GICS Micro-& Nano-Sectors (Thematic Portfolios)
Who are the relevant players behind lidar technology? Where could the next big growth driver be hiding in the robotics environment? Which companies are still largely shaped by their founders? And which names are showing the first signs of increased market tension before they receive widespread attention? Answers to such questions rarely emerge at the level of large sectors. They can be found where markets are broken down more finely: in thematic and curated portfolios that specifically search for commonalities, patterns and anomalies (nano perspective).
GICS MicroSectors starts at a level above the aforementioned thematic approaches. The focus is on small, clearly defined thematic units within markets that are meaningful in their own right, but are often lost in traditional sector logics. Microsectors do not describe new industries, but rather precise sections of existing markets - where technology, business models and attention are visibly concentrated. Typically, these are areas in which there is a cyclical, seasonal or news-driven increased need for information and analysis. These topics often mark transitional phases in which specialized market segments develop into broader trend areas. This development is usually accompanied by increasing public awareness, which is reflected both in the intensity of reporting and in the price movements of listed business models. GICS MicroSectors makes precisely these early consolidations visible and thus creates a focused level of classification between higher-level market structures and individual company analyses.
In order to limit the large number of possible MicroSectors to a manageable and relevant level, GICS MicroSectors follows a clear selection principle. Topics are considered where there is an overlap between a specific need for information, increased news density and recurring attention within the international investor and trading community. In addition, data-based evaluations and patterns from public communication and discussion in social media are incorporated. GICS MicroSectors thus creates a precise level of observation between the broad market structure and individual stock analysis. The focus is not on forecasts, but on visibility: on topics that start small, but have enough substance to be perceived as an independent market component.
Thematic Portfolios (a/k/a Themefolios) represent an independent conceptual element. They have emerged from jointly developed ideas and are continuously developed further with input from the global investor community. At the same time, they serve as an interactive starting point for professional exchange within an international trading community. With now over 250 thematic focus portfolios (as at 01/2026), thematic portfolios condense market information into clearly defined micro and nano themes. The approach does not follow the logic of the greatest possible coverage, but rather targeted sharpening: trends, technologies, business models or governance patterns are made visible in the way they develop in detail and interlock with each other. GICS MicroSectors and the underlying Nano-Sectors level of analysis thus form finely resolved levels of analysis within the G11 General Industry Compass System. They supplement the overarching market structures with precise thematic depth of focus. The Curated Portfolios represent a further extension of this approach. They build on the Theme Portfolios and supplement them with an additional editorial and categorizing perspective. Anyone wishing to delve deeper into this concept will find the right entry point there
Due to the large number of individual topics, it has recently become possible to search specifically for companies and their thematic micro-clusters. If you want to delve deeper, hereyou can access the product and concept overview.
