Fonds De Réserve Pour Les Retraites Selects FTSE Group As Index Provider For €8.8billion Mandates

FTSE Group, the global index provider, announced yesterday that it has been selected to provide eight benchmark indices for the Fonds de Réserve pour les Retraites (FRR) in its historic launch of French state pension funds. FRR will use customised FTSE indices, covering European, US and Asia Pacific markets, as benchmarks for a combination of active and passive funds. Altogether, FRR will benchmark €8.8 billion to FTSE indices.

The specially customised indices are derived from the FTSE Global Equity Index Series and cover a range of international markets including:

• FTSE Eurobloc Large Cap Index;
• FTSE Eurobloc Mid & Small Cap Index;
• FTSE USA Large Cap Index;
• FTSE USA Mid Cap Index;
• FTSE USA Growth Large Cap Index;
• FTSE USA Value Large Cap Index;
• FTSE Developed Europe ex-Eurobloc Index;
• FTSE Developed Asia Pacific Large Cap Index.

FTSE will customise these indices in order to meet FRR's fiscal requirements.

Commenting on the business win, Mark Makepeace, Chief Executive of FTSE Group said, "FTSE is honoured to be selected as the index provider for these historic mandates and to participate in the creation of a retirement system for France. We believe the FTSE Global Equity Series is the best benchmark on the market - being chosen by FRR is testament to the quality of this benchmark and to FTSE's customisation service for institutional investors."

FTSE benchmarks are used by pension funds around the world, including CalPERS in the US, OMERS in Canada, MPF in Hong Kong, PGGM in the Netherlands, and AP7 in Scandinavia.