#emerging-markets

#emerging-markets

Most emerging market ETFs are built around the same assumption: that China's economy and equity markets will drive returns for decades. Columbia EM Core ex-China ETF (NYSEARCA:XCEM) rejects that premise entirely. This fund excludes Chinese equities altogether, offering investors exposure to emerging markets without the geopolitical risk, currency volatility, and regulatory uncertainty that have defined Chinese markets in recent years.

Unilever Plc posted better-than-expected sales at the end of last year, boosted by premium beauty and home care products in key emerging markets including India and China. The maker of Dove soap said Thursday underlying fourth-quarter sales rose 4.2 percent, above the 4 percent analysts anticipated. It also announced a €1.5 billion ($1.8 billion) share buyback starting in the second quarter. The results are the first after Unilever spun off its ice-cream business - which included Ben & Jerry's - and come as Chief Executive Officer Fernando Fernandez nears his first full year at the helm.

Currency movements drive emerging market returns more than most investors realize. When the dollar weakens, emerging market assets denominated in local currencies become more valuable in dollar terms, and capital flows toward higher-yielding developing economies. The opposite happens when the dollar strengthens. SPEM's performance over the next year will largely hinge on whether the dollar continues its recent consolidation or resumes a strengthening trend.

Ihab Abou Letaif is a business professional with experience in retail operations and consumer goods. His work focuses on how businesses operate day-to-day, especially in complex, high-pressure markets. He is known for a practical and disciplined approach to management. His career has been shaped by hands-on roles in operations, finance, and business development. He has worked closely with store performance, inventory control, and supply chain coordination. This has given him a clear view of how small decisions affect margins, cash flow, and long-term stability.

The Invesco RAFI Emerging Markets ETF ( NYSEARCA:PXH) has delivered exceptional returns, surging 42% over the past year to reach $28.10 as of January 27, 2026. This performance significantly outpaced the S&P 500's 16% gain and slightly edged out the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF ( NYSEARCA:EEM) with its 46% return. The rally reflects renewed appetite for emerging markets exposure as investors position for a potential shift away from US equities after years of domestic market dominance.

Emerging markets climbed over 25% in 2025 while trading at deep discounts to U.S. equities. That combination of momentum and relative value creates an unusual setup for 2026 that retirees seeking diversification should consider. The Fidelity Emerging Markets Multifactor ETF ( NYSEARCA:FDEM) screens for quality, value, momentum, and low volatility factors across developing economies. The fund holds $296.9 million in assets and delivered a 29.2% one-year return through early January 2026, outpacing the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( NYSEARCA:SPY) by over 13 percentage points.

Perhaps the biggest hint of expansive plans came from Mastercards's president of the Americas, Linda Kirkpatrick, who said: "Innovation on Apple Card has taken the consumer payments experience to the next level, and we look forward to delivering simple, secure, and seamless payments at global scale." More challenging than before The latter statement suggests an intention to make the service available more widely, though it's possible the opportunity has already passed.

Brevan Howard, the long-running macro investment manager with $33 billion in assets, finished 2025 looking up at many of its macro peers and multistrategy rivals. The firm's two largest funds - Alpha Strategies and Master, each of which runs roughly $11 billion - finished 2025 with gains of 8% and 0.8%, respectively, a person close to the firm told Business Insider. The firm's smaller Emerging Markets strategy was a bright spot, returning more than 15% over the year, the person added.

EDIV solves a specific portfolio problem: capturing dividend income from emerging markets without concentrated country or sector risk. The fund tracks the S&P Emerging Markets Dividend Opportunities Index, holding over 100 stocks across South Africa, Brazil, Taiwan, Malaysia, and the Middle East. No single holding exceeds 4% of assets. The return engine is straightforward. Companies generate cash and distribute it as dividends.

The WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund (NYSEARCA:DGS) solves three portfolio problems: international diversification, small-cap growth potential, and income generation through a 2.97% dividend yield. The Triple Mandate: Income, International, and Small Cap DGS tracks dividend-paying small-cap companies across emerging markets, combining three distinct investment exposures into one position. The fund holds over 1,000 companies spanning South Africa, Taiwan, Mexico, Brazil, Poland, Malaysia, India, and Saudi Arabia. No single holding exceeds 1.33% of the portfolio, ensuring genuine diversification.

Internet exchange AMS-IX will withdraw from the United States in March 2026. The company will then close its nodes in Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area. The focus will shift to emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The withdrawal is the result of a strategic reassessment by CEO Peter van Burgel. "Now is the time to evaluate our activities, and we believe that our efforts will be better served elsewhere," he says.

For instance, the Premium Lite plan priced at ₹139 per month ($1.57) will get ad-free listening and 160kbps audio quality. The Premium Standard plan, priced at ₹199 per month($2.25), has offline support and 320kbps audio quality. The most costly Premium Platinum plan at ₹299 ($3.37) per month will give users access to the newly launched Lossless tier, along with two other seats that can share the account.

On Friday, Amazon announced the debut of Amazon Bazaar, a new low-cost shopping destination for Asia, Africa and Latin America that will be available separately from the main Amazon shopping app. On Bazaar, most products are available under $10, and some are as low as $2, the retailer says. Amazon says more markets will gain access to the app in the months ahead.

Apple delivered its best results ever in a July quarter, while Samsung achieved its strongest July-quarter growth on record. Demand for Apple's new iPhone 17 lineup was robust, with pre-orders surpassing those of the previous generation. At the same time, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 outperformed all earlier foldable models, creating renewed momentum for the foldables segment.

Google's new, cheaper AI Plus plan is now available in more than 40 countries, including Angola, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Senegal, Uganda, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. The company first launched its AI Plus plan in Indonesia earlier this month at Rp 75,000 ($4.50) per month. The plan costs around $5 in most countries, and Google says it will discount it by 50% for six months in a few locations like Nepal and Mexico.

The Next 3 Billion is dedicated to exploring the forces accelerating economic and societal prosperity across the world's most ascendant regions.

Emerging markets are increasingly important for multinational companies (MNCs), but entering these markets can be a difficult and costly experience. As interest in emerging markets grows, so too has research into their unique challenges and opportunities. A critical, yet overlooked, problem is that companies often take an overly optimistic view of how quickly success can be achieved in these complex, unfamiliar environments-a phenomenon we call the temporal optimism trap.

The industry is witnessing a major redistribution of influence. At the centre of this change is the BRICS+ Fashion Summit, a major international event that brings together leading voices from 65 countries to focus on decentralization and the rise of regional markets. Moscow hosts the Summit once again from August 28 to 30, offering a crucial platform to address the pressing challenges and opportunities facing fashion business.