Will the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) allow BlackRock to run its own indexes for iShares [see profile] exchange-trade funds? Reuters' Aaron Pressman and Jessica Toonkel report that the mutual fund firm filed to lauch indexes for its $632-billion ETF business.

iShares spokeswoman Christine Hudacko declined to comment for Reuters' story.

Reuters notes that the move would put BlackRock into the self-indexing company of several other ETF providers, including Claymore (now part of Guggenheim), Russell and WisdomTree. The wire service suggests that key motivating factors for the move may include allowing iShares to move into territory no indexes currently cover and reducing costs -- SSgA pays 30 basis points to S&P of the 90 bps it takes in on the SPDR S&P 500 ETF. 

Edited by: Neil Anderson, Managing Editor


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