level investment products, a panel of experts argued during the webinar.

A new report delves into the STOXX Digital Asset Blue Chip Index’s construction process to unpick the metrics used to select constituents that, much like in the equities world, stand for high quality and financial strength.

As it turns 13, the STOXX Thematics index suite continues to grow, offering investors exposure to structural megratrends changing our modern world. We look at the historical performance of the indices and zoom in on 2023 – a year dominated by technology themes.

The sector composition of the Eurozone blue-chip benchmark looks very different from its inception 26 years ago. Most recently, two technology stocks – ASML and SAP – have had the biggest influence on the index’s direction, and may be re-positioning it in the eyes of investors.

The international body’s framework is a step forward in the adoption of nature-focused metrics. It can help companies address biodiversity issues and guide investors in the construction of portfolios. We compare the TNFD’s recommended process to that of the ISS STOXX® Biodiversity indices.

At a recent IPE webinar, experts from STOXX, ISS ESG and DWS discussed how biodiversity impact is becoming a new risk consideration for portfolio managers amid tightening regulation and client demand. Participants also examined the new ISS STOXX Biodiversity indices as a framework to tackle nature-related risks and opportunities.

Looking at business lines’ revenues allows the index to tap those companies benefitting from growing demand for the AI ecosystem — from computing applications to chips, and from data to cloud computing. As AI has its “iPhone moment,” we explore what’s in an AI index portfolio.