Some of the fastest growing economies are the most ignored by investors. Part of a global portfolio takes advantage of emerging markets which offer more robust growth than its developed counterparts. But is it worth the risk?
The chart below breaks down the annual performance of emerging market countries. Try picking the best performing country each year and your chance of success is slim. Over the long term those returns even out. A global portfolio benefits from emerging markets performance while diversifying risk.
The table below ranks the best to worst emerging markets performance over the past 15 years. Hover over the table to highlight each country’s market returns over that period.
Emerging Markets Returns
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHN 82.9% |
PER 94.7% |
COL -25.1% |
BRA 128.6% |
ARG 77.4% |
IDN 6.5% |
TUR 64.9% |
ARG 66.2% |
EGY 29.4% |
HUN 36.3% |
BRA 66.8% |
ARG 73.6% |
PER 1.6% |
RUS 53.2% |
KOR 45.2% |
| IDN 74.8% |
BRA 80.0% |
CHL -35.4% |
IDN 127.7% |
THA 56.3% |
MYS 0.1% |
PHL 47.6% |
GRC 52.7% |
IDN 27.2% |
RUS 5.0% |
RUS 55.9% |
POL 55.3% |
RUS 0.2% |
GRC 43.6% |
TWN 42.0% |
| ARG 67.3% |
TUR 74.8% |
ZAF -37.9% |
RUS 104.9% |
PER 53.4% |
PHL 0.1% |
EGY 47.1% |
PAK 35.6% |
PHL 26.4% |
ARG -0.4% |
PER 55.6% |
CHN 54.3% |
BRA -0.2% |
EGY 42.1% |
CHN 29.7% |
| PER 62.6% |
IND 73.1% |
PER -40.1% |
IND 102.8% |
CHL 44.8% |
THA -2.4% |
POL 41.0% |
TWN 9.8% |
IND 23.9% |
IND -6.1% |
PAK 41.6% |
KOR 47.8% |
CZE -2.2% |
TWN 37.7% |
EM 18.7% |
| PHL 59.7% |
CHN 66.2% |
MYS -41.2% |
TUR 98.5% |
COL 43.4% |
COL -5.0% |
COL 35.9% |
EGY 8.2% |
ARG 19.2% |
PHL -6.3% |
HUN 35.4% |
CHL 43.6% |
THA -5.3% |
COL 31.2% |
IND 15.9% |
| RUS 55.9% |
EGY 58.4% |
CZE -42.8% |
PAK 90.1% |
MYS 37.0% |
CZE -5.0% |
THA 34.9% |
MYS 7.7% |
TUR 19.1% |
KOR -6.3% |
THA 27.0% |
HUN 40.0% |
MYS -6.0% |
BRA 26.7% |
ARG 12.7% |
| IND 51.0% |
CZE 55.9% |
MEX -42.9% |
CHL 86.7% |
PHL 35.5% |
PAK -10.5% |
PAK 33.5% |
KOR 4.2% |
THA 16.8% |
CHN -7.6% |
COL 26.5% |
TUR 39.1% |
HUN -6.1% |
CHN 23.7% |
MYS 3.7% |
| BRA 45.8% |
IDN 55.0% |
TWN -45.9% |
COL 84.4% |
IDN 34.6% |
KOR -11.8% |
MEX 29.1% |
CHN 4.0% |
PAK 13.7% |
TWN -11.0% |
TWN 19.6% |
CZE 38.9% |
IND -7.3% |
HUN 19.4% |
MEX -1.6% |
| MEX 41.4% |
THA 46.6% |
THA -48.3% |
TWN 80.3% |
ZAF 34.2% |
MEX -12.1% |
IND 26.0% |
POL 3.6% |
PER 10.5% |
PAK -13.1% |
ZAF 18.4% |
IND 38.8% |
TWN -8.2% |
EM 18.9% |
CZE -2.8% |
| POL 40.2% |
MYS 46.1% |
CHN -50.8% |
EM 79.0% |
MEX 27.6% |
ZAF -14.4% |
CHN 23.1% |
RUS 1.4% |
TWN 10.1% |
