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S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND MSCI ANNOUNCE CONSULTATION ON POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE GLOBAL INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION STANDARD (GICS®)

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NEW YORK, July 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI), a leading provider of financial market indices, and MSCI Inc. (MSCI), a leading provider of critical decision support tools and services have decided to consult with members of the investment community on potential changes to the GICS structure.

The review is intended to ensure that the GICS structure is reflective of today’s markets and continues to be an accurate and complete industry framework. 

The consultation begins on July 17, 2026, and ends on October 30, 2026. Any changes to the GICS structure will be announced by November 2026. This consultation may or may not result in any changes to the GICS structure.

Key topics under review*:

Classification of Artificial Intelligence (AI) related business modelsRestructuring the Semiconductors Sub-IndustryDefinition updates for High-Performance Computing As-a-Service (HPCaaS) and AI Data Lifecycle ServicesClassification of Foundation Model DevelopersUpdates to the Application Software Sub-IndustryClassification of Listed Investment Companies

The consultation document with detailed proposals is available on S&P Dow Jones Indices’ Web site at: https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/landing/topic/gics/ and MSCI’s Web site at: www.msci.com/gics.

* A select list of companies with a market capitalization exceeding USD 2 billion that may be affected by this proposal is available for clients for illustrative purposes.

MODE OF CONSULTATION

There are two options for participating in this year’s consultation:

Click on the links below to participate in the online surveyS&P: LinkMSCI: Link

       2. Contact one of the following email addresses with your feedback

S&P: index_services@spglobal.comMSCI: clientservice@msci.com Contact your MSCI / S&P DJI Account Manager

For a detailed description of GICS, please refer to S&P Dow Jones Indices’ Web site at https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/landing/topic/gics/ or the MSCI’s Web site at www.msci.com/gics.

About S&P Dow Jones Indices

S&P Dow Jones Indices is the largest global resource for essential index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average®. More assets are invested in products based on our indices than products based on indices from any other provider in the world. Since Charles Dow invented the first index in 1884, S&P DJI has been innovating and developing indices across the spectrum of asset classes helping to define the way investors measure and trade the markets.

S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit www.spglobal.com/spdji.

Media Inquiries

spdji.comms@spglobal.com

About MSCI

MSCI (NYSE: MSCI Inc.) strengthens global markets by connecting participants across the financial ecosystem with a common language. Our research-based data, analytics and indexes, supported by advanced technology, set standards for global investors and help our clients understand risks and opportunities so they can make better decisions and unlock innovation. We serve asset managers and owners, private-market sponsors and investors, hedge funds, wealth managers, banks, insurers and corporates. To learn more, please visit www.msci.com

The process for submitting a formal index complaint can be found on the index regulation page of MSCI’s website at: https://www.msci.com/index-regulation

Media Inquiries

PR@msci.com

Melanie Blanco

+1 212 981 1049

Konstantinos Makrygiannis

+44 77 6893 0056

Tina Tan

+852 2844 9320

MSCI Global Client Service:

EMEA Client Service

+ 44 20 7618 2222

Americas Client Service

+1 888 588 4567

Asia Pacific Client Service

+ 852 2844 9333

Disclaimer

This document has been prepared by MSCI and S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and its affiliates (“S&P Dow Jones Indices”) solely for informational purposes. All of the information contained herein, including without limitation all text, data, graphs, charts (collectively, the “Information”) is the property of MSCI, S&P Dow Jones Indices, or their respective affiliates. The Information may not be reproduced or redisseminated in whole or in part without prior written permission from MSCI and S&P Dow Jones Indices.

None of the proposals or alternatives set forth herein has been adopted by MSCI, S&P Dow Jones Indices or Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”), an affiliate of S&P Dow Jones Indices, and there is no assurance that they may be considered or adopted, in whole or in part, by any such party.

The Information may not be used to create derivative works or to verify or correct other data or information. For example (but without limitation), the Information may not be used to create indices, databases, risk models, analytics, software, or in connection with the issuing, offering, sponsoring, managing or marketing of any securities, portfolios, financial products or other investment vehicles utilizing or based on, linked to, tracking or otherwise derived from the Information. 

The user of the Information assumes the entire risk of any use it may make or permit to be made of the Information. NEITHER MSCI, S&P DOW JONES INDICES, S&P, NOR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES MAKES ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION (OR THE RESU LTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE USE THEREOF). TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, MSCI, S&P DOW JONES INDICES, S&P AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATE S EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ORIGINALITY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, NON-INFRINGEMENT, COMPLETENESS, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE) WITH RESPECT TO ANY OF THE INFORMATION.

Without limiting any of the foregoing and to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall MSCI, S&P Dow Jones Indices, S&P or any of their respective affiliates have any liability regarding any of the Information for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential (including lost profits) or any other damages even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

Information containing any historical information, data or analysis should not be taken as an indication or guarantee of any future performance, analysis, forecast or prediction. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

None of the Information constitutes an offer to sell (or a solicitation of an offer to buy), any security, financial product or other investment vehicle.

