welcome

to the Q2 edition of FTSE Focus 2012

On 13 March, FTSE, along with MSCI and S&P, announced the creation of the first ever trade association for the index industry, the Index Industry Association (IIA).

FTSE is proud to be a founding member of the IIA, whose key objectives include working with relevant regulatory bodies around the world for the benefit of the index industry and its clients. It will also be concerned with educating investors on the attributes and role of indices within the investment process, and advocating the interests of index users and providers worldwide. Its launch represents a significant milestone, marking just how far the industry has come and also its future direction. You can read more about it in this issue, and I look forward to sharing its success with you in future editions.

Also in this edition of FTSE Focus, you'll find news on recent launches, including the extension of the FTSE CDP Carbon Strategy Index Series with four new indices, providing investors with a truly global approach to tackling climate change within investments. There is also informative market commentary from index partners, Merit Commodity Partners and Renaissance Capital on the global commodity and IPO markets.

And finally, we are pleased to be able to share news of some of our achievements and activities from around the world at the start of 2012.
In China, FTSE has been awarded the 'Index Provider of the Year in China' accolade at the Asia Asset Management 2011 Best of the Best Awards. In New York, FTSE hosted a number of breakfast events led by members of our academic advisory board, including Steve Ross and John Mulvey, and in London we were honoured to be invited to host UKSIF's recent event, The Kay Review – Interim Report. At the event, leading economist Professor John Kay highlighted the preliminary results of his review on equity markets and long-term investing for the UK government.

mark makepeace | chief executive | ftse group