Core Insights - Only three of the nine global indexes tracked posted year-to-date gains as of March 30, 2026, with Japan's Nikkei 225 leading at 6.0% gain, followed by England's FTSE 100 at 2.0% and Canada's TSX at 0.7% [2] - India's BSE SENSEX experienced the largest year-to-date loss at -15.6%, followed by Germany's DAXK at -8.2% and France's CAC 40 at -7.3% [2] Index Performance - The current values of the indexes are compared to their all-time peaks, providing context on their performance relative to historical highs [3] - A chart illustrates the performance of world markets since March 9, 2009, showing the relative performance of various indexes indexed to 800 on that date [5] - Another chart starting from October 9, 2007, provides a longer-term view of index performance, highlighting the mid-point of market peaks [6] ETFs Mentioned - Examples of single country ETFs include WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund (DXJ), WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund (HEDJ), KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB), iShares MSCI India ETF (INDA), iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF (EWH), iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC), and SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) [6]

Core Inflation and Economic Indicators - Japan's headline inflation eased for the fourth consecutive month in February, with the consumer price index (CPI) rising 1.3% year over year, the lowest since March 2022, down from 1.5% in January [1] - Core inflation, excluding fresh food prices, slowed to 1.6% in February, below analysts' expectations of 1.7% and down from 2% in January [2] - The "core-core" inflation measure, which excludes both fresh food and energy, edged down to 2.5% from 2.6% in the previous month [2] Bank of Japan (BoJ) Projections and Policy - The Bank of Japan projected core and core-core inflation at 1.9% and 2.2%, respectively, for fiscal 2026 starting April 1 [3] - Signs of cooling inflation may lead the BoJ to refrain from hiking rates in the near term, following a rate increase to the highest level in three decades in December [7] - The moderation in headline inflation was largely driven by falling energy costs due to government subsidies on electricity and gas [5] Economic Growth and Market Reactions - Japan's economy grew only 0.1% year over year in the fourth quarter, slowing from 0.6% growth in the previous quarter, narrowly avoiding a technical recession [9] - Following the inflation release, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 climbed more than 2%, with WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund (DXJ) gaining about 0.9% on March 24, 2026 [11] - The recent inflation print is seen as a potential opportunity to buy the dip in Japan ETFs, which have been negatively impacted by the Iran conflict [12] Fiscal Policy Considerations - Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering suspending an 8% food tax for two years to alleviate rising living costs, although BoJ Governor Kazuo Ueda suggested such measures may have limited long-term impact on inflation expectations [6]

Group 1 - The global markets watchlist includes nine prominent indexes from various economies, such as the S&P 500, TSX, FTSE 100, DAXK, CAC 40, Nikkei 225, Shanghai, Hang Seng, and BSE SENSEX [1] - Only two indexes, Japan's Nikkei 225 and Canada's TSX, posted year-to-date gains of 2.3% and 0.5% respectively, while India's BSE SENSEX experienced the largest loss at -14.7% [2] - The DAXK and CAC 40 also reported significant year-to-date losses of -7.8% and -5.2% respectively [2] Group 2 - A comparative performance chart illustrates the performance of world markets since March 9, 2009, with various indexes hitting their lows on different dates [5] - Another chart starting from October 9, 2007, provides insights into the relative performance of indexes during a previous market peak [6] - The analysis includes single country ETFs such as WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund, WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund, and others [8]

Core Insights - Five out of nine global indexes tracked have shown year-to-date gains as of March 16, 2026, with Japan's Nikkei 225 leading at a gain of 6.8% [2] - Conversely, India's BSE SENSEX has experienced the largest year-to-date loss at -11.4%, followed by Germany's DAXK at -4.1% and France's CAC 40 at -2.6% [2] Index Performance - The current performance of the indexes includes the S&P 500, TSX, FTSE 100, DAXK, CAC 40, Nikkei 225, Shanghai Composite, Hang Seng, and BSE SENSEX [1] - The year-to-date gains for the top three performing indexes are: Nikkei 225 (6.8%), FTSE 100 (3.9%), and TSX (3.7%) [2] - The year-to-date losses for the bottom three performing indexes are: BSE SENSEX (-11.4%), DAXK (-4.1%), and CAC 40 (-2.6%) [2] Historical Context - A comparative performance chart illustrates the indexes' performance since March 9, 2009, aligning them to visualize relative performance effectively [5] - Another chart provides insights starting from October 9, 2007, which marks a previous closing high for the S&P 500, offering a longer-term view of market performance [6]

Global Market Performance - Four out of nine global indexes tracked posted year-to-date gains as of March 9, 2026, with Japan's Nikkei 225 leading at a gain of 4.8% [1] - Canada's TSX follows closely with a gain of 4.7%, while China's Shanghai index shows a gain of 3.2% [1] - Conversely, India's BSE SENSEX has the largest year-to-date loss at -9.0%, followed by Germany's DAXK at -4.7% and France's CAC 40 at -2.9% [1] Historical Context - The performance of world markets is illustrated since the last recession starting from February 3, 2020, with comparative data from March 9, 2009 [1] - The S&P 500, TSX, CAC 40, and BSE SENSEX reached their lows on March 9, while the Nikkei 225 hit its low on March 10 [1] - A visualization of relative performance is provided, indexed to 800 on the March 9 start date, showing percent changes from that date to the latest weekly close [1] ETF Examples - Notable single country ETFs include SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC), iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF (EWH), iShares MSCI India ETF (INDA), KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB), WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund (HEDJ), and WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund (DXJ) [1]

