Weekly value of MSCI World Index (USD) 2020-2024

The MSCI World index dropped sharply in the four weeks between February 16 and March 15, 2020, shedding 31.3 percent of its value. This, of course, was due to the economic impact of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. It was not until November 2020 that the index recovered to the levels seen in early 2020. On October 13, 2024, it reached over 3,730 index points, the highest value during the observed period. 

1,583 companies from 23 developed economies are included in the MSCI World Index. While a world index in the sense of covering developed markets in North America, Western Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, it has been criticized for how it excludes companies located in large developing economies such as China, Russia, Brazil, India, and South Africa.