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Fiona Boal

Managing Director, Global Head of Equities, S&P Dow Jones Indices

Fiona Boal is Global Head of Equities at S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI). She is responsible for the product management of the U.S. and global equity indices, including the iconic S&P 500®, Dow Jones Industrial Average® and S&P Global BMI. Prior to her current role, Fiona was Global Head of Commodities and Real Assets.
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Feb 23, 2023

Introducing the First Benchmark Commodity Index Incorporating Environmental Metrics, the S&P GSCI Climate Aware

As the world continues to focus on sustainability and the energy transition, it is understandable that market participants are seeking to incorporate sustainability considerations into their commodities portfolios. To that end, on Feb. 23, 2023, S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI) launched the S&P GSCI Climate Aware, utilizing a new environmental dataset developed in collaboration…

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Jan 3, 2023

Commodities Outperform for the Second Year in a Row

The market standard commodities benchmark, the S&P GSCI, performed admirably in 2022, rising 26%, outpacing other commodities indices and asset classes, as well as defying higher interest rates and growing fears of a prolonged global economic slowdown, while high inflation provided a solid backdrop for one of the most inflation-sensitive asset classes. Commodities has been…

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Dec 1, 2022

Commodities Challenged by Slowing Global Growth in November

Commodities, represented by the broad-based S&P GSCI, fell 1.7% in November on the back of weakness in the petroleum and grains complexes. Global commodities markets were particularly hit this month by worries over rare demonstrations in China against COVID-19 curbs, with oil and grains falling to multi-month lows and safe-haven gold rising. After 11 months,…

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Oct 4, 2022

U.S. Dollar Strength Catches Up with Commodities

U.S. dollar strength caught up with commodities in September, with the benchmark S&P GSCI falling 7.8%. Almost all physical commodities are priced in USD, and a stronger USD has historically correlated to weaker commodity demand and lower commodity prices. But the S&P GSCI is holding onto a 21.8% YTD gain despite the USD strength, energy…

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Sep 1, 2022

Commodities Take a Break over the Northern Hemisphere Summer

The S&P GSCI fell 2.7% in August; renewed strength in agricultural commodities and the continued rally in natural gas were not sufficient to overcome a late-month decline in oil prices. After eight months, the benchmark commodities index is 32% higher YTD, defying higher interest rates and growing fears of a prolonged global economic slowdown. The…

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Aug 3, 2022

Ship Ahoy: Introducing the S&P GSCI Freight Indices

On Aug. 1, 2022, S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI) launched a series of S&P GSCI Freight Indices, the first of their kind in the market and an expansion of the single-commodity offering of indices based on the S&P GSCI. The S&P GSCI Freight Indices are designed to provide reliable and publicly available performance benchmarks…

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Jul 5, 2022

Commodities Hit the Brakes in June

The prospect of higher interest rates, fears of a prolonged global economic slowdown and a strong U.S. dollar put the brakes on commodities prices in June. The S&P GSCI, the broad commodities benchmark, ended the month down 7.6%, taking YTD performance to 35.8%, still the best first half performance since 2008. The deteriorating economic outlook…

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Jun 1, 2022

Food and Energy Inflation Concerns Drive Commodities Higher in May

Record inflation prints, export embargos and import bans helped the S&P GSCI, the broad commodities benchmark, to post another monthly gain in May, ending the month up 5.1% and bringing its YTD performance to 47.0%. The ongoing disruptions to the flow of energy and agricultural commodities out of Ukraine and Russia pushed energy and grain…

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Mar 29, 2022

Going Electric: Introducing the S&P GSCI Electric Vehicle Metals

As the world has begun to focus on new technology to aid in the global energy transition, electric vehicles (EV) are becoming more a part of everyday life. S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI) has collaborated with S&P Global Commodity Insights (SPGCI) to launch the S&P GSCI Electric Vehicle Metals, which seeks to track the…

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Mar 3, 2022

Commodities React to Conflict

Military and economic warfare rocked the financial markets in late February. Beyond the unthinkable human impact, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has had sizeable short- and long-term implications for commodities markets. The S&P GSCI ended the month up 8.8%, driven higher by fears over the continuity of energy supplies in Europe, the dominance of Russia as a…

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