Russell 2000

An index tracking 2,000 small-cap U.S. companies.

The Russell 2000 measures the performance of about 2,000 smaller U.S. companies and is the leading benchmark for small-cap stocks. It is watched as a gauge of domestic economic health, since small firms are more tied to the U.S. economy than multinationals.

Investors watched the small-cap Russell 2000 for clues about the domestic economy.