MEX -14.2% |
IDN 17.5% |
PER 38.4% |
IDN -8.7% |
KOR 13.1% |
PHL -2.9% |
| MYS 37.1% |
PHL 41.7% |
PHL -51.9% |
HUN 77.6% |
KOR 27.2% |
EM -18.2% |
HUN 22.8% |
MEX 0.2% |
CHN 8.3% |
EM -14.6% |
CHL 16.8% |
EM 37.8% |
COL -11.4% |
MEX 11.8% |
ZAF -3.5% |
| GRC 35.1% |
EM 39.8% |
EGY -52.4% |
THA 77.3% |
PAK 27.1% |
CHN -18.2% |
KOR 21.5% |
PHL -2.0% |
ZAF 5.7% |
CZE -16.6% |
EM 11.6% |
ZAF 36.8% |
POL -12.5% |
TUR 11.7% |
CHL -4.1% |
| CZE 34.7% |
PAK 38.4% |
EM -53.2% |
PER 72.1% |
TWN 22.7% |
RUS -19.3% |
PER 20.2% |
EM -2.3% |
EM -1.8% |
CHL -16.9% |
KOR 9.3% |
THA 34.9% |
EGY -13.7% |
PHL 11.0% |
PER -4.7% |
| HUN 33.7% |
GRC 32.9% |
ARG -54.5% |
KOR 72.1% |
TUR 21.2% |
CHL -20.0% |
ZAF 19.0% |
IND -3.8% |
CZE -2.4% |
IDN -19.1% |
ARG 5.1% |
GRC 29.1% |
EM -14.3% |
PAK 10.8% |
IDN -7.5% |
| EM 32.6% |
KOR 32.6% |
POL -54.5% |
PHL 68.0% |
IND 21.0% |
TWN -20.2% |
EM 18.6% |
ZAF -5.8% |
MEX -9.2% |
MYS -20.1% |
CHN 1.1% |
TWN 28.5% |
MEX -15.3% |
ZAF 10.7% |
TUR -8.6% |
| CHL 29.3% |
POL 27.4% |
KOR -55.1% |
CHN 62.6% |
RUS 19.4% |
PER -21.4% |
TWN 17.7% |
HUN -5.8% |
MYS -10.7% |
THA -23.3% |
POL 0.7% |
PHL 25.2% |
PHL -16.1% |
THA 9.8% |
POL -11.3% |
| TWN 20.9% |
RUS 24.8% |
BRA -56.1% |
ARG 64.0% |
EM 19.2% |
BRA -21.6% |
RUS 14.4% |
CZE -8.1% |
KOR -10.7% |
EGY -23.5% |
IND -1.4% |
MYS 25.1% |
CHN -18.8% |
IDN 9.7% |
THA -11.4% |
| ZAF 20.5% |
CHL 23.7% |
IDN -56.2% |
ZAF 57.8% |
POL 15.9% |
POL -29.5% |
MYS 14.3% |
THA -14.3% |
CHL -12.2% |
POL -24.9% |
CZE -2.5% |
IDN 24.8% |
CHL -18.9% |
IND 7.6% |
RUS -11.6% |
| EGY 17.1% |
ZAF 18.1% |
HUN -61.5% |
MEX 56.6% |
EGY 12.4% |
HUN -33.7% |
GRC 5.7% |
BRA -15.8% |
POL -13.6% |
ZAF -25.1% |
MYS -3.9% |
BRA 24.5% |
KOR -20.5% |
CZE 6.6% |
HUN -11.7% |
| COL 13.8% |
HUN 16.8% |
TUR -62.1% |
MYS 52.1% |
BRA 6.8% |
TUR -35.2% |
CHL 8.3% |
COL -21.1% |
BRA -13.7% |
TUR -31.6% |
PHL -6.1% |
COL 16.3% |
ZAF -24.3% |
PER 4.8% |
PAK -16.5% |
| KOR 13.2% |
COL 15.0% |
IND -64.6% |
POL 42.5% |
CHN 4.8% |
IND -37.2% |
IDN 5.2% |
CHL -21.4% |
COL -19.8% |
PER -31.7% |
TUR -8.1% |
MEX 16.3% |
PAK -34.2% |
MYS -2.0% |
COL -18.5% |
| THA 11.6% |
MEX 12.2% |
GRC -66.0% |
EGY 39.7% |
CZE -1.7% |
ARG -38.9% |
CZE 3.5% |
IDN -23.1% |
HUN -27.4% |
BRA -41.2% |
MEX -9.0 |
RUS 6.1% |
GRC -36.7% |
POL -5.3% |
BRA -18.9% |
| PAK 3.6% |
TWN 9.1% |
RUS -73.8% |
CZE 27.8% |
HUN -9.6% |
EGY -46.9% |
BRA 0.3% |
TUR -26.5% |
GRC -39.9% |
COL -41.8% |
EGY -11.4% |
EGY 5.2% |
TUR -41.1% |
CHL -16.0% |
EGY -22.2% |
| TUR -7.0% |
ARG -4.0% |
PAK -74.1% |
GRC 25.3% |
