all-ordinaries index: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Financial/Technical
Quick answer
What does “all-ordinaries index” mean?
A stock market index that tracks the performance of all ordinary shares listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), serving as a benchmark for the overall Australian equity market.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A stock market index that tracks the performance of all ordinary shares listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), serving as a benchmark for the overall Australian equity market.
The primary broad-market indicator for Australian stocks, often referred to simply as 'the All Ords'. It is market-capitalization weighted, meaning larger companies have a greater influence on its movement. It includes hundreds of companies across various sectors, making it a key reference point for investors, analysts, and economists assessing the health of Australia's corporate sector and economy.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is specific to the Australian financial market. British and American speakers would use it only when discussing Australian finance. Their equivalent domestic benchmarks would be the 'FTSE All-Share Index' (UK) and the 'Wilshire 5000' or 'Russell 3000' (US).
Connotations
Neutral technical term in all dialects when used in its specific context. Outside Australian finance, it may be unfamiliar to general audiences.
Frequency
Very low frequency in general English globally. High frequency within Australian financial news, reports, and professional discussions. Low but specific frequency in international financial contexts discussing Australia.
Grammar
How to Use “all-ordinaries index” in a Sentence
The [All-Ordinaries Index] + [verb: rose, fell, gained, lost] + [percentage/points].[Entity] + [verb: tracks, follows, outperforms] + the [All-Ordinaries Index].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “all-ordinaries index” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The fund is designed to all-but-track the All-Ordinaries Index.
- We cannot simply all-index our portfolio to the Australian market.
American English
- The ETF aims to all-but-mirror the All-Ordinaries Index.
- Their strategy was to all-benchmark against the Australian index.
adjective
British English
- They reviewed the all-ordinaries-index data.
- It was an all-ordinaries-index linked product.
American English
- They analyzed the all-ordinaries-index performance.
- He bought an all-ordinaries-index futures contract.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in reports, earnings calls, and market summaries to contextualize a company's performance against the overall market.
Academic
Used in finance and economics research papers analyzing market efficiency, correlations, or economic indicators in Australia.
Everyday
Rarely used. Might appear in mainstream news headlines about the stock market (e.g., 'All Ords sinks on inflation fears').
Technical
Core term in portfolio management for benchmarking, in derivatives trading (futures, options), and in financial data analysis.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “all-ordinaries index”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “all-ordinaries index”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “all-ordinaries index”
- Using plural verb with 'index' (Incorrect: 'The All-Ordinaries index are...'). Treating it as a general term instead of a proper noun (needs capitalization: All-Ordinaries Index).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are different indices. The All-Ordinaries Index includes nearly all ordinary shares on the ASX (around 500 companies), while the ASX 200 includes only the top 200 by market capitalization, making it a large-cap focused index.
The name comes from 'all ordinary shares'. Ordinary shares are the most common type of stock, representing equity ownership in a company. The index was created to track all such shares listed on the exchange.
International investors can track it through financial news websites, market data terminals (like Bloomberg or Reuters), or by investing in Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and index funds listed on various global exchanges that replicate its performance.
A common criticism is its market-cap weighting, which means it is heavily influenced by the performance of a few very large companies (like the major banks and BHP). This may not accurately reflect the experience of an investor holding a portfolio of smaller companies.
A stock market index that tracks the performance of all ordinary shares listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), serving as a benchmark for the overall Australian equity market.
All-ordinaries index is usually formal, financial/technical in register.
All-ordinaries index: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɔːl ˈɔː.dɪ.nər.iz ˈɪn.deks/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɔːl ˈɔːr.də.ner.iz ˈɪn.deks/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Riding the All Ords (investing broadly in the Australian market)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
ALL the ORDinary shares from Australia's main exchange, INDEXed together.
Conceptual Metaphor
MARKET AS PATIENT (The index is 'healthy', 'sick', 'recovers'). BAROMETER (The index is a 'barometer' or 'gauge' of the economy's 'health').
Practice
Quiz
What does the All-Ordinaries Index specifically measure?