If you missed big international stock market rally in 2025, it's not too late to start making money overseas

Core Viewpoint - International equities are experiencing a resurgence after a decade of underperformance against the U.S. stock market, with experts suggesting that this opportunity may persist for the foreseeable future [1][2]. Group 1: Performance and Market Dynamics - International equities began to outperform U.S. equities in November 2024, achieving approximately 15% better returns since then, marking a significant inflection point despite a decade of lagging performance [4]. - Over the past ten years, global equities outside the U.S. underperformed domestic markets by about 60%, leading to a capital flow into U.S. equities, particularly in mega-cap technology stocks [3]. - The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) has $26.55 billion in assets and returned 42% over the past year, while the iShares MSCI ACWI ETF is up 20%, outperforming the S&P 500 by about 5% [5]. Group 2: Investor Behavior and Portfolio Allocation - U.S. investor exposure to international markets is estimated to be only 12-15%, significantly lower than the 30-40% representation of international equities in global market capitalization [3]. - Investors are encouraged to diversify their portfolios, with a suggested allocation of 70% to developed markets and 30% to emerging markets [5]. - The renewed interest in international markets is partly driven by a weakening U.S. dollar, which has improved returns for dollar-based investors holding foreign assets [6][7]. Group 3: Regional Insights and Sector Performance - Japan is highlighted as a key example of improving fundamentals, with corporate governance reforms boosting returns [7]. - Europe is benefiting from lower interest rates, fiscal spending, and regulatory changes, with sectors like banking, utilities, and industrials gaining momentum [8]. - Latin America, particularly Chile and Peru, is performing strongly due to rising commodity demand, with the iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (EWZ) up nearly 49% and the iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF (EPU) up almost 118% over the past year [10][11]. Group 4: Broader Market Trends - The dynamics of global trade are shifting, with international policies from the Trump administration expected to serve as long-term tailwinds for international-themed trades [13]. - The technology sector is also being reassessed, with South Korea's market heavily weighted towards memory chip leaders, which have seen significant gains [14]. - The overall trend reflects a broader reallocation towards international equities after years of neglect, driven by valuation gaps and earnings growth [15].