As authoritative statistical indicators widely adopted by domestic and overseas investors in measuring the performance of Chinese security market, SSE Indices are compiled and published by Shanghai Stock Exchange. SSE Indices are price indices including SSE 180 Index, SSE 50 Index, SSE Dividend Index, SSE New Composite Index, SSE Composite Index, Sector Indices, SSE Fund Index, SSE Government Bond Index, and SSE Corporate Bond Index. Among them, the earliest one compiled was SSE Composite Index.

In order to promote the long-term infrastructure construction and the standardization process of the security market, Shanghai Stock Exchange restructured SSE 30 Index and renamed it SSE Constituent Index (SSE 180 Index) in June 2002. As the core of SSE Indices, SSE 180 has made major improvements in methodology on the basis of SSE 30 Index through taking China's current financial market situation into consideration and integrating international experience. Its objective is to select constituents that best represent Shanghai market through scientific and objective method, to establish a benchmark index that will reflect Shanghai market and serve as a performance benchmark and a basis for financial innovation.

SSE Government Bond Index and Corporate Bond Index were launched in 2003. Thus SSE Indices formed a complete system including equity, fund and bond. In early 2004, Shanghai Stock Exchange launched SSE 50 Index in order to reflect the performance of a number of most influential stocks in Shanghai Market. Thus, SSE Composite Index (a whole market index), SSE 180 Index (a performance benchmark index), SSE 50 Index (an index for good quality, large scale stocks) have formed a 3-level pyramid index structure.

SSE Indices reflect overall price changes of stocks listed at Shanghai Stock Exchange from various perspectives. SSE Indices also reflect the level of prosperity and overall price changes of each industry, thus provide investors with benchmark systems for different investment portfolios. With security market's growing importance in national economy, SSE Indices has gradually become a weatherglass for China's economy.

In order to ensure scientific methodology, transparency of index adjustment and fairness in constituent selection, Shanghai Stock Exchange has established an Index Advisory Committee, which will evaluate and provide advice for index methodology, constituent selection, index adjustment, and index operation standards.