MSCI Indices 2012 Performance Results

MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MSCI), a leading provider of investment decision support tools worldwide, today published the year-to-date (YTD) 2012 performance of its MSCI Indices, revealing a vigorous rebound in global equity markets, following the global slowdown experienced in 2011.

Major financial markets worldwide showed healthy double digit returns across all size segments for 2012. The MSCI ACWI Investable Market Index (IMI), comprised of close to 9,000 large, mid and small cap securities across 24 Developed and 21 Emerging Markets countries, for example, delivered a 2012 YTD return of 13.45% versus a loss of -9.87% in 2011.

The MSCI ACWI Small Cap Index bested all other MSCI ACWI index capitalization segments for 2012 YTD, with a return of 15.17% versus returns of 14.21% and 12.99% over the period for the MSCI ACWI Mid Cap and Large Cap Indices, respectively.

MSCI ACWI IMI/Financials outperformed all other global sectors, returning 24.13% for 2012 YTD. Laggard sectors included the MSCI ACWI IMI/Telecommunications Services and MSCI ACWI IMI/Utilities which returned 4.29% and -0.71% for the period.

Developed Markets

Nearly the entire range of country and regional MSCI Developed Markets (DM) Indices delivered strong positive returns for 2012 YTD. The two main MSCI DM flagship indices—the MSCI World Index and MSCI EAFE—returned 13.00% and 13.96%, respectively, while even higher returns prevailed in many European countries and regions. The MSCI EMU and Europe Indices, for example, delivered 2012 YTD returns of 18.34% and 15.87%. The highest DM country performers were all European: the MSCI Belgium Index was at the top, returning 37.58% for 2012 YTD, followed by the MSCI Denmark and Germany Indices, with returns of 30.32% and 28.12%, respectively. The only three DM countries with negative returns for 2012 YTD were the MSCI Spain, Greece and Israel Indices which produced losses of -1.90%, -2.53% and -6.95%, respectively.

The MSCI DM Small Cap Indices outperformed their mid and large cap counterparts across the majority of countries and regions for 2012 YTD. The MSCI Europe Small Cap Index returned 25.76% (nearly 10% more than the MSCI Europe Index), for example, while the MSCI World Small Cap Index produced a return of 14.75% over the period.

Emerging Markets

The MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) Indices posted a slightly wider range of positive results relative to the Developed Markets. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index returned 14.52% for 2012 YTD, which was somewhat below average in comparison to its constituent regions and countries. The top performing region was the MSCI EM Eastern Europe ex Russia Index which provided a 25.62% return for 2012 YTD, followed by the MSCI EM Europe Index with a 20.46% return for the period. The three stand-out performers among the Emerging Markets countries were the MSCI Turkey, Egypt and Philippines Indices, with 2012 YTD returns of 60.59%, 46.90% and 43.17%, respectively. The MSCI Czech Republic, Brazil and Morocco Indices were the only Emerging Markets countries to deliver negative 2012 YTD results, with returns of -3.49%, -4.37% and -16.15%.

Reinforcing the global small cap dominance trend, the MSCI EM Small Cap Index outperformed its large- and mid-cap sibling (the MSCI EM Index), returning 18.56% for 2012 YTD.

Frontier Markets

The MSCI Frontier Markets Indices produced the most widely dispersed results for 2012 YTD. The MSCI Frontier Markets Index returned 4.60% over the period. The MSCI Frontier Markets Africa Index was the top-performing regional Frontier Markets index, delivering a 2012 YTD return of 44.88%. The top three single country Frontier Markets index performers for 2012 YTD included the MSCI Kenya, Nigeria and Estonia Indices which posted returns of 54.16%, 52.82%, and 44.98%, respectively. More than half of the FM countries delivered negative 2012 YTD returns. The bottom performers were the MSCI Bulgaria, Argentina, and Ukraine Indices with 2012 YTD returns of -32.78%, -37.49% and -49.33%, respectively.

