On 9 March 2004, the SWX Swiss Exchange announced broad-based structural enhancements to its equities market (SWX media release "Listed on SWX" dated 09.03.2004). Today's launch of two new indices - SXI LIFE SCIENCES ® and SXI Bio+Medtech® - is a direct result of those efforts. These indices mirror one of Switzerland's most prominent economic sectors and are the first members of the new SXI® Family. Constituting roughly one-third of the total market capitalisation of all primary-listed stocks on SWX, and with a cumulative value of CHF 258.66 billion (figures as at 31.5.2004), companies in the Life Sciences field represent one of the Exchange's most significant sectors.
Included in these sectoral barometers are industry-specific issues with a free-float-weighted capitalisation of at least CHF 100 million, and the new index family is open to both domestic and foreign companies. Moreover, the composition of each index has been conceived in a manner such that, thanks to a 10 % cap on any given issue, large-capitalisation companies are not overweighted. That, in turn, lends a higher degree of diversification to the index. The relevant weightings are adjusted annually in April and October.
As at 31 May, the issues included in the SXI LIFE SCIENCES® index were weighted as follows:
| Issue | Weighting |
| SYNTHES N | 11.5 % |
| NOBEL BIOCARE I | 10.0 % |
| STRAUMANN N | 9.9 % |
| ROCHE GS | 9.8 % |
| NOVARTIS N | 9.6 % |
| ACTELION N | 9.3 % |
| BB BIOTECH I | 9.2 % |
| SERONO -B- I | 8.9 % |
| PHONAK N | 8.0 % |
| TECAN GROUP AG N | 3.1 % |
| ZKB PHARMA VIS I | 2.9 % |
| BASILEA N | 2.1 % |
| BIOMARIN N | 2.0 % |
| BERNA N | 1.7 % |
| UNILABS I | 0.8 % |
| ISOTIS N | 0.7 % |
| CYTOS N | 0.7 % |
| Total | 100.0 % |
The SXI Bio+Medtech® is a sub-index of SXI LIFE SCIENCES® and does not include issues from the Pharmaceuticals sector. As is the case with its broader-based brother, this index is also computed in accordance with a 10 % capping factor, and weighting adjustments are made in April and October of each year.
As at 31 May, the issues included in the SXI Bio+Medtech® index were weighted as follows:
| Issue | Weighting |
| PHONAK N | 11.3 % |
| SYNTHES N | 11.2 % |
| STRAUMANN N | 10.6 % |
| NOBEL BIOCARE I | 9.8 % |
| ACTELION N | 9.1 % |
| BB BIOTECH I | 9.0 % |
| SERONO -B- I | 8.7 % |
| TECAN GROUP AG N | 8.5 % |
| BASILEA N | 5.7 % |
| BIOMARIN N | 5.3 % |
| BERNA N | 4.7 % |
| UNILABS I | 2.1 % |
| ISOTIS N | 2.0 % |
| CYTOS N | 2.0 % |
| Total | 100.0 % |
