What are the Russell Indexes?
Key Takeaways
The Russell Index series is the most extensive index in capital markets.
The Russell US Index uses the US stocks as the original benchmark.
The Russell Index is compiled using a market capitalization-weighted average method.
Understanding the Russell Index
The Russell Index generally refers to Russell US Indexes launched by Frank Russell Company in 1984, which is to measure the US market and track the performance of large and small US stocks.
There are more than 300 sub-indices under the Russell Index, the most important of which are the Russell 1000 Index, the Russell 2000 Index, and the Russell 3000 Index.
Up to now, with the gradual expansion of index compilation, the combination of the Russell US Index and other Russell Indexes（Russell Geographic Exposure Indexes, Russell RAFI Indexes, Russell Conscious Currency Indexes, etc.） now covers about 10,000 stocks in 63 countries around the world, covering 98% of the world's investable market.
The Russell Index is not based on the subjective judgment of the index institution, but strictly abides by the market value as the judgment standard, and determines the position of the stock in the index through the weighted average method, which is one of the best measurement tools for the stock price performance of small companies.
Third, the Russell Index derives the Russell Value Index, the Russell Growth Index, the Russell Defense Index, etc. according to the market style, and there are obvious differences in the stock selection style.
In reality, the Russell Indexes especially the Russell US Indexes can reflect the performance benchmarks of various types of companies in the United States and is widely used as a reference benchmark by many fund companies and financial institutions around the world, so it often becomes the basis for index-linked products, including various index-tracking funds, derivatives, and ETFs.
