Looking to go global? Japan emerges as the top-performing market in 2026 – These stock markets delivered most returns in last 10 years

Global equity markets have delivered a mixed performance in 2026 so far. Japan and Brazil have led the pack, while the US has posted solid gains. Germany has lagged its developed market peers, suggesting that concerns over its industrial sector and broader growth outlook continue to weigh on investor sentiment. China has recorded only modest gains as it grapples with a prolonged property market slowdown, weak consumer demand, and lingering uncertainty around private sector confidence. India has emerged as the weakest-performing market in the group, marking a sharp contrast to its recent status as a favoured destination for global investors. The underperformance appears to stem from valuation concerns.

Over the last 10 years, China has remained a laggard, reflecting persistent economic and property-sector headwinds, while Hong Kong has delivered the weakest returns among the markets under review.

Source: Bloomberg. *2026 returns are YTD based on 15 September 2026 closing values. Other years' returns are calculated between the first and the last trading day closing values. Returns are normalised to the Indian rupee. The 10-year return is the compounded average return.