Core Insights - Eight out of nine global indexes tracked have posted year-to-date gains as of March 2, 2026, indicating a generally positive market trend [1] - Japan's Nikkei 225 leads with a year-to-date gain of 15.3%, followed by Canada's TSX at 8.9% and England's FTSE 100 at 8.6% [1] - India's BSE SENSEX is the only index showing a loss, currently down 5.9% year-to-date [1] Index Performance - The S&P 500, TSX, CAC 40, and BSE SENSEX reached their lows on March 9, 2009, marking a significant recovery point for these indexes [1] - The performance of world markets is visualized from various historical peaks, with the latest recession starting on February 3, 2020 [1] - A long-term performance analysis shows relative index performance starting from the turn of the century, providing insights into market trends over time [1] ETF Examples - Notable single country ETFs include SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC), iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF (EWH), iShares MSCI India ETF (INDA), KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB), WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund (HEDJ), and WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund (DXJ) [1]

Core Insights - Seven out of nine global indexes tracked have shown year-to-date gains as of February 23, 2026, indicating a generally positive market trend [1] - Japan's Nikkei 225 leads with a year-to-date gain of 12.9%, followed by the UK's FTSE 100 at 7.6% and Canada's TSX at 6.5% [1] - India's BSE SENSEX is the only index with a year-to-date loss, currently at -2.3% [1] Index Performance - The S&P 500, TSX, CAC 40, and BSE SENSEX reached their lows on March 9, 2009, marking a significant recovery point for these indexes [1] - The performance of world markets has been visualized since the last recession starting from February 3, 2020, providing context for current market conditions [1] - Historical peak values for each index are provided, showing how far current values are from their all-time highs [1] ETF Examples - Notable single country ETFs include SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC), and iShares MSCI India ETF (INDA), among others [1] - The DAXK index is tracked as a price-only index for consistency with other indexes that do not include dividends [1]

Core Insights - Eight out of nine global indexes tracked have shown year-to-date gains as of February 2, 2026, with Japan's Nikkei 225 leading at a gain of 4.6% [1] - India's BSE SENSEX is the only index with a year-to-date loss, currently at -4.2% [1] Index Performance - The S&P 500, TSX, FTSE 100, DAXK, CAC 40, Nikkei 225, Shanghai Composite, Hang Seng, and BSE SENSEX are the nine prominent indexes monitored [1] - The current performance of these indexes is compared to their historical peaks, providing context for their current values [1] Historical Context - A chart illustrates the performance of world markets since the last recession began on February 3, 2020, highlighting the relative performance of various indexes since March 9, 2009 [1] - Another chart provides a longer-term view starting from October 9, 2007, which was a previous closing high for the S&P 500, showing the mid-point of market peaks [1] ETF Examples - The article lists examples of single country ETFs, including SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC), and others, indicating investment options related to the discussed indexes [1]

Core Insights - Seven out of nine global indexes tracked have shown year-to-date gains as of January 26, 2026, with Japan's Nikkei 225 leading at a gain of 5.1% [2] - The BSE SENSEX from India has experienced the largest year-to-date loss at -4.3% [2] Index Performance - The global markets watchlist includes prominent indexes such as the S&P 500, TSX, FTSE 100, DAXK, CAC 40, Nikkei 225, Shanghai Composite, Hang Seng, and BSE SENSEX [1] - The current performance of these indexes is compared to their historical peaks, providing context on their current values and distance from all-time highs [3] Historical Context - A chart illustrates the performance of world markets since March 9, 2009, aligning various indexes to visualize relative performance from their respective lows [5] - Another chart provides a longer-term view starting from October 9, 2007, capturing the mid-point of market peaks for several indexes [6]

Core Viewpoint - Japanese stocks and related ETFs have shown exceptional performance in 2025, with the MSCI Japan Index increasing by 25.9%, outperforming the S&P 500 by 820 basis points [1] Group 1: Performance of Japanese Stocks and ETFs - The WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund (DXJ) outperformed the MSCI Japan Index, gaining nearly 33% [2] - Japanese equities are expected to continue performing well in 2026, suggesting ongoing investment opportunities [2] Group 2: Economic Policies and Government Influence - The bullish outlook for Japanese stocks is supported by strong fundamentals and the pro-market stance of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who aims to enhance Japan's relationship with the U.S. [3][4] - Takaichi's government is focused on stimulating domestic demand through spending measures and promoting public-private investments in 17 strategic areas, which could benefit various sectors [5] Group 3: Sector Implications and Corporate Governance - Key sectors such as industrials and technology, which make up over 35% of the DXJ portfolio, are expected to benefit from the government's economic agenda [6] - The administration's collaboration with the Bank of Japan (BOJ) aims to support sustainable economic growth, with a focus on corporate governance and directing cash reserves towards shareholder rewards [7][8]