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]

Core Insights - All nine global indexes tracked have shown gains through December 15, 2025, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng leading at a year-to-date gain of 30.6% [2] - The second and third positions are held by Canada's TSX with a gain of 26.5% and Japan's Nikkei 225 with a gain of 25.8% [2] - India's BSE SENSEX has the smallest year-to-date gain at 6.6% [2] Index Performance Context - A table is provided that compares each index's current value to its all-time peak, including the date of that peak and the distance from that record level [3] - Historical performance since March 9, 2009, is illustrated, showing the relative performance of world markets, with specific lows for various indexes [5] - A longer-term view starting from October 9, 2007, is also presented, highlighting the performance during a previous market peak [6]

Core Insights - All nine global indexes tracked have shown gains through December 1, 2025, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng leading at a year-to-date gain of 31.7% [2] - The second and third positions are held by Canada's TSX with a 24.9% gain and Japan's Nikkei 225 with a 23.6% gain, while India's BSE SENSEX has the smallest gain at 7.1% [2] Index Performance - The performance of the indexes is compared to their historical peaks, providing context on their current values and how far they are from record levels [3] - A chart illustrates the comparative performance of world markets since March 9, 2009, with various indexes indexed to 800 on that date for visualization [5] - Another visualization starts from October 9, 2007, to show relative performance during a previous market peak [6] Market Context - The analysis includes a recent recession starting from February 3, 2020, to provide context on market performance during economic downturns [4] - The DAXK is tracked as a price-only index for consistency with other indexes that do not include dividends [8]

Core Insights - All nine global indexes tracked have shown gains through December 1, 2025, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng leading at a year-to-date gain of 31.7% [2] - The second and third positions are held by Canada's TSX with a gain of 24.9% and Japan's Nikkei 225 with a gain of 23.6% respectively [2] - India's BSE SENSEX has the smallest year-to-date gain at 7.1% [2] Index Performance Context - A comparative performance chart illustrates the relative performance of world markets since March 9, 2009, with various indexes hitting their lows on different dates [5] - The performance visualization also includes a longer-term perspective starting from October 9, 2007, which was a previous closing high for the S&P 500 [6] - The DAXK is tracked as a price-only index for consistency with other indexes that do not include dividends [8]

Core Insights - All nine global indexes tracked have shown gains through November 24, 2025, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng leading at a year-to-date gain of 31.2% [2] - The second and third positions are held by Canada's TSX with a gain of 22.9% and Japan's Nikkei 225 with a gain of 21.9% [2] - India's BSE SENSEX has the smallest year-to-date gain at 6.2% [2] Index Performance Context - A table is provided that compares each index's current value to its all-time peak, including the date of that peak and the distance from that record level [3] - Historical performance charts illustrate the comparative performance of world markets since significant lows, with specific start dates for various indexes [5][6] Additional Information - The DAXK is tracked as a price-only index for consistency with other indexes that do not include dividends [8]

Core Insights - All nine global indexes tracked have shown gains through November 17, 2025, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng leading at a year-to-date gain of 34.5% [2] - Japan's Nikkei 225 follows with a 26.1% gain, while China's Shanghai Composite is at 21.8% [2] - India's BSE SENSEX has the smallest gain at 6.3% [2] Index Performance Context - A comparative performance chart illustrates the indexes' standings relative to their historical peaks, showing current values, all-time peaks, and the distance from those peaks [3] - The performance of world markets has been analyzed since March 9, 2009, aligning various indexes to visualize relative performance effectively [5] - Additional charts provide insights starting from October 9, 2007, and the turn of the century, offering a longer-term view of index performance [6] Index Tracking Methodology - The DAXK is tracked as a price-only index for consistency with other indexes that do not include dividends [8]

Core Insights - All nine global indexes tracked have shown gains through November 3, 2025, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng leading at a year-to-date gain of 33.3% [2] - Japan's Nikkei 225 follows with a gain of 31.4%, while China's Shanghai index has increased by 21.9% [2] - India's BSE SENSEX has the smallest year-to-date gain at 5.1% [2] Index Performance - The performance of the indexes is compared to their historical peaks, providing context on their current values and distance from all-time highs [3] - A chart illustrates the comparative performance of world markets since March 9, 2009, highlighting the relative performance of various indexes [5] - Another visualization starts from October 9, 2007, to show the relative performance during a previous market peak [6] Market Trends - The analysis includes a focus on the impact of recent recessions on world indexes, starting from the official NBER recession date of February 3, 2020 [4] - The data visualizations utilize a log-scale vertical axis for better comparison of performance across different indexes [5][6]

Core Insights - Japan's Nikkei index has reached an all-time high, crossing the 51,000-mark on October 30, 2025, with a 14% increase in the past month [1] - The Bank of Japan (BoJ) has maintained its policy rate at 0.5% and is not in a hurry to tighten monetary policy despite inflation expectations [2][3] - Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi supports "Abenomics" and aims to enhance investment in strategic sectors, which may lead to a weaker yen [4][5] Monetary Policy - The BoJ is expected to keep its monetary policy loose, with inflation projected at 2.7% for fiscal 2025, 1.8% for fiscal 2026, and 2.0% for fiscal 2027 [2] - Two board members advocated for a 25 basis points rate hike, but the majority preferred to wait for further assessment [2] Economic Environment - Japan's exports have faced a weakening environment, having dropped for four consecutive months before a slight increase in September [3] - A weaker yen could enhance the profitability of export-oriented sectors, benefiting from repatriated income [5] Investment Opportunities - The rally in Japanese equities is expected to increase demand for Japan-focused large-cap ETFs, such as WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund (DXJ) and iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF (HEWJ) [6][7] - ProShares UltraShort Yen (YCS) is anticipated to benefit from a declining yen, with the Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust (FXY) losing 3.2% over the past month [5][8]