NEW YORK, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Standard & Poor's, the world's leading index provider, announced today that the S&P GSCI increased 0.86% in December for a 2009 gain of 13.48%. Industrial metals led the Index in 2009 with a gain of 82.42% as recorded by the S&P GSCI Industrial Metals Index. For the decade, the S&P GSCI posted a cumulative total return of 63.69% led by a 265.84% increase in the S&P GSCI Precious Metals Index.

"Coinciding with an approximate 1/4 devaluation of the U.S. Dollar since 1999, the S&P GSCI Precious Metals Index was the best performing sector within the S&P GSCI during the decade," says Michael McGlone, Director of Commodity Indexing at Standard & Poor's and author of the Market Attributes Commodities posted monthly to www.spgsci.standardandpoors.com. "The opportunity cost of holding non-income producing physical assets was certainly enhanced during the decade as the U.S. government benchmark 2-year note declined from a yield of 6.21% at the end of 1999 to 1.14% at the conclusion of 2009."

The year 2009 was notable for the outperformance of commodity indices designed to alleviate the negative impact of rolling into contango. During the year, the S&P GSCI Enhanced Index increased 21.63% and the S&P GSCI 3-Month Forward Index increased 20.79%. Decade-to-date, these indices posted solid, pro-forma total returns of +272.50% and +287.36%, respectively

The S&P GSCI is the most closely followed benchmark for investment performance in the commodity markets. For more information on the S&P GSCI, please visit: www.spgsci.standardandpoors.com. 

    S&P GSCI Analysis for December 31, 2009

                           Weight     Value       MTD      QTD      YTD
                            (%)    12/31/2009   Change   Change  Change
                            ---     ----------   ------   ------  ------
    S&P GSCI                           4534.17     0.86%    8.42%   13.48%
    S&P GSCI Energy
     Index                  70.19%     1016.21     0.71%    7.30%   11.22%
    S&P GSCI Petroleum
     Index                  65.16%     2183.65    -0.17%    8.77%   18.85%
    S&P GSCI Industrial
     Metals Index            8.22%     1706.93     7.35%   16.32%   82.42%
    S&P GSCI Precious
     Metals Index            3.10%     1424.01    -7.47%    7.64%   25.07%
    S&P GSCI Agriculture
     Index                  14.38%      615.52     0.29%   11.34%    3.81%
    S&P GSCI Livestock
     Index                   4.12%     2048.13    -0.05%    3.00%  -14.08%
    S&P GSCI Softs Index     4.93%       89.04     9.47%    7.04%   49.89%
    S&P GSCI Enhanced
     Index                              634.93    -0.08%    8.60%   21.63%
    S&P GSCI 3 Month
     Forward Index                      595.20     0.25%    9.41%   20.79%
    ----------------                    ------     ----     ----    -----




                            YTD      YTD    3-MO.    12-MO
                           High      Low    Change   Change    Decade
                           ----      ---    ------   ------    ------
    S&P GSCI              4679.49  3116.66    8.42%    13.48%    63.69%
    S&P GSCI Energy
     Index                1076.88   646.34    7.30%    11.22%    90.88%
    S&P GSCI Petroleum
     Index                2302.41  1291.03    8.77%    18.85%   184.77%
    S&P GSCI Industrial
     Metals Index         1712.57   853.25   16.32%    82.42%   173.28%
    S&P GSCI Precious
     Metals Index         1586.19  1040.96    7.64%    25.07%   265.84%
    S&P GSCI Agriculture
     Index                 663.49   509.40   11.34%     3.81%   -20.75%
    S&P GSCI Livestock
     Index                2467.74  1927.70    3.00%   -14.08%   -34.10%
    S&P GSCI Softs Index    89.64    55.85    7.04%    49.89%   -14.87%
    S&P GSCI Enhanced
     Index                 653.19   439.30    8.60%    21.63%   272.50%
    S&P GSCI 3 Month
     Forward Index         608.32   408.43    9.41%    20.79%   287.36%
    ----------------       ------   ------    ----     -----    ------

Source: S&P Indices

About S&P Indices

S&P Indices, the world's leading index provider, maintains a wide variety of investable and benchmark indices to meet an array of investor needs. Over $1 trillion is directly indexed to Standard & Poor's family of indices, which includes the S&P 500, the world's most followed stock market index, the S&P Global 1200, a composite index comprised of seven regional and country headline indices, the S&P Global BMI, an index with approximately 11,000 constituents, and the S&P GSCI, the industry's most closely watched commodities index. For more information, please visit www.standardandpoors.com/indices.

About Standard & Poor's

Standard & Poor's, a subsidiary of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), is the world's foremost provider of independent credit ratings, indices, risk evaluation, investment research and data. With offices in 23 countries and markets, Standard & Poor's is an essential part of the world's financial infrastructure and has played a leading role for nearly 150 years in providing investors with the independent benchmarks they need to feel more confident about their investment and financial decisions. For more information, visit http://www.standardandpoors.com

SOURCE Standard & Poor's