This morning S&P Dow Jones Indices announced its March 2018 quarterly rebalance of the S&P/ASX Indices.
Whilst there are changes across all of its major indices, the All Ordinaries (Index: ^AXAO) (ASX: XAO) is by far the index with the most going on this quarter.
A total of 64 new shares will be added to the index at the expense of the same number of existing constituents on March 19.
Here is a quick summary of some of the changes being made this quarter:
Additions.
There have been a number of eyebrow-raising additions to the index this quarter.
This includes the addition of the first medicinal cannabis company on a major Australian index – Cann Group Ltd (ASX: CAN).
New additions from the resources sector include mineral exploration companies Avz Minerals Ltd (ASX: AVZ), Argosy Minerals Limited (ASX: AGY), and Artemis Resources Ltd (ASX: ARV).
Infant formula hopeful Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB) will also be a new entrant to the index.
Finally, a few tech shares that have been added to the All Ordinaries include LiveHire Ltd (ASX: LVH), Yojee Ltd (ASX: YOJ), Fastbrick Robotics Ltd (ASX: FBR) and GetSwift Ltd (ASX: GSW).
Removals.
A lot of the companies making way for these new additions will not be a surprise to investors.
These include the embattled CBL Corporation Limited (ASX: CBL), Innate Immunotherapeutics Ltd (ASX: IIL), Mcgrath Ltd (ASX: MEA), Resapp Health Ltd (ASX: RAP), and Yowie Group Ltd (ASX: YOW).
I think it is fair to say that all five companies have had a disastrous 12 months, so their removal would have been largely expected.
Elsewhere, other removals of note include Billabong International Limited (ASX: BBG), GBST Holdings Limited (ASX: GBT), and Sundance Energy Australia Ltd (ASX: SEA).
What now?
When the All Ordinaries rebalances it often provides a short-term lift to the shares added to the index and the reverse to shares removed from the index.
This is largely because index funds that track the market need to buy or sell shares accordingly. But also because some fund managers are restricted from buying shares that are not included in the All Ordinaries. This could mean they have to dump shares that have been kicked out or can now buy shares that they have been previously unable to buy.
