S.Korea stock market likely to join developed market index: regulator By Reuters
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 21 2025
0mins
Should l Buy MSCI?
Source: Investing.com
South Korea's Stock Market Inclusion: The vice chairman of South Korea's Financial Services Commission indicated a strong possibility that the country's stock market could soon be included in a developed market index, as many issues raised by MSCI have been addressed.
Recent Regulatory Changes: Following the lifting of a five-year ban on short selling, which was a barrier for foreign investors, discussions with MSCI and foreign investors are planned to further improve market access ahead of MSCI's review in June.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy MSCI?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on MSCI
Wall Street analysts forecast MSCI stock price to rise
9 Analyst Rating
7 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 572.870
Low
570.00
Averages
648.88
High
710.00
Current: 572.870
Low
570.00
Averages
648.88
High
710.00
About MSCI
MSCI Inc. (MSCI) is a provider of critical decision support tools and solutions for the global investment community. The Company operates through four segments: Index, Analytics, ESG and Climate, and All Other-Private Assets. The Index segment offers products, such as MSCI Global Equity Indexes, ESG and Climate Indexes, Factor Indexes, Thematic Indexes, Client-Designed Indexes, Fixed Income Indexes and Real Assets Indexes. The Analytics segment offers risk management, performance attribution and portfolio management content, applications and services. Its ESG and Climate segment offerings include MSCI ESG Ratings, MSCI ESG Business Involvement Screening Research, and MSCI Climate Solutions. The Company's All Other-Private Assets segment comprises the Real Assets segment and Private Capital Solutions segment. The Real Assets segment offers data, benchmarks, return-analytics, climate assessments and market insights for tangible assets such as real estate and infrastructure.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Norway's Sovereign Wealth Fund Integrates AI for Investment Risk Monitoring
- AI Technology Adoption: Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) announced in its 2024 annual report that it has begun using AI to screen for reputational and ethical risks in investments, enhancing its ESG risk monitoring capabilities through the use of Anthropic's Claude AI model.
- Portfolio Monitoring: The fund stated that AI tools can identify potential risks related to forced labor, corruption, or fraud within 24 hours of investment, enabling it to identify and sell high-risk investments before market reactions, thus avoiding potential losses.
- Market Impact: As of 2025, NBIM's asset value stands at approximately $2.2 trillion, with an annual profit of 2.36 trillion kroner (about $246.9 billion), and nearly 40% of its investments are concentrated in U.S. equities, underscoring its significant position in the global market.
- Ethical Framework Review: Following criticism of its ethical decisions last year, Norway's finance minister indicated that NBIM's investment decisions will be subject to temporary guidelines, with a review of the ethical framework planned to ensure transparency and compliance in investment decisions.
See More
BAMCO Reduces Stake in Vail Resorts
- Share Reduction Details: According to a SEC filing dated February 17, 2026, BAMCO Inc sold 892,764 shares of Vail Resorts during Q4, reducing its holdings to 4,809,928 shares, with a quarter-end valuation decline of $214.19 million reflecting both trading activities and price movements.
- Asset Management Ratio Shift: Following this sale, Vail Resorts now represents only 1.73% of BAMCO's 13F reportable AUM, indicating investor concerns regarding the resilience of high-end vacation spending in an uncertain travel environment.
- Company Financial Overview: As of February 17, 2026, Vail Resorts' stock price stood at $137.75, down 8.9% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 23.36 percentage points, which reflects market caution regarding its future growth prospects.
- Profitability Model Analysis: Vail Resorts generates revenue primarily from lift ticket sales, lodging, and ancillary resort services; while the Epic Pass offers predictable cash flow, the company's high fixed costs mean that even slight declines in visitor numbers can significantly pressure earnings.
See More
BAMCO Inc Sells Shares of Vail Resorts
- Share Sale Details: BAMCO Inc sold 892,764 shares of Vail Resorts in Q4 for approximately $131.38 million, reflecting market concerns about high-end vacation spending, which has led to a decline in the company's investment position.
- Value Decline: The transaction resulted in a $214.19 million decrease in BAMCO's position value in Vail Resorts, with the current holding of 4,809,928 shares valued at $638.76 million, indicating pressure on the company within the luxury travel market.
- Portfolio Impact: Vail Resorts now represents 1.73% of BAMCO's 13F reportable assets under management, no longer being among the top five holdings, which suggests a weakening investor confidence in the company.
- Market Performance Analysis: As of February 17, 2026, Vail Resorts' stock price stood at $137.75, down 8.9% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 23.36 percentage points, reflecting a cautious market outlook on its future growth.
See More
Anthropic Launches New Tool to Support Software Industry
- Product Update: Anthropic's Tuesday event introduced updates to its Claude Cowork tool, enabling connections to platforms like Google Drive, Gmail, and Docusign, thereby enhancing office productivity and demonstrating its additive role to existing software providers.
- Market Reaction: The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV) rose nearly 2% during Tuesday's session, recovering from a more than 4% drop on Monday, although the fund remains down 24% in 2026, reflecting the market's mixed sentiment towards AI's impact.
- Industry Analysis: Wells Fargo analyst Jason Haas highlighted that sector-specific data assets are crucial in building AI solutions, with companies like Fair Isaac, Moody's, and S&P Global likely to benefit due to their unique datasets, indicating AI as a tailwind for increased data usage.
- Collaboration Outlook: Analysts suggest that Anthropic's event indicates a willingness to partner with existing software companies rather than replace them, a collaboration model that may be underappreciated by investors, particularly in the information services sector, which could lead to more market opportunities ahead.
See More
Active Insider Buying in Financial ETFs
- Significant Insider Activity: Within the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Financials ETF, 10.2% of holdings have seen insider buying in the past six months, indicating strong confidence from executives that may attract more investor interest in the ETF.
- MSCI Share Dynamics: MSCI Inc, which comprises 1.41% of the ETF, has had two directors and officers purchase shares recently, with the ETF holding $394,820 worth of its stock, making it the 27th largest holding, reflecting market recognition of its growth potential.
- HBAN Insider Transactions: Huntington Bancshares Inc, ranked as the 38th largest holding in the ETF, has also seen two directors and officers file Form 4s indicating purchases, with the ETF holding $384,964 worth of its shares, suggesting optimism from executives regarding the company's outlook.
- ETF Asset Allocation Analysis: The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Financials ETF holds MSCI and HBAN, which represent 1.41% and 1.37% of its total assets respectively, showcasing a diversified investment strategy in the financial sector that may enhance its risk resilience.
See More
Emerging Asian Currencies Strengthen, Malaysian Ringgit Advances
- Currency Movements: The Malaysian ringgit strengthened by 0.4% and the Philippine peso rose by 0.9% to its highest level since late September, reflecting regional currencies' resilience amid a weaker dollar backdrop due to uncertainties in U.S. trade policy.
- Market Response: MSCI's emerging market currency index climbed 0.24%, hovering near its record peak hit on February 12, indicating a recovery in investor confidence towards emerging markets, particularly driven by sectors linked to AI and capital goods.
- Stock Market Performance: Taiwan's benchmark index reached a historic high of 34,212.38 points, closing 0.5% higher, while South Korea's KOSPI index gained 0.7%, showcasing strong demand for AI-related stocks and reflecting optimistic sentiment towards tech equities.
- Policy Impact: Analysts noted that a 15% global tariff would provide modest relief for economies in India and ASEAN, such as Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, although Singapore would face higher tariffs, potentially affecting its market competitiveness.
See More
Norway's Sovereign Wealth Fund Integrates AI for Investment Risk Monitoring
- AI Technology Adoption: Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) announced in its 2024 annual report that it has begun using AI to screen for reputational and ethical risks in investments, enhancing its ESG risk monitoring capabilities through the use of Anthropic's Claude AI model.
- Portfolio Monitoring: The fund stated that AI tools can identify potential risks related to forced labor, corruption, or fraud within 24 hours of investment, enabling it to identify and sell high-risk investments before market reactions, thus avoiding potential losses.
- Market Impact: As of 2025, NBIM's asset value stands at approximately $2.2 trillion, with an annual profit of 2.36 trillion kroner (about $246.9 billion), and nearly 40% of its investments are concentrated in U.S. equities, underscoring its significant position in the global market.
- Ethical Framework Review: Following criticism of its ethical decisions last year, Norway's finance minister indicated that NBIM's investment decisions will be subject to temporary guidelines, with a review of the ethical framework planned to ensure transparency and compliance in investment decisions.
See More
BAMCO Reduces Stake in Vail Resorts
- Share Reduction Details: According to a SEC filing dated February 17, 2026, BAMCO Inc sold 892,764 shares of Vail Resorts during Q4, reducing its holdings to 4,809,928 shares, with a quarter-end valuation decline of $214.19 million reflecting both trading activities and price movements.
- Asset Management Ratio Shift: Following this sale, Vail Resorts now represents only 1.73% of BAMCO's 13F reportable AUM, indicating investor concerns regarding the resilience of high-end vacation spending in an uncertain travel environment.
- Company Financial Overview: As of February 17, 2026, Vail Resorts' stock price stood at $137.75, down 8.9% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 23.36 percentage points, which reflects market caution regarding its future growth prospects.
- Profitability Model Analysis: Vail Resorts generates revenue primarily from lift ticket sales, lodging, and ancillary resort services; while the Epic Pass offers predictable cash flow, the company's high fixed costs mean that even slight declines in visitor numbers can significantly pressure earnings.
See More
BAMCO Inc Sells Shares of Vail Resorts
- Share Sale Details: BAMCO Inc sold 892,764 shares of Vail Resorts in Q4 for approximately $131.38 million, reflecting market concerns about high-end vacation spending, which has led to a decline in the company's investment position.
- Value Decline: The transaction resulted in a $214.19 million decrease in BAMCO's position value in Vail Resorts, with the current holding of 4,809,928 shares valued at $638.76 million, indicating pressure on the company within the luxury travel market.
- Portfolio Impact: Vail Resorts now represents 1.73% of BAMCO's 13F reportable assets under management, no longer being among the top five holdings, which suggests a weakening investor confidence in the company.
- Market Performance Analysis: As of February 17, 2026, Vail Resorts' stock price stood at $137.75, down 8.9% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 23.36 percentage points, reflecting a cautious market outlook on its future growth.
See More
Anthropic Launches New Tool to Support Software Industry
- Product Update: Anthropic's Tuesday event introduced updates to its Claude Cowork tool, enabling connections to platforms like Google Drive, Gmail, and Docusign, thereby enhancing office productivity and demonstrating its additive role to existing software providers.
- Market Reaction: The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV) rose nearly 2% during Tuesday's session, recovering from a more than 4% drop on Monday, although the fund remains down 24% in 2026, reflecting the market's mixed sentiment towards AI's impact.
- Industry Analysis: Wells Fargo analyst Jason Haas highlighted that sector-specific data assets are crucial in building AI solutions, with companies like Fair Isaac, Moody's, and S&P Global likely to benefit due to their unique datasets, indicating AI as a tailwind for increased data usage.
- Collaboration Outlook: Analysts suggest that Anthropic's event indicates a willingness to partner with existing software companies rather than replace them, a collaboration model that may be underappreciated by investors, particularly in the information services sector, which could lead to more market opportunities ahead.
See More
Active Insider Buying in Financial ETFs
- Significant Insider Activity: Within the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Financials ETF, 10.2% of holdings have seen insider buying in the past six months, indicating strong confidence from executives that may attract more investor interest in the ETF.
- MSCI Share Dynamics: MSCI Inc, which comprises 1.41% of the ETF, has had two directors and officers purchase shares recently, with the ETF holding $394,820 worth of its stock, making it the 27th largest holding, reflecting market recognition of its growth potential.
- HBAN Insider Transactions: Huntington Bancshares Inc, ranked as the 38th largest holding in the ETF, has also seen two directors and officers file Form 4s indicating purchases, with the ETF holding $384,964 worth of its shares, suggesting optimism from executives regarding the company's outlook.
- ETF Asset Allocation Analysis: The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Financials ETF holds MSCI and HBAN, which represent 1.41% and 1.37% of its total assets respectively, showcasing a diversified investment strategy in the financial sector that may enhance its risk resilience.
See More
Emerging Asian Currencies Strengthen, Malaysian Ringgit Advances
- Currency Movements: The Malaysian ringgit strengthened by 0.4% and the Philippine peso rose by 0.9% to its highest level since late September, reflecting regional currencies' resilience amid a weaker dollar backdrop due to uncertainties in U.S. trade policy.
- Market Response: MSCI's emerging market currency index climbed 0.24%, hovering near its record peak hit on February 12, indicating a recovery in investor confidence towards emerging markets, particularly driven by sectors linked to AI and capital goods.
- Stock Market Performance: Taiwan's benchmark index reached a historic high of 34,212.38 points, closing 0.5% higher, while South Korea's KOSPI index gained 0.7%, showcasing strong demand for AI-related stocks and reflecting optimistic sentiment towards tech equities.
- Policy Impact: Analysts noted that a 15% global tariff would provide modest relief for economies in India and ASEAN, such as Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, although Singapore would face higher tariffs, potentially affecting its market competitiveness.
See More