The Information does not, and is not intended to, recommend, endorse, approve or otherwise expresses any opinion regarding any issuer, security, financial product or trading strategy and none of the Information is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

The Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) was developed by and is the exclusive property of MSCI and S&P. “Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS)” is a service mark of MSCI and S&P.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sp-dow-jones-indices-and-msci-announce-consultation-on-potential-changes-to-the-global-industry-classification-standard-gics-302828876.html

SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices

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Green Security Partners with CLEAR®; Expanding Trusted Identity Network to Healthcare Vendor Credentialing

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Bringing trusted identity assurance to healthcare facilities by linking vendor identities directly to their access credentials

CLEARWATER, Fla., Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Green Security, a leader in healthcare vendor operations and intelligence, today announced a partnership with CLEAR1, CLEAR’s secure identity platform, to strengthen identity verification for vendors entering healthcare facilities. Together, CLEAR and Green Security will help organizations elevate security across the entire workplace ecosystem. By addressing the entirety of stakeholders entering and operating within a facility, the partnership enables a more comprehensive, end-to-end approach to identity, access, and trust.

The solution is designed to elevate healthcare safety and trust by authenticating credentialed vendors with advanced biometric technology, helping protect healthcare staff and patients while prioritizing privacy and security.

Green Security supports more than 8 million healthcare vendor interactions annually, making trusted identity verification a growing priority for hospitals seeking stronger access controls. CLEAR1 and Green Security have entered into a preferred partnership to extend proven identity measures to health systems designed to strengthen their physical security. Traditional printed badges can be copied, borrowed or transferred, creating a potential gap between the person wearing a badge, the identity recorded in a credentialing system and the facility access associated with that identity. Green Security’s new identity-verified Smart Badge experience will be built with CLEAR1, and is designed to address that gap by connecting a vendor’s verified identity with their Green Security mobile app, Smart Badge and credentials. Vendors simply upload a selfie to verify their identity with CLEAR in seconds to complete Green Security registration. CLEAR1 analyzes hundreds of signals—from biometrics, documents, and devices—and cross-checks them against verified data sources to confirm identity.

“Vendors are checking in roughly every 14 seconds around the clock, and hospitals shouldn’t have to wonder whether the person wearing a badge is the person who completed credentialing,” said Mickey Meehan, CEO, Green Security. “Our exclusive partnership with CLEAR sets a newer, higher standard for healthcare vendor access. It’s a simple experience for vendors, but a major leap forward in trust and accountability for the healthcare user.”

The partnership is expected to give health systems stronger assurance that:

The person entering the facility is the same individual who completed credentialing requirementsVendor badges cannot be casually shared, transferred, or re-used by unauthorized individualsIdentity verification occurs during check-in process and before a smart badge is activated, creating stronger accountability

“For more than a decade, CLEAR has helped people prove who they are in moments that matter,” said David Bardan, SVP, GM, Head of Healthcare and Govtech at CLEAR. “We’re bringing that same trusted identity experience to healthcare. Together with Green Security, we will be helping hospitals move beyond credentials alone to gain greater confidence that the right person is accessing the right place.”

The companies see this integration as a further step toward a broader identity-first approach to healthcare facility access, where verified identity can help support compliance, security, and operational efficiency across the vendor ecosystem.

The partnership is expected to enhance security and support compliance without adding unnecessary friction for supplier representatives. Hospitals will gain greater confidence in vendor access, while representatives will benefit from a streamlined activation process designed around their mobile devices. The integration is expected to be live later this year.

Additional resources:

Learn more about Green Security’s Smart Badge platformExplore additional insights on the Green Security blogFollow Green Security on LinkedIn

About Green Security

Green Security is the leading provider of healthcare vendor operations and intelligence solutions, trusted by more than 330,000 vendors at 2,000 facilities across 275+ health systems. The platform streamlines and secures every stage of vendor engagement, from onboarding and credentialing to value analysis, to OR case readiness and visitor management. By combining credentialing, access management, and real-time vendor intelligence, Green Security helps healthcare organizations verify requirements, manage facility access, and make more informed decisions about vendor engagement. Learn more at gogreensecurity.com.

Media Contact

Jennifer Usher, PR for Green Security, 1 4154120181, jennifer@usherconsultancy.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/green-security-partners-with-clear-expanding-trusted-identity-network-to-healthcare-vendor-credentialing-302883771.html

SOURCE PR for Green Security

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China Daily: Chinese farming model offers practical lessons for Global South

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QUZHOU, China, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In the sun-drenched fields of Quzhou county, Hebei province, African students are learning about farming not from a classroom, but with their hands in the soil.

