The Russell 2000 Index is a small-cap U.S. stock market index that is made up of the smallest 2,000 stocks in the Russell 3000 Index. It was started by the Frank Russell Company in 1984. The index is maintained by FTSE Russell, a subsidiary of the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG).
Overview
The Russell 2000 is by far the most common benchmark for mutual funds that identify themselves as "small-cap", while the S&P 500 index is used primarily for large capitalization stocks. It is the most widely quoted measure of the overall performance of small-cap to mid-cap company shares. It is commonly considered an indicator of the U.S. economy due to its focus on small-cap companies in the U.S. market. The index represents approximately 7% of the total market capitalization of the Russell 3000 Index.[1] As of 31 December 2024, the weighted average market capitalization of a company in the index is approximately $3.65 billion and the median market capitalization is approximately $0.99 billion. The market capitalization of the largest company in the index is approximately $14.72 billion.[2]