The renewed Persian Gulf conflict is dividing country-ETF flows. Investors favor defensive developed markets, indirect energy beneficiaries and oversold tactical trades, while redemptions persist across oil-dependent Asian markets, direct Gulf exposures and countries facing renewed U.S. tariff pressure this week.
Korea’s AI rally is not breaking on memory demand; it is breaking on market structure. Single-stock leveraged ETFs tied to Samsung and SK Hynix have amplified volatility, forcing regulators to consider tighter safeguards, delayed derivatives and higher investor barriers
World-Wide Wednesday: An Update on South Korean Equities Read More »
The level and direction of interest rates will be a key factor in whether EAFE or EM exposures outperform in the second half of the year.
International equity leadership is splitting between AI supply-chain winners and non-AI diversifiers. Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and the Netherlands remain key AI transmission channels, while Canada, the UK, Switzerland, Chile, Peru and UAE offer broader macro, commodity and defensive exposure
World-Wide Wednesday: AI Leadership, Energy Relief and the Return of Country Selection Read More »
Global equity leadership hinges on whether investors price AI-led earnings scarcity or rate-driven valuation discipline. U.S. mega-cap concentration remains powerful, EM offers concentrated AI supply-chain leverage, and EAFE provides diversification if markets rotate toward value, dividends and cyclicals more broadly.
April 22, 2026 In a recent conversation with Mannik Dhillon, president of investment franchises & solutions and head of ETFs at Victory Capital, a clear theme emerged: growth in the ETF space is not about speed—it’s about sequencing. Victory Capital’s approach reflects a deliberate strategy of building core competencies in specific asset classes and investment
Potential crowding risk into the domestic AI trade keeps international equities vital to a stable, well-balanced portfolio.
U.S. equities outperformed as the Iran conflict escalated because energy shocks hit import-dependent economies harder, while U.S. markets benefit from domestic production, resilient earnings in technology sectors, and strong capital inflows during periods of global uncertainty and volatility
Sharp declines in Japanese and South Korean equities reflect a macro shock driven by energy risk, currency volatility, and systematic deleveraging. Whether selling continues depends on oil prices, FX stability, and global semiconductor sentiment—factors that will determine if risk appetite quickly stabilizes or deteriorates further.
World-Wide Wednesday: Examining the Near-term Pressure on South Korea and Japan Read More »
South Korea and Japan have outperformed on structural tech leadership, corporate governance reform, and supportive macro policy. Semiconductors and industrial exporters anchor earnings momentum, while improving capital returns and attractive valuations position EWY and EWJ as compelling vehicles for diversified international equity exposure.
World Wide Wednesday: Why South Korea and Japan Are Leading Read More »
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