The index is maintained by FTSE Russell, a subsidiary of the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG).

The Russell 2000 is by far the most common benchmark for mutual funds that identify themselves as "small-cap", while the S&P 500 index is used primarily for large capitalization stocks.

It is commonly considered an indicator of the U.S. economy due to its focus on small-cap companies in the U.S. market.

Similar small-cap indices include the S&P 600 from Standard & Poor's, which is less commonly used, along with those from other financial information providers.

Their results will be affected by stock selection, trading expenses, and market impact of reacting to changes in the constituent companies of the index.