ICB

ICB is an acronym that can refer to several different terms, organizations, or systems. There is no single universally recognized meaning for ICB; its interpretation depends on the context in which it appears.

Industry Classification Benchmark: The Industry Classification Benchmark (ICB) is a classification framework used to organize public companies by industry and sector. It provides a standardized, hierarchical taxonomy that supports portfolio construction, benchmarking, and market analysis. The system was developed by Dow Jones and the Financial Times and has been adopted by various exchanges and data providers, including those involved in FTSE indices. Companies are categorized into broad industry groups and more specific sectors, enabling cross-market comparisons and consistent reporting.

Other common uses: In transportation planning, ICB may be encountered as an abbreviation for intercity bus services or routes in some regions. In information technology and engineering contexts, ICB has appeared as shorthand for terms such as interconnect bus or integrated control boards, though these uses are less standardized and highly dependent on the specific field or project. There are also regional or organizational occurrences of the ICB acronym that reflect local naming rather than a universal standard.

Because ICB is highly context-dependent, readers should rely on surrounding text to determine the intended meaning. If the meaning remains unclear, consulting the source material or seeking clarification from the author can help disambiguate the term.