NEW YORK, July 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- MSCI Inc., a leading provider of investment decision support tools worldwide, and S&P Dow Jones Indices, a leading provider of financial market indices, have decided to consult with members of the investment community on potential changes to the Telecommunication Services Sector within the GICS structure in 2018.

The review is intended to ensure that the GICS structure continues to appropriately represent the global equity markets and, thereby, enable asset owners, asset managers, and investment research specialists to make consistent global comparisons by industry. Potential changes include the renaming of an existing GICS Sector, Industry Group and Sub-Industry, and the creation of a new Industry Group, two Industries and a Sub-Industry.  

The consultation begins on July 11, 2017 and ends on September 29, 2017. Any changes to the GICS structure will be announced by November, 2017. This consultation may or may not result in any changes to the GICS structure.

MAIN PROPOSAL

The main proposal set out in the consultation paper is the creation of a Communication Services Sector, comprised of the current Telecommunication Services Sector, Media Industry Group, and specific companies from the Software & Services Industry Group.

The consultation document can be accessed on MSCI's website at:
www.msci.com/gics

The consultation document can be accessed on S&P Dow Jones Indices' website at:
http://www.spindices.com/resource-center/index-policies

For a detailed description of GICS, please refer to MSCI's website at www.msci.com or the S&P Dow Jones Indices' website at www.spdji.com.

MODE OF CONSULTATION

There are 3 options for participating in this year's consultation:

• Through an online survey
  www.surveymonkey.com/r/SPDJI-GICS-2017
  
  
• By telephone
  MSCI:
  Americas Client Service: 1.888.588.4567 (toll free) or +1.212.804.3901
  EMEA Client Service: +44.20.7618.2222
  Asia Pacific Client Service: +852.2844.9333
  
  
• Contact one of the following email addresses with your feedback
  MSCI: clientservice@msci.com
  S&P Dow Jones Indices: spgics@spglobal.com or index_services@spglobal.com

Please feel free to contact one of these GICS email addresses with questions: clientservice@msci.com, index_services@spglobal.com, spgics@spglobal.com, or contact your MSCI or S&P Dow Jones Indices Account Manager or Representative.

About MSCI
For more than 40 years, MSCI's research-based indexes and analytics have helped the world's leading investors build and manage better portfolios.  Clients rely on our offerings for deeper insights into the drivers of performance and risk in their portfolios, broad asset class coverage and innovative research.

Our line of products and services includes indexes, analytical models, data, real estate benchmarks and ESG research. 

MSCI serves 97 of the top 100 largest money managers, according to the most recent P&I ranking.

For more information, visit us at www.msci.com.

About S&P Dow Jones Indices
S&P Dow Jones Indices is the largest global resource for essential index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500^® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average^®. More assets are invested in products based on our indices than based on any other provider in the world. With over 1,000,000 indices and more than 120 years of experience constructing innovative and transparent solutions, S&P Dow Jones Indices defines the way investors measure and trade the markets.

S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies, and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit www.spdji.com.

For more information:

David Blitzer, S&P Dow Jones Indices, New York +1.212.438.3907
david.blitzer@spglobal.com

Soogyung Jordan, Communications, S&P Dow Jones Indices, New York +1.212.438.2297
soogyung.jordan@spglobal.com

S&P Dow Jones Indices Index Services
index_services@spglobal.com

NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER

This document has been prepared by MSCI and S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC solely for informational purposes. All of the information contained herein, including without limitation all text, data, graphs, charts (collectively, the "Information") is the property of MSCI, S&P Dow Jones Indices, or their respective affiliates. The Information may not be reproduced or redisseminated in whole or in part without prior written permission from MSCI and S&P Dow Jones Indices.

None of the proposals or alternatives set forth herein has been adopted by MSCI, S&P Dow Jones Indices or Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P"), an affiliate of S&P Dow Jones Indices, and there is no assurance that they may be considered or adopted, in whole or in part, by any such party.

The Information may not be used to create derivative works or to verify or correct other data or information. For example (but without limitation), the Information may not be used to create indices, databases, risk models, analytics, software, or in connection with the issuing, offering, sponsoring, managing or marketing of any securities, portfolios, financial products or other investment vehicles utilizing or based on, linked to, tracking or otherwise derived from the Information. 

The user of the Information assumes the entire risk of any use it may make or permit to be made of the Information. NEITHER MSCI, S&P DOW JONES INDICES, S&P, NOR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES MAKES ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION (OR THE RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE USE THEREOF). TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, MSCI, S&P DOW JONES INDICES, S&P AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ORIGINALITY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, NON-INFRINGEMENT, COMPLETENESS, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE) WITH RESPECT TO ANY OF THE INFORMATION.

Without limiting any of the foregoing and to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall MSCI, S&P Dow Jones Indices, S&P or any of their respective affiliates have any liability regarding any of the Information for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential (including lost profits) or any other damages even if notified of the possibility of such damages. 

Information containing any historical information, data or analysis should not be taken as an indication or guarantee of any future performance, analysis, forecast or prediction. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

None of the Information constitutes an offer to sell (or a solicitation of an offer to buy), any security, financial product or other investment vehicle.   

The Information does not, and is not intended to, recommend, endorse, approve or otherwise expresses any opinion regarding any issuer, security, financial product or trading strategy and none of the Information is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

The Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) was developed by and is the exclusive property of MSCI and S&P.  "Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS)" is a service mark of MSCI and S&P.

SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices