If MSCI finds that companies in Indonesia — which already have Asia’s smallest average free float — have even less stock available for trading than reported, passive investors would be forced to sell existing positions. The decision would be among the most consequential for the nation’s US$971 billion equity market in years, with implications for fund flows and investor perception.
(Jan 20): Global funds may withdraw more than US$2 billion from Indonesian equities in coming months if MSCI Inc proceeds with a change to its indexing methodology, underscoring concerns about the investability of Southeast Asia’s biggest stock market.
The index compiler will decide by the end of January whether to tighten its definition of free float — the number of shares available for trading and a key determinant of a stock’s weighting — following industry feedback. Any approved changes would be effective in the index provider’s May review.