They drive tractors, take soil samples, test planting techniques and work alongside Chinese researchers and local farmers. The experience is part of the Science and Technology Backyard (STB) program, a model pioneered by China Agricultural University that is now being adapted to agricultural challenges across the Global South.

Established in Quzhou in 2009, the STB model brings university researchers and graduate students into farming communities to conduct research, test technologies and provide services directly to farmers. Since 2019, the university has established 14 STBs in 10 countries, including Malawi and Kenya, working with farmers in more than a dozen villages.

The overseas expansion reflects a shift from simply transferring agricultural technologies to building local capacity, said Zhang Fusuo, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and initiator of the STB program.

“Our core strategy for the next decade is to take the Science and Technology Backyards overseas,” Zhang said.

Rather than replicating Chinese farming practices, the model emphasizes adapting technologies to local soil, climate, crops and economic conditions.

In Malawi, for example, STBs focus on maize, a staple crop and major source of rural livelihoods. Malawian agricultural expert Samson Mofolo, who studied at China Agricultural University, is now working with farmers on techniques including cereal-legume intercropping, improved varieties and more targeted fertilizer use.

The approach has brought tangible changes for farmers. In Kasungu, central Malawi, farmer Esnart Mwera said her family began producing more maize from a small plot after adopting improved planting practices.

“We don’t have hunger in our family,” she said, adding that higher harvests have also helped the family pay school fees and buy livestock.

Jiao Xiaoqiang, head of the China-Africa STB program, said young agricultural professionals are trained to become a bridge between scientific research and farmers. “Technology is very important for smallholder farmers, but technology alone is not enough. If we want farmers to adopt new technologies, education must come first,” he said.

Students from Ethiopia and Kenya say the training has given them ideas they can adapt at home, from safer pesticide use and mechanization to soil testing and organic fertilizer.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/china-daily-chinese-farming-model-offers-practical-lessons-for-global-south-302884573.html

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Rainmaker Raises $100M Series B to Scale Low-Cost Water Production and Weather Modification

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Funding will expand the research organization behind the first validated proof of manmade precipitation.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Rainmaker Technology Corporation announces a $100 million Series B fundraise to grow its atmospheric research organization and drive down the cost of producing new freshwater via cloud seeding. The round includes investments from NOA VC, Upfront Ventures, DCVC, Lowercarbon Capital and Dream Ventures. Rainmaker Founder and CEO Augustus Doricko issued the following statement:

“The future of water is the future of everything. With this historic investment in weather modification technology, Rainmaker will continue to conduct frontier atmospheric research, cloud seed to end drought in the American west, and develop the tech stack that will make the earth more habitable for generations to come.”

Background

Rainmaker Technology Corporation is a next-generation cloud seeding company based in El Segundo, Calif. The company flies weather-resistant drones into winter storm clouds and releases a small amount of silver iodide, a particle that ice crystals form around. Those crystals grow heavy enough to fall as rain or snow. Rainmaker’s own radar and validation systems then measures how much additional precipitation each operation produced — the step that has historically been missing from cloud seeding.

Earlier this year, Rainmaker became the first private company in history to physically validate the results of cloud seeding operations. Over four months, the company recorded 82 unambiguous seeding signatures, distinct radar patterns that tie precipitation directly to a seeding flight. Together they account for more than 145 million verified gallons of freshwater, nearly the annual water use of 1,800 American households. In August, Rainmaker produced 19 million gallons in about three hours near Homer, Alaska, marking a significant improvement in the efficiency of the technology.

This new round of funding will support a rapid expansion of Rainmaker’s research team, which today includes atmospheric scientists, radar and satellite specialists, and material scientists. Their work is aimed at answering the questions that determine how much water an operation yields: which clouds to seed and when, how much material to release, and where precipitation should fall to do a watershed the most good for farms, ecosystems, and industry. Rainmaker will also support research at national laboratories and fund weather modification research at American universities.

Rainmaker’s cost per acre-foot of water falls sharply as the company produces more of it, and additional drone teams can operate in parallel to increase production. By the November 2026–April 2027 season, Rainmaker expects its water to cost less than most other sources of new supply, including desalination and paying farmers to leave fields unplanted. 

Water is Rainmaker’s first focus, not its last. The company intends to apply the same approach to other limits on productive land, including hail damage, and poor soil.

This announcement comes as major drought in the American west continues to dominate front page news. Snowpack after the winter of 2025-2026 was the lowest on record, and reservoirs along the Colorado River are hitting historic lows. Cloud seeding provides the most cost-effective method of delivering net new water to the interior of the United States. 

Rainmaker currently operates in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, California and Colorado and is working to expand operations throughout the American West and globally.

To learn more, visit rainmaker.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rainmaker-raises-100m-series-b-to-scale-low-cost-water-production-and-weather-modification-302884251.html

SOURCE Rainmaker Technology Corporation

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