- Strong performance of major regional MSCI indices indicates recovery in equity markets globally in 2009
- MSCI Global Small Cap Indices outperformed MSCI Global Standard Indices (Large + Mid Cap) across regions
- Emerging Markets show strongest sign of recovery
- Strong performance of major currencies relative to the US dollar contributed to positive returns of the MSCI indices in 2009
MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MXB), a leading provider of investment decision support tools worldwide, today published the year to date performance of its MSCI indices, revealing strong indications of a recovery in the global equity markets this year.
Equity financial markets globally have continued the path to recovery begun earlier this year, with strong year to date performance figures for all major regional MSCI indices across different size segments. The MSCI ACWI IMI (All Country World Investable Market Index), which combines 23 Developed and 22 Emerging Markets across Large, Mid and Small Cap size segments, delivered a year to date performance of 34.14%1
The Emerging Markets continued to show the strongest signs of recovery with year to date performance of 72.93% for the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI BRIC Index, which was particularly impacted by the financial crisis in 2008, showed a strong performance year to date of 87.39%. The best performer within the Emerging Markets was the MSCI Brazil Index with a positive 120.90% performance, while the worst performer was the MSCI Morocco Index with a negative 8.77% performance. All other MSCI Emerging Markets country indices exhibited positive returns, ranging from 21.12% to 118.89%.
Developed Markets are also on the recovery path, with the MSCI World Index producing a positive performance of 28.01% year to date. The MSCI Europe Index outperformed the MSCI USA Index year to date, posting a performance of 31.91% compared to 25.44% for the MSCI USA Index. Within the Developed Markets, the MSCI Norway Index and the MSCI Australia Index were the best performing indices year to date with returns of 84.58% and 67.48%, respectively. The MSCI Japan Index was the bottom performer with a performance of 6.73%, followed by the MSCI Finland Index with 7.13%.
The MSCI Global Small Cap Indices outperformed the MSCI Global Standard Indices (Large + Mid Cap) in 2009 across all regions. The MSCI ACWI Small Cap Index outperformed its large and mid cap counterpart, MSCI ACWI, by more than 16.60% year to date, with the MSCI ACWI Small Cap and MSCI ACWI Indices posting positive performance figures of 48.91% and 32.29%, respectively.
Looking at the performance of sectors globally, the MSCI ACWI Materials and MSCI ACWI Information Technology Indices exhibited very strong year to date performance of 67.52% and 56.77%, respectively. By contrast, the MSCI ACWI Utilities and MSCI ACWI Telecommunication Services Indices posted a relatively modest performance of 6.54% and 11.92%, respectively.
The relative strong performance of many major currencies around the world relative to the US Dollar significantly contributed to the positive returns of the MSCI indices in 2009. The British Pound and the Euro posted an appreciation relative to the US Dollar of 11.04% and 3.04%, respectively. Within the Emerging Markets, the Brazilian Real exhibited the strongest year to date performance relative to the US Dollar with an appreciation of 34.06%.
Historical and daily index levels for the full range of MSCI Country & Regional Indices, including year to date performance, are freely available on www.mscibarra.com. Alternatively please contact the MSCI Barra Global Client Service Team on clientservice@mscibarra.com.
1 All year to date index performance data is based on price index levels in USD for the period 31 December 2008 – 29 December 2009.
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