NEW YORK, May 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- S&P Indices announced today that it has been named Most Innovative Index Provider of the Year for 2012 by Structured Products Magazine Americas. In response to the growing appetite of investors for index-based instruments, S&P Indices was recognized for bringing a unique variety of investable and benchmark indices to the market during calendar year 2011.

The S&P 500® Low Volatility Index was S&P Indices' response to investor demand for low volatility or low variance strategies in the U.S. stock market. The Index measures the performance of the 100 least volatile stocks in the S&P 500®.

The S&P GSCI® Dynamic Roll Index was launched for those investors seeking long only exposure to the commodity market but with the desire to reduce the potential negative impact of contango on roll returns. The launch of this Index was part of S&P Indices' strategy of expanding its S&P GSCI offerings with innovative solutions that meet investor demand.

S&P Indices continued to provide investors with access to new markets in the Americas by working with the Mercado Integrado Latino Americano (MILA) to create the S&P MILA 40. The Index is designed to provide exposure to the largest and most liquid stocks trading on the MILA platform, an integrated trading venture formed by the Chile, Colombia and Peru stock exchanges.  The S&P MILA 40 is an easily replicable snapshot of investable MILA, comprised of liquid, tradable securities. 

"This award recognition is a symbol of S&P Indices' long history of developing market leading, innovative index solutions," says Alex Matturri, Executive Managing Director at S&P Indices. "Our success is due largely in part to S&P Indices close relationships with partners and clients to help develop solutions which meet the evolving needs of global investors."

For more information about S&P Indices, please visit www.standardandpoors.com/indices.

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