All Tracked International Markets Gain Alongside US Stocks

All 8 of the 8 tracked markets closed in positive territory on Thursday, September 17. Leading the session was South Korea +3.9%, while Germany +0.6% recorded the narrowest gain. The whole-world fund closed +1.2%, moving in the same direction as domestic equities as the S&P 500 fund finished +1.1%.

Because these prices come from US-listed funds, each number captures how an overseas market looked to a New York investor at Thursday's close. For example, Japan +0.9% reflects the closing valuation in New York, rather than local trading hours in Tokyo.

Global risk appetite improved across regions as Treasury yields retreated and investors absorbed recent central bank decisions.

The day's strongest move came from South Korea +3.9%. In Seoul's earlier local trading, the domestic index ended little changed after foreign investors sold shares of chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.

The session's most unusual move belonged to the United Kingdom, roughly twice the size of its usual day. For British assets, United Kingdom +1.0% followed a central bank meeting where policymakers voted 6 to 3 to keep the benchmark rate at 3.75% while detailing plans to gradually reduce government bond holdings.

Continental European funds saw more modest advances, with Eurozone +0.9% and Germany +0.6%. European shares found support as falling crude prices and stabilizing bond yields lifted travel and technology companies, while defensive shares trailed. Across other regions, broad emerging markets advanced, with Emerging Markets +1.8% supported by India +1.2% and China +0.7%.

Across these markets, scheduled economic calendar events provide the key items to watch:

• In the United Kingdom, the calendar brings retail sales figures and mortgage data.
• In Germany, scheduled releases feature producer price index measures and building permits.
• In Japan, policymakers conclude their two-day monetary policy meeting to deliver their latest policy statement.