MSCI blends frontier and emerging markets

Index provider MSCI Barra has launched the MSCI Frontier Emerging Markets Index, and a more tradable proxy the Frontier Emerging Markets Apex Index. The indexes are designed to underlie structured products and other financial instruments such as ETFs.

The Frontier Emerging Markets Index is designed as a benchmark covering all countries from the Frontier Markets Index and the lower size spectrum of the Emerging Markets Index. Argentina, Colombia, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, and the Philippines are all included from the Emerging index.

The Apex Index is intended to serve as a more tradable proxy for its benchmark counterpart. It includes all constituent countries of the Frontier Emerging Markets Index except those countries with