It’s always a delight when Slow Horses crashes onto our TV screens.

 If you haven’t spent any time watching Gary Oldman’s portrayal of over-the-hill spy Jackson Lamb, you really, really, really should:

Source: Apple TV

 

And so the 2027 streaming service shuffle begins.

Netflix has got Bridgerton next year. Prime will have Tomb Raider. The White Lotus season 4 is on HBO Max. Disney+ has Pokémon and Daredevil. And then it’s back to Apple TV for Ted Lasso (allegedly).

Keeping track is exhausting. “Is there a free trial? How do you get it? How long will it last? Will you remember to cancel it in time?” (Almost certainly not).

Investing actually has a similar problem when it comes to indices.

Because, due to tradition and habit and history, index investing is a mess. Different providers dominate* different parts of the world (much like series exclusives).

 

  • UK: FTSE 100 – managed by FTSE Russell.
  • Europe: Euro Stoxx 50 – managed by STOXX
  • US: S&P 500 – managed by S&P Dow Jones
  • Emerging Markets: MSCI EM – managed by MSCI

 

And they don’t always agree on the key hits!

For example, for S&P, FTSE and Stoxx, Greek stocks entered the “Developed Markets” catalogue in September this year. But not many people noticed.

Because for the Emerging Market index that really matters – MSCI EM – Greece’s new “Developed” season doesn’t debut until May 2027.

Don’t even get us started about what’s happening to Indonesia (or indeed, SpaceX)!

As a final irritation, none of the providers’ announcement dates align with the other. Helpful.

Source: FTSE Russell/STOXX/S&P Dow Jones/MSCI

 

Index investing remains one of the simplest ways to own a broad slice of the world.

 But in the same way that there’s no “best” streaming service, there’s no “best” index. Every provider has its own catalogue, classifications and release schedule.

 Now, back to Slow Horses before the free trial ends …

 

*Disclaimer* This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at UK retail clients only.

All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future. Data Source 7IM