Standard & Poor's have today made their changes to the S&P/ASX indices, effective at the open of trading on March 19, 2018 as a result of the March quarterly review.
At this rebalance, the entire S&P/ASX index hierarchy is reviewed, including the All Ordinaries (XAO).
South32 replaces QBE in the S&P/ASX 20
Resources company, South32 Limited (ASX:S32) has replaced insurer QBE INSURANCE GROUP LIMITED (ASX:QBE).
This marked the only change at the larger end of the Australian market as there were no changes to the S&P/ASX 50.
Fairfax Media bows out of the S&P/ASX 100
There were two new additions to the S&P/ASX 100 in Cleanaway Waste Management (ASX:CWY) and Xero (ASX:XRO) which means there were also two removals from the index.
In this case, rapidly shrinking Fairfax Media (ASX:FXJ) and troubled telecommunications company Vocus Group (ASX:VOC) were removed from the index.
Explorers entering the All Ordinaries
A number of ASX mineral explorers and developers have entered the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries.
Lithium brine project developer, Argosy Minerals (ASX:AGY) and copper-gold explorer Xanadu Mines (ASX:XAM) were both promoted.
As were Queensland bauxite miner Metro Mining (ASX:MMI) and Potash project developer Danakali (ASX:DNK).