Major Global Indices At A Glance

Traders around the world commonly reference a handful of major indices as broad barometers of regional market health. Understanding what each generally represents helps put index-related news into context.

General Categories

• Broad national indices track a wide cross-section of large companies within a single country's market, offering a general sense of that market's overall direction.
• Technology-heavy indices are weighted toward growth and technology companies, and can behave differently from broader indices during shifts in interest rates or sector sentiment.
• Regional or continental indices aggregate companies across multiple countries within a geographic area, blending different national economic conditions into one measure.