The periodic table of investment returns for country indices annual returns from 2001 to 2010 are shown in the chart below:

Click to enlarge

Source: Skloff Financial Group

Some observations:

• In the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2008, the BRIC countries were some of the hardest hit countries with the Russian market loosing nearly 74%. However in 2009, Brazil, India and Russia were the three best performing markets.
• Though the crisis originated in the U.S. European and Canadian markets went down more than US markets in 2008.
• For many years during the period shown, Brazilian stocks performed very well earning double-digit returns for investors. Similarly commodity-rich Australia has been a consistent performer in most of the years.
• While the U.S. market held up well in 2008, the performance of the US markets was average in the majority of years.

Related ETFs:
SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
iShares S&P India Nifty 50 (INDY)
iShares MSCI Brazil Index (EWZ)
iShares MSCI Germany Index Fund (EWG)
iShares MSCI Canada Index Fund (EWC)
iShares MSCI Australia Index Fund (EWA)

Disclosure: No Positions