FTSE could give Ukraine Frontier market status in 2009

This morning the FTSE Group announced the results of its annual country classification review, during which equity markets are graduated or demoted between the status of Developed, Advanced Emerging, Secondary Emerging and Frontier status. Among the most significant changes was South Korea’s move to the Developed market status; it had been on the watch list for four years. Ukraine, as well as Kazakhstan and Malta may be included in the Frontier market list during the next reclassification scheduled to take place in September 2009, the FTSE said in a statement. Oleksandr Klymchuk: The inclusion of Ukraine on the FTSE’s watch list during this review is a positive development, if behind its peers. By now, the FTSE is the only major index provider that has not assigned at least Frontier status to Ukraine, such status has already granted by S&P and MSCI-Barra while Russell included major Ukrainian stocks in its global benchmark.