S&P, A unit of McGraw-Hill Cos Inc, will take overthe operation of the IFC's Emerging Markets Data Base, which the private-sector lending agency began developing in 1981.

The data base covers 54 markets and more than 2,200 stocks.Upward of $8 billion in assets track the IFC's emerging-markets indexes.

The sale is expected to be finalised by the end of theyear. Neither party would disclose the Financial details.

IFC executive vice president Peter Woicke said moving thedata base to S&P, Where it would be merged with the S&P'S Own global-market indices, would serve the best interests of its member countries in the developing world and the data base clients.

"Only by being allied with a global index will companiesfrom the emerging markets continue to receive the attention they deserve from international portfolio investors," Woicke told a news conference.

Neither the IFC nor S&P Would disclose Financial terms oftheir deal, which is expected to be finalised by the end of this year.

Beyond the sale of the data base, the IFC and S&P Agreedthey would work together to develop new emerging-markets information services.

IFC officials said that would further the interests of moreopenness of information, contributing to the agency's mission of encouraging private investment in the developing world.