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In 2025, the stock market had some pretty big wins, especially in emerging markets. Colombia’s stock market shot up over 91%, making it the top performer worldwide; This was thanks to a recovering economy, a stronger currency, and lots of investments. South Korea wasn't far behind, with its KOSPI jumping 80%. Samsung and SK Hynix (which make up a big chunk of the index) did surprisingly well with AI semiconductors, plus there was lots of excitement around defense and shareholder returns. Even some European countries like Greece, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Spain saw good gains because of defense spending and changes. Mixed Results for Major Markets Japan’s Nikkei led the pack with a 24% return, hitting all-time highs coming from a political shift. The UK managed 20%, and the U.S. S&P 500 got 14%. Rate cuts, strong earnings, and trade agreements helped, but things got shaky in the middle of the year. On the flip side, Denmark was at the bottom, dropping 13% because Novo Nordisk struggled. Turkey also had a tough time with inflation, a weak currency, and political problems.
What to Expect in 2026?
Even though there was a tariff scare in April about Liberation Day that caused a few quick dips (India recovered super-fast), only a handful of markets ended up in the red. Overall, 2025 was a good year, despite trade issues. Emerging markets did better than developed markets for the first time in five years because they were undervalued and getting better. Experts think emerging markets will keep doing well, that Europe will stay steady, and that Asia’s performance will depend on AI and government policies in 2026.
