As trade barriers continue to break down, the world economy has become a small neighborhood. Should investors seek to participate in this wave of globalization, or are they getting all they need here at home?
Historically, foreign investments have acted in a significantly different way from domestic investments. When the U.S. market slumped, various opportunities abroad have prospered. An American investor who put some money into foreign markets may have reduced risk while still attaining attractive returns. With the spread of globalization, this benefit decreases as companies across the globe are acting more like each other. However, as the image illustrates, an investor who doesn’t take advantage of options outside of the United States is missing out on roughly half of the investable developed stock market opportunities in the world.
