All Ordinaries

All Ordinaries or "All Ords" is the name for the Australian All Ordinaries index. The All Ordinaries index is Australia's premier market indicator. The All Ordinaries index is comprised of the 500 largest stocks listed on the ASX (Australian Stock Exchange). The "ordinary" in All Ordinaries index signifies "common" shares. The All Ordinaries Index is the oldest index of shares in Australia, and had a base value of 500 in 1979. The All Ordinaries Index is quoted as "XAO" on the ASX. The ASX provides live quotes for the All Ordinaries Index on its web site. Market capitalization is the sole eligibility criterion for Australian company All Ordinaries inclusion. The All Ordinaries index considers liquidity only when including foreign domiciled companies. ASX's major market index is the S&P/ASX 200, an index of the top 200 shares in the ASX. This major market index is now more heavily traded than the All Ordinaries index, but All Ordinaries still runs parallel to the S&P ASX 200. The S&P/ASX 50 largest 50 is another index for Australia's largest ordinary stocks, but the All Ordinaries index continues to be the globally recognized standard as the broad market measure of ASX stock activity.