The current developments in the global stock markets in 2025 indicate that investors should increasingly reconsider the USA as a driver of returns. Despite the dominant role of the USA in the MSCI World Index, where they hold the largest weight, other countries and regions currently offer higher price gains and thus more attractive returns.
Key Insights into Market Development 2025
- The MSCI World Index, which represents many developed markets and is heavily influenced by US stocks, has achieved an average annual return of about 8 to 9.7 percent in the long term. This figure is based on historical data up to the end of 2024/beginning of 2025.
- However, this year, many exchanges outside the USA are recording high price gains despite global crises and trade tariffs. This suggests that investors should increasingly focus their attention on other markets.
- Countries with the highest current returns are often located in emerging markets or certain European states; these benefit partly from favorable economic conditions or specific growth impulses.
For investors from the German-speaking region, this development is particularly relevant: While traditional investments in US stocks remain solid, targeted investments in other regions could yield better returns. Diversification across different countries is becoming even more important.
Conclusion:
In 2025, it is no longer worthwhile for investors to focus solely on the USA. Instead, other global stock markets – particularly outside North America – currently offer the most return opportunities. A careful analysis of the respective country markets and their political and economic frameworks is crucial.
This assessment aligns with a trend away from the previous heavyweight USA towards a broader dispersal over growth-strong regions worldwide. For German-speaking investors, this means an opportunity through targeted allocation beyond the MSCI World’s heavyweight USA.