SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs. Vanguard Total World Stock ETF: Which One Is the Better Buy for Long-Term Investors?

Group 1 - The recent market weakness presents a potential buying opportunity for investors, particularly in broad-based index funds at discounted prices [1] - Popular choices for index funds include the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), but the Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT) may offer better international exposure [2][4] - The Vanguard Total World Stock ETF holds over 10,000 equities globally, with approximately two-thirds of its value in North American companies, 15% in European stocks, and 10% each in Asia-Pacific and emerging markets [5][4] Group 2 - Despite the U.S. economy's recent outperformance, analysts argue for diversification as significant changes in leading global companies may be on the horizon [6] - Vanguard's 2026 Economic and Market Outlook suggests that compelling investment opportunities are emerging in high-quality fixed income, U.S. value, and ex-U.S. equity, even for those bullish on AI [7] - Bank of America/Merrill Lynch's Chief Global Strategist anticipates that the U.S. market will lag behind other regions through the end of the decade due to AI disruption negatively impacting U.S. GDP and the S&P 500 index [7]