The International Securities Exchange has announced that it is launching the ISE-B&S Water Index, a new sector index option and benchmark for this emerging industry.
The ISE-B&S Water Index was developed in response to growing interest in water as a scarce resource and comprises companies in the water infrastructure, filtration, distribution, purification and treatment industries. The index currently contains 20 stocks that trade in the U.S. market, including such notable domestic industry participants as Aqua America Inc. (NYSE: WTR), Watts Water Technologies Inc. (NYSE: WTS), as well as international companies that trade as Depositary Receipts, such as Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo (NYSE: SBS). The index is the basis for cash-settled index options, which will list and begin trading today on ISE under the symbol HHO.