Exchange operator Bats Europe has launched new benchmark indices for ten additional European market. Having launched its index business in June 2016, Bats has quickly established a range of real-time, low-cost alternatives to indices currently on offer by the region’s incumbent index providers, helping to foster greater competition in the space.
The new Bats Indices include:
Bats Austria 20
Bats Belgium 20
Bats Denmark 25
Bats Netherlands 25 & Bats Netherlands Mid-Cap 25
Bats Finland 25
Bats Ireland 20
Bats Norway 25
Bats Portugal 20
Bats Spain 35
Bats Sweden 30
Each of the new indices comprises the largest companies listed in each market except the Bats Netherlands Mid-Cap 25, which is comprised of the 26th-50th largest issuers by market capitalisation.
According to Bats, the indices are highly correlated with comparable benchmarks that investors use every day and are designed to accurately reflect market moves.
Mark Hemsley, President of Europe for CBOE, which owns Bats Europe, said: “We now offer benchmarks across all of the 15 European markets we operate in. As the largest pan-European stock exchange, we have unique insights into the needs and challenges of investors across the continent, many of whom have become increasingly frustrated by the rising costs of index data. We will continue to push forward with our goal of bringing more competition and transparency to this market.”
All Bats indices are available free of charge to media clients to distribute in real time and are also free to vendors and for benchmarking purposes.
Bats now offers 39 indices (calculated in both price and net total return) across 15 markets. These include 12 UK sector-based indices, as well as products designed to compete directly with FTSE Russell’s widely-followed UK range of equity indices, such as the Bats UK 100 (FTSE 100), Bats UK 250 (FTSE 250), Bats 350 (FTSE 350), Bats UK Small Companies (FTSE SmallCap) and Bats UK All Companies (FTSE All-Share) indices.
Last month, Bats also announced the launch of the Bats Brexit 50/50 Indices, two new benchmark indices designed to reflect the impact of Brexit on UK companies.