LSE’s designs on Russell make sense because of FTSE International’s growing index footprint in the North American exchange traded funds business. Over 100 U.S.-listed ETFs are benchmarked to FTSE indices.
Several of the largest international ETFs that trade in the U.S. are benchmarked to FTSE indices including the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEArca: VWO), the largest emerging markets ETF by assets, and the Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF (NYSEArca: VGK). The iShares China Large-Cap ETF (NYSEArca: FXI), the largest China ETF, also tracks a FTSE index.
Russell is in the index provider for large ETFs such as the $25.1 billion iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEArca: IWM) and the $6 billion iShares Russell Midcap Value ETF (NYSEArca: IWS).
ETF Trends editorial team contributed to this post. Tom Lydon’s clients own shares of IWM.