bench·mark 
/ˈbɛntʃˌmɑɚk/ noun
plural bench·marks /ˈbɛntʃˌmɑɚk/ noun [count] : something that can be used as a way to judge the quality or level of other, similar things
▪ a stock whose performance is a benchmark against which other stocks can be measured
▪ a stock whose performance is a benchmark against which other stocks can be measured
