Is 2025 the Year to Invest in International Stocks?

Core Insights - U.S. stocks, particularly large-cap stocks, have shown strong performance over the past decade, with the S&P 500 index achieving a 15.3% annualized return, while the MSCI World ex-USA Index returned 8.4% [1] - In contrast, during the first nine months of the current year, the MSCI World Index outperformed the S&P 500, returning 25.3% compared to 14.8%, suggesting potential for international stocks to continue outpacing U.S. equities [2] ETF Analysis - The Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) tracks the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index, investing in 8,700 stocks with significant allocations in Europe (38%), Pacific (25.4%), and emerging markets (27.6%) as of September 30 [5] - The Vanguard Total International Stock ETF returned 26.6% for the first nine months of the year and has a 10-year annualized return of 8.3%, with a low expense ratio of 0.05% compared to the average of 0.85% for similar funds [6][7] - The Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF (VGK) aims to replicate the performance of the FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index, including companies across various market caps in major European markets [10]