MSCI Inc. has announced today that beginning in June 2018, it will include China A shares in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.

This decision has broad support from international institutional investors with whom MSCI consulted, primarily as a result of the positive impact on the accessibility of the China A market of both the Stock Connect program and the loosening by the local Chinese stock exchanges of pre-approval requirements that can restrict the creation of index-linked investment vehicles globally.

MSCI plans to add 222 China A Large Cap stocks, representing on a pro forma basis approximately 0.73% of the weight of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index at a 5% partial Inclusion Factor. A two-step inclusion process will be used to account for the existing daily trading limits on Stock Connect. The first inclusion step would coincide with the May 2018 Semi-Annual Index Review followed by the second step which would take place as part of the August 2018 Quarterly Index review.

PRESS RELEASE: MSCI Announces Results of the 2018 Annual Market Classification Review - English I Chinese