Investing May 2, 2003

MSCI: Global Equities Awaken in April

May 2, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Global equity markets had a good showing in April with an 8.63% advance by the MSCI All Country World Free Index, including a particularly strong return from Latin America issues, MSCI said.
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While the index measured year to date has returned 2.6%, it is still far in the red over the long term, MSCI said in a news release. The index, a free float-adjusted market capitalization index measuring equity market performance in 23 developed markets and 26 emerging markets, has lost 15.85% over three years and 5.55% over five years.

Meanwhile, the MSCI World Index, which segregates the 23 developed markets, turned in a nearly identical April performance, advancing 8.64%, and 2.66% since January 1. The World Index gave back 15.94% over three years and 5.45% over five years.

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The emerging markets portion of the All Country index, measured in the MSCI Emerging Markets Free Index, turned in a strong 9.38% for April, but was slightly in the red at 0.28% year to date.  

Among the particularly strong April performers in MSCI’s global equity indices were:

  • Emerging Markets Free Latin America (16.86% in April and 15.78% year to date)
  • Europe ex UK Index (14.75% in April and 3.41% year to date)
  • Europe Index (12.92% in April and 1.77% year to date)
  • Emerging Market Europe, Middle East & Africa Index (11.18% in April and 5.25% year to date).

The weakest performance – and the only component of the All Country index in the red – was the Japan Index, which gave back 0.79% for the month and -9.04% year to date.

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