Historical index levels for the full range of MSCI Indices are available at www.msci.com.

¹ All year-to-date (YTD) 2012 index performance data is based on price index levels in USD for the periods 1 January 2012 – 27 December 2012.

MSCI Indices Performance Table—YTD 2012

Index		YTD 2012 1 Jan 2012 – 27 Dec 2012					2011
MSCI All Country (AC) Indices
MSCI ACWI IMI/Financials		24.13%					-20.61%
MSCI Zhong Hua Index 2		20.07%					-19.72%
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index		18.72%					-19.16%
MSCI AC Far East ex Japan Index		18.34%					-16.78%
MSCI AC Europe Index		16.09%					-14.45%
MSCI ACWI Small Cap Index		15.17%					-12.75%
MSCI ACWI Mid Cap Index		14.21%					-11.25%
MSCI ACWI Investable Market Index (IMI)		13.45%					-9.87%
MSCI ACWI Index		13.19%					-9.41%
MSCI ACWI Large Cap Index		12.99%					-9.05%
MSCI ACWI IMI/Telecom Services		4.29%					- 5.02%
MSCI ACWI IMI/Utilities		-0.71%					-6.79%
MSCI Developed Markets (DM) Indices
MSCI Belgium Index		37.58%					-12.55%
MSCI Denmark Index		30.32%					-16.83%
MSCI Germany Index		28.12%					-20.05%

² The MSCI Zhong Hua Index captures large and mid cap representation across China securities available to non-domestic investors and includes: China H shares, B shares, Red chips and P chips, together with China securities listed on the Hong Kong exchange.

MSCI Developed Markets (DM) Indices, cont.
MSCI Europe Small Cap Index							25.76%							-21.94%
MSCI Nordic Countries Index							19.27%							-19.80%
MSCI Pacific ex Japan Index							19.22%							-16.25%
MSCI Europe ex UK Index							18.61%							-17.63%
MSCI EMU Index							18.34%							-20.15%
MSCI Europe Index							15.87%							-13.82%
MSCI USA Small Cap Index							14.94%							-4.35%
MSCI World Small Cap Index							14.75%							-10.49%
MSCI EAFE Index							13.96%							-14.82%
MSCI World Index							13.00%							-7.61%
MSCI USA Index							12.86%							-0.11%
MSCI Spain Index							-1.90%							-16.90%
MSCI Greece Index							-2.53%							-63.59%
MSCI Israel Index							-6.95%							-29.79%
MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) Indices
MSCI Turkey Index							60.59%							-36.78%
MSCI Egypt Index							46.90%							-48.78%
MSCI Philippines Index							43.17%							-3.17%
MSCI EM Eastern Europe ex Russia Index							25.62%							-29.98%
MSCI EM Europe & Middle East IMI							21.22%							-26.46%
MSCI EM Europe Index							20.46%							-25.33%
MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap Index							18.56%							-28.78%
MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) Index							14.52%							-20.41%
MSCI Brazil Index							-4.37%							-24.85%
MSCI Czech Republic Index							-3.49%							-11.29%
MSCI Morocco Index							-16.15%							-18.75%
MSCI Frontier Markets (FM) Indices
MSCI Kenya Index							54.16%							-30.61%
MSCI Nigeria Index							52.82%							-18.73%
MSCI Estonia Index							44.98%							-28.79%
MSCI FM Africa Index							44.88%							-19.76%
MSCI Frontier Markets (FM) Index							4.60%							-22.14%
MSCI Bulgaria Index							-32.78%							-29.80%
MSCI Argentina Index							-37.49%							-42.64%
MSCI Ukraine Index							-49.33%							-45.81%

About MSCI

MSCI Inc. is a leading provider of investment decision support tools to investors globally, including asset managers, banks, hedge funds and pension funds. MSCI products and services include indices, portfolio risk and performance analytics, and governance tools.

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