The fast-growing BRIC economies – Brazil, Russia, India and China – were also among the best-performing of the major stock markets last year, according to the annual review of world stock market performance by Thomson Datastream.
China was the best-performing major market, with the Shenzhen A-share index delivering total returns of 101.7% last year. The Russian market rose by 65.8%, the Brazilian market by 40.9% and the Indian market by 36.6%. All returns are measured in dollars, and include dividends. The UK and US stock markets trailed these figures. In dollar terms, the FTSE 100 delivered a total return of 26.3%, making it the 56th best- performing market among the 93 tracked by Thomson Datstream. The 14% gain in the S&P 500 ranked 84th.
Some exotic stock markets did best of all. Peru was the star performer, with a gain of182% gain, mainly on the back of rising metal prices. Cyprus was second, with a return of 157%.
The worst performers included the Middle East stock markets, whose bubbles were pricked by the decline in the oil price. The market in Jordan fell 34%, but Kuwait, Lebanon, Turkey and Bangladesh also produced negative returns.