Direct Answer
The Russell 2000 is a rule-based measurement of u.s. small-cap segment, maintained by FTSE Russell. Like every index it owns nothing: it is a number produced by applying a published weighting formula to a selected list of companies, revised on a schedule the provider sets.
What this index covers
The Russell 2000 covers u.s. small-cap segment, within the United States market. FTSE Russell defines which securities are eligible, how they are selected from that pool, and how much each one contributes to the published number.
The name states a target of 2000 companies. A target is not a guarantee of the exact count on any given day: corporate actions, dual share classes and pending additions all move the real number around it.
How constituents are weighted
Swoopr has not verified the weighting method for this index against FTSE Russell's current methodology document, so none is stated here rather than guessed. The provider link below is authoritative.
What qualifies for inclusion
The small-cap segment of the Russell US index family.
Eligibility rules are the part of an index most readers never look at and the part that decides what it can possibly measure. A screen that excludes a whole sector, or admits only one listing venue, shapes the result far more than any day of trading does.
When the membership is revised
FTSE Russell has announced that reconstitution of the Russell US indexes changes from an annual to a semi-annual schedule in 2026. Newly listed companies are reviewed and added at both semi-annual reconstitutions and quarterly in March and September.
Reconstitution is the one date an index changes shape by design rather than by price. Funds tracking it have to trade toward the new membership, which is why the schedule matters to anyone holding the tracker rather than only to the provider.
References
- FTSE Russell: FTSE Russell: Russell US Indexes, as published 2026. Every rule described on this page is taken from this document.
Current Russell 2000 constituents
FTSE Russell publishes and licenses the Russell 2000 constituent list. Swoopr does not republish it here. The provider's own page is the authoritative source for current membership and weights.
Related reading
- All stock market indexes: how indexes are built, weighted and revised.
- United States indexes: others covering the same region.
- Index concentration: measuring how much of an index sits in its largest holdings.
- Index rebalancing and inclusion effects: what happens to a stock when index membership changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who maintains the Russell 2000?
FTSE Russell maintains the Russell 2000 and publishes the methodology document that defines its eligibility and weighting rules.
What does the Russell 2000 measure?
It measures u.s. small-cap segment. The index is a calculated number applying a weighting formula to a selected list of companies, and it holds nothing itself.
Where can I see the current Russell 2000 constituents?
FTSE Russell publishes the current constituent list. Swoopr does not republish it, because index providers license constituent data and Swoopr holds no such licence.