Topix Core 30 Index

Figure skaters have toe picks. Gross foot enthusiasts have toe picks. Why shouldn't stock indexes have...topix?

In the U.S., the stock market gets measured by two major indexes. You've got the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average. They track the stock market in different ways. The S&P looks at 500 companies. The Dow looks at 30. The makers of the Dow try to choose 30 stocks that accurately reflect the overall economy. But the S&P has the broader scope.

In Japan, they've got a similar situation. The market gets tracked by two high-profile indexes: the Nikkei 225 and the Topix 30.

The Nikkei is the S&P 500 equivalent...broader in scope. The Topix acts like a Japanese version of the Dow...30 of the biggest stocks in the country, chosen to represent the overall economy.