NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- S&P Indices today extended the range of its High Beta family of indices with the launch of the S&P BMI International Developed High Beta Index and the S&P BMI Emerging Markets High Beta Index.

The Indices measure the performance of 200 stocks in their respective markets most sensitive to changes in market returns. They are designed to serve as benchmarks for investors who wish to take advantage of market volatility by employing a bullish strategic or tactical view of companies. Constituents are weighted relative to their level of market sensitivity, with the most sensitive stocks receiving the highest weights.  The Indices, which use the same methodology as the widely followed S&P 500 High Beta Index, have been licensed to Invesco PowerShares which is anticipating launching ETFs based on them.

Alka Banerjee, Vice President of Strategy and Global Equity Indices at S&P Indices, said: "Using a methodology which is simple and transparent, the S&P International Developed and Emerging Markets High Beta Indices are designed to show the performance of stocks culled from their respective benchmarks that are most sensitive to changes in market returns."

The S&P BMI International Developed High Beta Index is comprised of the 200 most market-sensitive constituents within the S&P Developed Ex-US-Korea LargeMidCap Index. Companies included in the Index are selected from the following 24 countries:

• North America: Canada
• Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
• Asia Pacific: Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore
• Middle East and Africa: Israel

The S&P BMI Emerging Markets High Beta Index includes 200 of the most market-sensitive constituents within the S&P Emerging Plus LargeMidCap Index. Companies in the Index are selected from the following 21 countries:

• Europe: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Turkey
• Asia Pacific: China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand
• Latin America: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru
• Middle East and Africa: Egypt, Morocco, South Africa

For more information, please visit: www.spindices.com.

About S&P Indices

S&P Indices, a leading brand of the McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP), maintains a wide variety of investable and benchmark indices to meet an array of investor needs. Over $1.45 trillion is directly indexed to our indices, which includes the S&P 500, the world's most followed stock market index, the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, the S&P Global BMI, an index with approximately 11,000 constituents, the S&P GSCI, the industry's most closely watched commodities index, and the S&P National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index, the premier investable index for U.S. municipal bonds. For more information, please visit: www.standardandpoors.com/indices.

It is not possible to invest directly in an index. S&P Indices does not sponsor, endorse, sell, or promote any S&P index-based investment product. This document does not constitute an offer of services in jurisdictions where S&P Indices or its affiliates do not have the necessary licenses. S&P Indices receives compensation in connection with licensing its indices to third parties.

SOURCE S&P Indices