NEW YORK, Nov. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- S&P Dow Jones Indices, a leading provider of financial market indices, and MSCI Inc., a leading provider of investment decision support tools worldwide, announced today that as a result of their annual review of the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS®) structure, a new Real Estate Sector is being created, elevating its position from under the Financials Sector and bringing the number of GICS Sectors to 11. Additionally, a new Sub-Industry for Copper is being created. The changes are being considered for implementation after the market close (ET) on August 31, 2016.

"Feedback from the annual GICS structural review confirmed that Real Estate is now viewed as a distinct asset class and is increasingly being incorporated separately into the strategic asset allocation of asset owners," said Remy Briand, Managing Director and Global Head Equity Research at MSCI. "Investors told us that there are significant differences between public Real Estate and Financial companies and therefore Real Estate deserves a dedicated GICS Sector. Today's announcement ensures that GICS continues to be the most accurate, complete and standard industry analysis framework for investment research, portfolio management and asset allocation."

According to David Blitzer, Managing Director and Chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices, "Real estate is an important and growing part of major economies throughout the world. To reflect this and support good financial analysis, GICS is introducing an eleventh sector for Real Estate and redefining financials to exclude Real Estate. This is an example of our ongoing effort to ensure that GICS is reflective of today's markets."

The annual review is intended to ensure that the GICS structure continues to appropriately represent the global equity markets and, thereby, enables asset owners, asset managers and investment research specialists to make consistent global comparisons by industry. The GICS revision is the result of a consultation with members of the global investment community.

S&P Dow Jones Indices and MSCI are proposing to implement the changes to the GICS structure after the market close (ET) on Wednesday, August 31, 2016, but are requesting feedback from market participants on this proposed implementation date by February 13, 2015. The final decision on the date of implementation will be announced by March 13, 2015. The list of securities affected by these changes will be announced at a later date closer to the implementation, but with plenty of advance notice.

The changes to the GICS structure in 2016 are summarized below.

Real Estate Sector
Real Estate is being moved out from under the Financials Sector and being promoted to its own Sector under the code 60. The Real Estate Investment Trusts Industry is being renamed to Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), and excludes Mortgage REITs. Mortgage REITs remain in the Financials Sector under a newly created Industry and Sub-Industry called Mortgage REITs.

Copper
A Copper Sub-Industry is being created in the Metals & Mining Industry. This change will be implemented along with the creation of the Real Estate Sector in 2016.

The proposals relating to the Telecommunication Services Sector and the Luxury Goods Sub-Industry are not resulting in any changes to the GICS structure at this time.

The new GICS structure, when implemented, will consist of 11 Sectors, 24 Industry Groups, 68 Industries and 157 Sub-Industries.

Further details with rationales for the revisions to the GICS structure are available on S&P Dow Jones Indices' website at www.spdji.com or MSCI's website at www.msci.com.

About S&P Dow Jones Indices
S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a part of McGraw Hill Financial, is the world's largest, global resource for index-based concepts, data and research. Home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average®, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC has over 115 years of experience constructing innovative and transparent solutions that fulfill the needs of investors. More assets are invested in products based upon our indices than any other provider in the world. With over 1,000,000 indices covering a wide range of asset classes across the globe, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC defines the way investors measure and trade the markets. To learn more about our company, please visit www.spdji.com.

S&P® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P"), a part of McGraw Hill Financial. Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC ("Dow Jones").  These trademarks have been licensed to S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, S&P and their respective affiliates (collectively "S&P Dow Jones Indices") do not sponsor, endorse, sell, or promote any investment fund or other investment vehicle that is offered by third parties and that seeks to provide an investment return based on the performance of any index. This document does not constitute an offer of services in jurisdictions where S&P Dow Jones Indices does not have the necessary licenses. S&P Dow Jones Indices receives compensation in connection with licensing its indices to third parties.

For more information:

David Blitzer
Managing Director and Chairman of the Index Committee
S&P Dow Jones Indices
+1.212.438.3907
david.blitzer@spdji.com 

David R. Guarino
Communications
S&P Dow Jones Indices
+1.212.438.1471
dave.guarino@spdji.com

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About MSCI
MSCI Inc. is a leading provider of investment decision support tools to investors globally, including asset managers, banks, hedge funds and pension funds. MSCI products and services include indexes, portfolio risk and performance analytics, and ESG data and research.

The company's flagship product offerings are: the MSCI indexes with over USD 9.5 trillion estimated to be benchmarked to them on a worldwide basis¹; Barra multi-asset class factor models, portfolio risk and performance analytics; RiskMetrics multi-asset class market and credit risk analytics; IPD real estate information, indexes and analytics; MSCI ESG (environmental, social and governance) Research screening, analysis and ratings; and FEA valuation models and risk management software for the energy and commodities markets. MSCI is headquartered in New York, with research and commercial offices around the world.

For further information on MSCI, please visit our web site at www.msci.com

Media Enquiries:
Kristin Meza, MSCI, New York + 1.212.804.5330 
kristin.meza@msci.com  

Jo Morgan, MSCI, London + 44.20.7618.2224
jo.morgan@msci.com

Nick Denton | Christian Pickel, MHP Communications, London + 44.20.3128.8754/8208
MSCITeam@mhpc.com

MSCI Global Client Service:
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