GRC -44.7% |
GRC -62.7% |
ARG -37.1% |
PER -29.8% |
RUS -45.9% |
GRC -61.3% |
GRC -11.9% |
PAK -23.9% |
ARG -50.7% |
ARG -20.7% |
GRC -26.7% |
| Abbr. | Country – Index | Annual | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EM | MSCI Emerging Markets Index | 6.95% | 79.0% | -53.2% | ARG | Argentina – MSCI Argentina Index | 1.75% | 77.4% | -54.5% |
| BRA | Brazil – MSCI Brazil Index | 4.78% | 128.6% | -56.1% |
| CHL | Chile – MSCI Chile Index | 2.84% | 86.7% | -35.4% |
| CHN | China – MSCI China Index | 11.93% | 82.9% | -50.8% |
| COL | Colombia – MSCI Colombia Index | 3.66% | 84.4% | -41.8% |
| CZE | Czech Republic – MSCI Czech Republic Index | 2.86% | 55.9% | -41.8% |
| EGY | Egypt – MSCI Egypt Index | 0.21% | 52.7% | -52.4% |
| GRC | Greece – MSCI Greece Index | -18.68% | 52.7% | -66.0% |
| HUN | Hungary – MSCI Hungary Index | 2.14% | 77.6% | -61.5% |
| IND | India – MSCI India Index | 8.00% | 102.8% | -64.6% |
| IDN | Indonesia – MSCI Indonesia Index | 10.36% | 127.6% | -56.2% |
| Abbr. | Country – Index | Annual | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MYS | Malaysia – MSCI Malaysia Index | 6.23% | 52.1% | -41.2% | MEX | Mexico – MSCI Mexico Index | 3.09% | 56.6% | -42.9% |
| PAK | Pakistan – MSCI Pakistan Index | -0.39% | 90.1% | -74.1% |
| PER | Peru – MSCI Peru Index | 12.00% | 94.7% | -40.1% |
| PHL | Philippines – MSCI Philippines Index | 10.58% | 69.0% | -51.9% |
| POL | Poland – MSCI Poland Index | 0.19% | 55.3% | -54.5% |
| RUS | Russia – MSCI Russia Index | 2.68% | 104.9% | -73.8% |
| ZAF | South Africa – MSCI South Africa Index | 4.24% | 57.8% | -37.9% |
| KOR | South Korea – MSCI Korea Index | 7.37% | 72.1% | -55.1% |
| TWN | Taiwan – MSCI Taiwan Index | 10.39% | 80.3% | -45.9% |
| THA | Thailand – MSCI Thailand Index | 9.20% | 77.3% | -48.3% |
| TUR | Turkey – MSCI Turkey Index | -2.07% | 98.5% | -62.1% |
Past performance does not guarantee future returns. The historical performance is meant to show changes in market trends across the top emerging market countries in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index over the past fifteen years (ex United Arab Emirates and Qatar due to lack of data). Returns represent total annual returns (reinvestment of all distributions) in U.S. dollars and does not include fees and expenses. The investments you choose should reflect your financial goals and risk tolerance. For assistance, talk to a financial professional. All data are as of 12/31/20.
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