Despite a downward trend for several weeks at the beginning of the year, in spring 2026 the S&P 500 has once again shot upward, achieving fresh new all-time highs in the process. Still, even the most bullish investors may be wondering how long the trend can continue, given the prolonged war in Iran and its impacts on the global oil market—not to mention preexisting factors like inflation, aggressive interest rate hikes, and more.
That's all to say that now may be a good time to consider diversifying geographically to build non-U.S. exposure. Even though the market seems to have new momentum, maintaining access to companies outside of the United States is a good way to protect against country-specific threats. Emerging markets (EM) can be a particularly ripe area to explore as well, given their strong potential for growth and strengthening consumer trends. Of course, relatively unproven names in other parts of the world can also present new risks that investors should keep in mind, too. The exchange-traded funds (ETFs) below may be a good place to begin an EM search.
