NEW YORK, Dec. 29, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, today announced that the Dow Jones Emerging Markets Index, Dow Jones World Index and Dow Jones Asia/Pacific -- South Asia Index will be adjusted to reflect the Taiwan government's restriction of 75% on foreign investment. This change in Taiwan's investment rules increases the country's weighting by free-float market capitalization in each of the three Dow Jones indexes.
Accordingly, Taiwan now represents 24.80% of the Dow Jones Emerging Markets Index, 1.28% of the Dow Jones World Index, and 56.55% of the Dow Jones Asia/Pacific -- South Asia Index; the previous weights were 21.03%, 1.04% and 51.25% respectively. Based on the Dow Jones Taiwan Index, the country's total return performance is up 4.28% for the year.
As the indexes use free-float market capitalization -- or shares available to the public -- instead of full market capitalization, foreign restriction rules are applied to maintain the indexes. The rule states that if a government restricts foreign stock ownership by at least 5%, then the lesser amount of free-float shares is used in calculating the index.
The Dow Jones World Index is a comprehensive benchmark of markets in countries that are open to foreign investors. As the flagship index of the Dow Jones Global Index family, it serves as the selection pool for all other Dow Jones benchmark indexes, including country, region, size, style and industry indexes.
The Dow Jones Emerging Markets Index measures the performance of 21 countries defined as developing based on several economic factors, including gross domestic product.
The Dow Jones Asia/Pacific -- South Asia Index is a benchmark for countries within the South Asia region, which includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.
The Dow Jones Global Indexes is an integrated, consistent and investable world index family designed to provide international investors with a complete range of portfolio management and benchmarking tools.
The Dow Jones Global Indexes is reviewed quarterly in March, June, September and December. History is available back to Dec. 31, 1991. Components, weightings and daily closing values of the Dow Jones Global Indexes are available on www.djindexes.com.
Journalists may e-mail questions regarding this press release to PR-Indexes@dowjones.com or contact a member of the Dow Jones Indexes/STOXX public relations group:
New York: +1-212-597-5720 Frankfurt: + 49-69-97142815
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About Dow Jones Indexes
Dow Jones Indexes is part of Dow Jones & Company, which publishes the world's most vital business and financial news and information. Dow Jones Indexes is a premier global provider of investable indexes, including the Dow Jones Averages and the Dow Jones Global, Regional, Country and Sector Titans Indexes and is co-owner of the Pan-European Dow Jones STOXX Indexes. Together with Wilshire Associates, Dow Jones Indexes markets and licenses the Dow Jones Wilshire index family, which includes the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 and its size, style, and sector indexes. Dow Jones Indexes also offers a number of specialty indexes including hedge fund, commodity and credit derivative indexes.
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