Unicorns at the Gate: How Mega IPOs Could Reshape Global and Thematic Indices
Big unicorns are outside the door waiting to join the public markets party. Recently, it has been reported that SpaceX,1 OpenAI2 and Anthropic3 are preparing for their initial public offering (IPO) in the near future. This has drawn attention not just for the size of these firms but for the impact they would have on…
The Drone Identity: Beyond Defense
The idea of unmanned flying machines has existed in human imagination for millennia. However, drones as we know them today only became a practical reality in the late 20th century with systems such as the Predator drone that was developed in the 1990s. Drone technology has evolved rapidly from its early military origins. Currently, drones…
How AI Is Transforming Index Construction: Introducing the S&P 3AI Indices
The recent advent of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming daily life from streamlining routine tasks to augmenting productivity and facilitating data-driven decisions. Within indexing, it is a natural progression to explore how these technologies can enhance index construction within a human-validated and governed framework. Integrating machine learning, a subset of AI, systematically enables the analysis…
All That Glitters Isn’t Just Gold: 2025 Thematic Performance in Review
2025 Market Performance Markets delivered a strong year in 2025 across most parts of the globe. The S&P World Index was up 23%, while the S&P 500® was up 18% and posted 39 record closing highs during the year, despite persistent geopolitical, tariff and inflation pressure. Sector leadership in the U.S. was taken by Communication…
- Categories Thematics
- Tags AI, digital assets, precious metals, sectors, thematics
- Categories
- Thematics
Houston, We Have an Index: Exploring the S&P Kensho Global Space Index
In 2025, the S&P Kensho Global Space Index ended 2025 up 57.79%, outperforming both the S&P 500® (up 17.66%) and the S&P Global BMI (up 21.75%). The strong performance was not unique to last year; it has outperformed over the past four years, and it outperformed in annualized terms over the past three and five…
Index-Based Investing in Islamic Finance: 2025 Review
The Islamic asset management industry has been experiencing growth in index-based investing, and these trends have accelerated in 2025. As of October 2025, assets under management (AUM) in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) linked to Islamic indices reached USD 7.3 billion, a 44% YTD increase (see Exhibit 1)—outpacing the 30% growth observed in the global ETF market.1…
- Categories Equities, Fixed Income, Thematics
- Tags Dow Jones Islamic Indices, Dow Jones Islamic Market World Index, dow jones sukuk index, fixed income, GCC, global equities, Islamic equities, islamic finance, MENA, S&P Global BMI Shariah, S&P Pan Arab Composite, sectors, Shariah, Sue Lee, Sukuk, thematics
- Categories
- Equities, Fixed Income, Thematics
Values in the Vault
The S&P 500® Christian Values Screened Index distinguishes itself by excluding companies from the S&P 500 that engage in certain activities that do not align with the Evangelical Christian Investment Framework defined by Bountiful Financial. This framework employs specific exclusions based on S&P Global Energy Horizons revenue-based business involvement screens,1 catering to market participants who…
Powering the Future amid the AI Surge
Reports indicate that AI is a major force driving markets, with nearly 50% of S&P 500® earnings estimated to be directly or indirectly linked to AI.1 The narrative surrounding AI earnings and spending is largely focused on the infrastructure development necessary to support the anticipated productivity boom, particularly in data centers and the power infrastructure….
Faith Meets Finance: S&P 500 Christian Values Screened Index
How are indices helping market participants align investments with their beliefs? Get to know the S&P 500 Christian Values Screened Index and explore the faith-based investment landscape with Bountiful Financial’s David Friedman and S&P DJI’s Abigail Etches and Blake Spivey.
Technology Breakthroughs Meet Industrial Metals Strength
September’s S&P Thematics Dashboard was led by strong performance across technology- and industrial metals-linked themes. Quantum Technology surged 38%, while precious and industrial metals rallied sharply amid macroeconomic signals. In contrast, different discretionary spending- and resources-related themes softened. Quantum and Data Infrastructure Lead Quantum Technology was the month’s standout. IBM and HSBC claimed the execution…
