S&P 500 - the highest annualized return in the last decade, globally

The S&P 500 index, the American stock market, recorded, between March 15, 2015 and 2025, an annualized return of 17%, the highest recorded among the major stock markets in the world, according to an analysis by visualcapitalist.com.

The analysis highlights the annualized returns (in US dollars) of the main stock exchanges in 30 countries, based on data from the Canadian platform HelloSafe.

The evolution of the S&P 500 index in the ten years analyzed represents an increase in earnings of almost five times, more precisely, $10,000 invested in 2015 would mean almost $50,000 in 2025, notes the cited source.

The next places in the ranking are the major indices from Brazil (Bovespa, +15.9%), India (BSE Sensex, +15.9%), Vietnam (VN-Index, +12.2%), New Zealand (S&P/NZX 50, +10.7%), Russia (MOEX Russia, +9.2%), Japan (Nikkei 225, +9.1%), Switzerland (Swiss Performance Index - SPI, +9%). Germany only ranks ninth (DAX, +9%), followed, up to 20th place, by the Netherlands (AEX, +8.8%), Poland (WIG, +8.3%), Ireland (ISEQ Overall, +7.3%), Canada (S&P/TSX Composite, +7.2%), Italy (FTSE MIB, +7.1%), South Africa (FTSE/JSE All Share, +6.9%), Austria (ATX, +6.6%), Taiwan (TAIEX, +6.4%), Sweden (OMX Stockholm 30, +6%), France (CAC 40, +5.9%) and Morocco (MASI, +5.6%). In places 21-30 are: Finland (OMX Helsinki 25, +3.4%), Australia (S&P/ASX 200, +3.3%), Great Britain (FTSE 100, +2.7%), Belgium (BEL 20, +2%), Mexico (CPI, +1.8%), Portugal (PSI 20, +1.7%), Spain (IBEX 35, +1.7%), Singapore (Straits Times, +1.3%), China (SSE Composite, 0.0%), Hong Kong (Hang Seng, -0.2%).

The cited source emphasizes that the not-so-good evolution of the Shanghai Stock Exchange was caused by the 2015 "bubble", and the massive investments at that time had major negative consequences.

In 2015, the Chinese stock market saw an increase in the activity of individual investors, fueled by speculation and relaxed lending. As a result, the Shanghai Composite Index, which had been rising rapidly, peaked in June, then collapsed by 30% over the next three weeks.

As of April 2025, the Shanghai Composite Index had still not recovered to its 2015 peak.