What is the Emerging Markets YTD return in 2026?
The Emerging Markets is up +8.56% year to date with dividends reinvested (total return through Oct 21, 2026), or +8.22% on price alone — dividends have added 0.34 points so far. VWO started the year at $53.76 and closed at $58.18. That makes 2026 the 11th best start in 21 years of data through this date.
Price return vs total return#
Total return assumes distributions are reinvested; price return measures only the change in the ETF's share price. The 0.34 percentage-point gap is the contribution from dividends so far this year.
2026 YTD daily chart#
Daily VWO price since the final market close of 2025. Hover for the close, price YTD, total return YTD with dividends reinvested, and that day's price move.
- Total-return high
- +14.4% · Sep 4, 2026
- Total-return low
- -2.5% · Mar 30, 2026
- Max drawdown YTD
- -11.2%
- All-time-high closes
- 21 days
How 2026 compares with previous years#
Every year is measured through Oct 21 — the same calendar date as the current result — so the comparison is not skewed by full-year outcomes.
Years that looked like this one
The five closest starts to 2026's +8.6%, each traced through its full year — labels show how each finished. 2026's path so far is the bold line.
2012 (+10.8% then → finished +19.2%) · 2019 (+11.8% then → finished +20.7%) · 2021 (+5.2% then → finished +1.3%) · 2010 (+13.8% then → finished +19.5%) · 2020 (+3.1% then → finished +15.2%).
Every year's YTD return through the same date#
Ranked by total return through Oct 21, with each completed calendar year's final return alongside it.
Best starts
| Year | YTD then | Finished |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +72.0% | +76.3% |
| 2007 | +37.7% | +37.3% |
| 2017 | +27.7% | +31.5% |
| 2025 | +25.0% | +25.6% |
| 2016 | +18.8% | +12.2% |
Worst starts
| Year | YTD then | Finished |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | -52.9% | -52.5% |
| 2022 | -23.9% | -18.0% |
| 2011 | -17.8% | -18.8% |
| 2018 | -15.4% | -14.8% |
| 2015 | -9.3% | -15.8% |
| Rank | Year | YTD through this date | Full-year return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009 | +72.0% | +76.3% |
| 2 | 2007 | +37.7% | +37.3% |
| 3 | 2017 | +27.7% | +31.5% |
| 4 | 2025 | +25.0% | +25.6% |
| 5 | 2016 | +18.8% | +12.2% |
| 6 | 2024 | +16.4% | +10.6% |
| 7 | 2006 | +14.3% | +29.4% |
| 8 | 2010 | +13.8% | +19.5% |
| 9 | 2019 | +11.8% | +20.7% |
| 10 | 2012 | +10.8% | +19.2% |
| 11 | 2026 (now) | +8.6% | — |
| 12 | 2021 | +5.2% | +1.3% |
| 13 | 2020 | +3.1% | +15.2% |
| 14 | 2014 | +2.9% | -0.0% |
| 15 | 2023 | -1.4% | +9.3% |
| 16 | 2013 | -2.3% | -4.9% |
| 17 | 2015 | -9.3% | -15.8% |
| 18 | 2018 | -15.4% | -14.8% |
| 19 | 2011 | -17.8% | -18.8% |
| 20 | 2022 | -23.9% | -18.0% |
| 21 | 2008 | -52.9% | -52.5% |
2026 monthly YTD chart#
Each bar is one calendar month's total return; the current month runs through Oct 21, 2026.
2026 YTD return by month#
Monthly total return and the compounded year-to-date result after each month.
| Month | Monthly return | Cumulative YTD |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | +5.0% | +5.0% |
| Feb | +2.9% | +8.1% |
| Mar | -7.0% | +0.5% |
| Apr | +9.0% | +9.6% |
| May | +1.6% | +11.4% |
| Jun | -0.1% | +11.2% |
| Jul | -1.6% | +9.4% |
| Aug | +3.0% | +12.7% |
| Sep | -1.8% | +10.7% |
| Oct | -1.9% | +8.6% |
Notes & related#
Returns are computed from VWO (the Emerging Markets ETF): total return uses dividend-adjusted closes, price return uses split-adjusted closes only. “YTD through the same date” compares each year at the identical month-day, so early-year rankings aren't skewed by full-year outcomes. Data updates after each market close.
Keep going: Emerging Markets returns by year, monthly returns, or the drawdown record.
More on Emerging Markets
- Returns by year+8.6%
- Monthly returns-1.9%
- Weekly returns+0.3%
- Trailing returns+9.1%
- Drawdown from high−5.3%