NEW YORK, June 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Witnessing growth in alternatively-weighted strategies among all of its client segments, S&P Dow Jones Indices (SPDJI) announced today the launch of two comprehensive global factor index families: S&P Low Beta indices and S&P Intrinsic Value Weighted indices. These new index families are designed to serve as benchmarks or investable solutions that seek to reflect the respective factor strategy.

Factor indices are strategy indices that seek to capture performance characteristics different from traditional cap-weighted benchmarks. SPDJI has been offering factor indices for years beginning with an equal weighted version of the S&P 500® in 2003.

"The launch of the S&P Low Beta and S&P Intrinsic Value Weighted index families is emblematic of an overall trend in the industry toward factor-based strategies," says Vinit Srivastava, Senior Director of Strategy Indices at S&P Dow Jones Indices. "For many investors, the risk premium historically associated with well-known factors like value, and low beta, can be captured transparently and efficiently through indices."

The constituents for both index families are constructed from the widely followed S&P Global Broad Market Index (BMI). The S&P Low Beta index family is a market cap weighted index that contains 70% of the S&P Global BMI with the lowest beta. The S&P Intrinsic Value Weighted index family measures the performance by a stock's intrinsic value which is determined by its book value and the present value of its future earnings above its cost of capital (abnormal earnings).

For more information on these indices, please visit: www.spdji.com.

About S&P Dow Jones Indices
S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a part of McGraw Hill Financial, is the world's largest, global resource for index-based concepts, data and research. Home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average(TM), S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC has over 115 years of experience constructing innovative and transparent solutions that fulfill the needs of investors. More assets are invested in products based upon our indices than any other provider in the world. With over 1,000,000 indices covering a wide range of asset classes across the globe, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC defines the way investors measure and trade the markets. To learn more about our company, please visit www.spdji.com.

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SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices