MSCI World yearly charts and key events

The MSCI World has gained 12.5% so far in 2026 with dividends reinvested (+11.7% in price alone) — which would make it the 9th best of 14 years since 2013. URTH went from 185.77 at the close of December 31, 2025 to 207.53 on October 2, 2026, over 189 trading days (98 up, 91 down). It spent 20 of them below where it started.

No curated events for this year yet, so the markers are the year's own turning points so far: its highest and lowest close, best and worst day, deepest fall. Full 2026 year-to-date analysis →

1. 1
   Lowest close so far: 174.94March 30-0.3% that day
2. 2
   Best day so far: +2.9%March 31+2.9% that day
3. 3
   Worst day so far: -2.6%June 5-2.6% that day
4. 4
   Highest close so far: 211.51August 13+0.5% that day

• Deepest fall -9.1% (February 25 → March 30)
• Best day +2.9% (March 31)
• Worst day -2.6% (June 5)
• $10,000 at the start of 2026 → $11,246 as of October 2, 2026 (+16.9%/yr over 0.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The MSCI World gained 21.4% in 2025 with dividends reinvested (+19.5% in price alone) — the 6th best of 13 years since 2013. URTH went from 155.50 at the close of December 31, 2024 to 185.77 on December 31, 2025, over 250 trading days (147 up, 102 down). It spent 36 of them below where it started.

1. 1
   DeepSeek shockJanuary 27-1.1% that day

   Nvidia fell 17%, the largest one-day loss of market value for any company.
2. 2
   Record close of 6,144February 19-0.0% that day
3. 3
   “Liberation Day” tariffs announcedApril 2+0.7% that day

   After the close; the two sessions that followed lost 10.5%.
4. 4
   S&P 500 falls 6% — the worst day since March 2020April 4-6.1% that day
5. 5
   The closing low: S&P 500 at 4,983April 8-1.2% that day

   Down 19% from February.
6. 6
   Ninety-day tariff pauseApril 9+8.9% that day

   The S&P 500 rose 9.5%, its third-best day since World War II.
7. 7
   US–China tariff truceMay 12+2.5% that day

   The S&P 500 rose 3.3%.
8. 8
   New record highJune 27+0.5% that day

   The round trip from record to bear-market brink and back took four months.
9. 9
   The Fed resumes cuttingSeptember 17-0.3% that day
10. 10
    S&P 500 falls 2.7% on new China tariff threatsOctober 10-2.4% that day

• Deepest fall -16.9% (February 18 → April 8)
• Best day +8.9% (April 9)
• Worst day -6.1% (April 4)
• $10,000 at the start of 2025 → $13,648 as of October 2, 2026 (+19.4%/yr over 1.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The MSCI World gained 18.7% in 2024 with dividends reinvested (+16.9% in price alone) — the 7th best of 13 years since 2013. URTH went from 133.02 at the close of December 29, 2023 to 155.50 on December 31, 2024, over 252 trading days (138 up, 112 down). It spent 12 of them below where it started.

1. 1
   Spot bitcoin ETFs approvedJanuary 10+0.6% that day
2. 2
   First record close since January 2022January 19+1.0% that day
3. 3
   Spring pullback lowApril 19-0.6% that day

   A 5.5% dip on sticky inflation and Middle East tension.
4. 4
   Nvidia briefly becomes the world's most valuable companyJune 18+0.3% that day
5. 5
   Yen carry-trade unwindAugust 5-2.7% that day

   Japan's Nikkei fell 12%; the VIX spiked to 65 intraday and the S&P 500 fell 3%.
6. 6
   The Fed's first cut, 50 basis pointsSeptember 18-0.3% that day
7. 7
   Trump electedNovember 6+1.5% that day

   The S&P 500 rose 2.5%, its best post-election day ever.
8. 8
   Hawkish Fed cutDecember 18-2.9% that day

   Fewer cuts pencilled in for 2025; the S&P 500 fell 2.9%.

• Deepest fall -8.2% (July 16 → August 5)
• Best day +2.1% (August 8)
• Worst day -2.9% (December 18)
• $10,000 at the start of 2024 → $16,195 as of October 2, 2026 (+19.1%/yr over 2.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The MSCI World gained 23.9% in 2023 with dividends reinvested (+21.8% in price alone) — the 3rd best of 13 years since 2013. URTH went from 109.25 at the close of December 30, 2022 to 133.02 on December 29, 2023, over 250 trading days (139 up, 110 down). It spent 2 of them below where it started.

1. 1
   The Fed slows to quarter-point hikesFebruary 1+1.1% that day
2. 2
   Silicon Valley Bank failsMarch 10-1.4% that day

   The second-largest bank failure in US history; Signature Bank followed on Sunday.
3. 3
   UBS takes over Credit SuisseMarch 19+1.1% next session
4. 4
   First Republic seized and sold to JPMorganMay 1-0.1% that day
5. 5
   Nvidia jumps 24% on AI demandMay 25+0.4% that day

   The guidance that turned the AI rally into the year's story.
6. 6
   Debt-ceiling deal signedJune 3-0.3% next session
7. 7
   A new bull marketJune 8+0.7% that day

   The S&P 500 closed 20% above its October 2022 low.
8. 8
   The Fed's final hike, to 5.25–5.5%July 26+0.1% that day
9. 9
   Autumn correction lowOctober 27-0.5% that day

   Down 10% from July as ten-year yields touched 5%.
10. 10
    The Fed pencils in 2024 cutsDecember 13+1.5% that day

    The index rallied to within a point of its record by year end.

• Deepest fall -10.5% (July 31 → October 27)
• Best day +2.4% (January 6)
• Worst day -1.7% (February 21)
• $10,000 at the start of 2023 → $20,073 as of October 2, 2026 (+20.4%/yr over 3.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The MSCI World lost 18.0% in 2022 with dividends reinvested (-19.3% in price alone) — the worst of 13 years since 2013. URTH went from 135.32 at the close of December 31, 2021 to 109.25 on December 30, 2022, over 251 trading days (112 up, 137 down).

1. 1
   Record close of 4,797January 3+0.5% that day

   The bull-market peak, on the first trading day of the year.
2. 2
   Russia invades UkraineFebruary 24+0.5% that day
3. 3
   The Fed's first hike, 25 basis pointsMarch 16+2.6% that day
4. 4
   S&P 500 falls 3.6%May 5-3.6% that day

   The day after a 50-basis-point hike.
5. 5
   Bear market confirmedJune 13-3.8% that day

   The S&P 500 fell 3.9% to close 21% below its January peak after an 8.6% CPI print.
6. 6
   First 75-basis-point hike since 1994June 15+1.7% that day
7. 7
   Powell's “pain” speech at Jackson HoleAugust 26-3.1% that day

   The S&P 500 fell 3.4%.
8. 8
   Hot CPI: S&P 500 falls 4.3%September 13-4.1% that day

   The worst day since June 2020.
9. 9
   The bear-market low: S&P 500 at 3,577October 12-0.3% that day

   Down 25% from January.
10. 10
    Soft CPI: S&P 500 rises 5.5%November 10+5.5% that day

    Its best day since April 2020.
11. 11
    FTX files for bankruptcyNovember 11+1.4% that day

• Deepest fall -26.1% (January 3 → October 12)
• Best day +5.5% (November 10)
• Worst day -4.1% (September 13)
• $10,000 at the start of 2022 → $16,467 as of October 2, 2026 (+11.1%/yr over 4.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The MSCI World gained 22.3% in 2021 with dividends reinvested (+20.4% in price alone) — the 5th best of 13 years since 2013. URTH went from 112.41 at the close of December 31, 2020 to 135.32 on December 31, 2021, over 252 trading days (147 up, 104 down). It spent 2 of them below where it started.

1. 1
   Capitol riot; Georgia runoffs hand Democrats the SenateJanuary 6+0.6% that day
2. 2
   GameStop short squeeze peaksJanuary 27-2.4% that day

   The S&P 500 fell 2.6%, its worst day since October.
3. 3
   $1.9tn American Rescue Plan signedMarch 11+0.9% that day
4. 4
   Archegos collapsesMarch 26+1.3% that day

   Its banks dumped $20bn of stock in a day.
5. 5
   Coinbase lists on NasdaqApril 14-0.3% that day
6. 6
   The Fed pulls forward its rate-hike outlookJune 16-0.5% that day
7. 7
   Evergrande scareSeptember 20-1.7% that day

   The S&P 500 fell 1.7% on fears of a Chinese property default.
8. 8
   The Fed announces the taperNovember 3+0.7% that day
9. 9
   OmicronNovember 26-2.2% that day

   The S&P 500 fell 2.3% on a half-day session.
10. 10
    Powell retires the word “transitory”November 30-1.5% that day

• Deepest fall -5.3% (September 3 → October 4)
• Best day +2.3% (March 1)
• Worst day -2.4% (January 27)
• $10,000 at the start of 2021 → $20,134 as of October 2, 2026 (+12.9%/yr over 5.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The MSCI World gained 15.8% in 2020 with dividends reinvested (+13.8% in price alone) — the 8th best of 13 years since 2013. URTH went from 98.78 at the close of December 31, 2019 to 112.41 on December 31, 2020, over 253 trading days (149 up, 104 down). It spent 123 of them below where it started.

1. 1
   Pre-pandemic record: S&P 500 at 3,386February 19+0.4% that day
2. 2
   Emergency 50-basis-point Fed cutMarch 3-2.3% that day
3. 3
   Circuit breaker halts tradingMarch 9-8.3% that day

   The first since 1997; oil crashed 25% on a Saudi–Russia price war. The S&P 500 fell 7.6%.
4. 4
   WHO declares a pandemicMarch 11-5.0% that day
5. 5
   S&P 500 falls 9.5%March 12-10.4% that day
6. 6
   The Fed cuts to zero and restarts QEMarch 15-11.4% next session

   Announced on a Sunday evening.
7. 7
   S&P 500 falls 12% — worst day since 1987March 16-11.4% that day
8. 8
   The bottom: S&P 500 at 2,237March 23-1.8% that day

   The Fed announced unlimited QE that morning; the index was down 34% from February.
9. 9
   $2.2tn CARES Act signedMarch 27-3.0% that day
10. 10
    Oil settles below zeroApril 20-1.4% that day

    WTI closed at −$37.63 as storage ran out.
11. 11
    New record highAugust 18+0.1% that day

    The full recovery took five months.
12. 12
    Pfizer's vaccine worksNovember 9+1.5% that day

    The sharpest one-day rotation into cyclicals on record.

• Deepest fall -34.0% (February 12 → March 23)
• Best day +9.1% (March 24)
• Worst day -11.4% (March 16)
• $10,000 at the start of 2020 → $23,312 as of October 2, 2026 (+13.4%/yr over 6.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The MSCI World gained 28.1% in 2019 with dividends reinvested (+25.2% in price alone) — the best of 13 years since 2013. URTH went from 78.87 at the close of December 31, 2018 to 98.78 on December 31, 2019, over 252 trading days (149 up, 101 down). It spent 1 of them below where it started.

1. 1
   Powell signals patience on ratesJanuary 4+3.0% that day

   The S&P 500 rose 3.4%; the pivot from hiking was on.
2. 2
   Tariff escalation announced by tweetMay 5-0.6% next session

   May was the year's only losing month.
3. 3
   First Fed cut since 2008July 31-0.5% that day
4. 4
   The 2s–10s yield curve invertsAugust 14-2.8% that day

   The S&P 500 fell 2.9%.
5. 5
   Repo rates spike; the Fed intervenesSeptember 17+0.3% that day
6. 6
   The Fed's third cut of the yearOctober 30+0.4% that day
7. 7
   Phase-one US–China trade deal announcedDecember 13+0.5% that day

• Deepest fall -6.1% (July 24 → August 14)
• Best day +3.0% (January 4)
• Worst day -2.8% (August 14)
• $10,000 at the start of 2019 → $29,873 as of October 2, 2026 (+15.2%/yr over 7.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The MSCI World lost 8.6% in 2018 with dividends reinvested (-10.5% in price alone) — the 12th best of 13 years since 2013. URTH went from 88.11 at the close of December 29, 2017 to 78.87 on December 31, 2018, over 251 trading days (132 up, 118 down).

1. 1
   S&P 500 record close of 2,873January 26+0.8% that day
2. 2
   “Volmageddon”February 5-4.2% that day

   The S&P 500 fell 4.1% and the VIX more than doubled in a day; several short-volatility products were wiped out.
3. 3
   Tariffs on China announcedMarch 22-2.2% that day

   The S&P 500 fell 2.5%; the trade war had begun.
4. 4
   Record close of 2,931September 20+0.9% that day

   The high before the fourth-quarter slide.
5. 5
   S&P 500 falls 3.3%October 10-2.6% that day

   The start of a three-month, 20% decline.
6. 6
   The Fed's fourth hike of the yearDecember 19-1.1% that day

   Powell's “autopilot” remark on the balance sheet sent stocks lower.
7. 7
   Christmas Eve lowDecember 24-1.9% that day

   The S&P 500 closed at 2,351, down 19.8% from September.
8. 8
   Dow gains 1,086 pointsDecember 26+3.3% that day

   Its largest one-day point gain to date.

• Deepest fall -18.6% (January 26 → December 24)
• Best day +3.3% (December 26)
• Worst day -4.2% (February 5)
• $10,000 at the start of 2018 → $27,315 as of October 2, 2026 (+12.2%/yr over 8.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The MSCI World gained 22.9% in 2017 with dividends reinvested (+20.6% in price alone) — the 4th best of 13 years since 2013. URTH went from 73.08 at the close of December 30, 2016 to 88.11 on December 29, 2017, over 251 trading days (146 up, 102 down).

1. 1
   Dow closes above 20,000January 25+0.8% that day
2. 2
   Fed hikes, the first of three in 2017March 15+1.1% that day
3. 3
   One-day tech routJune 9-0.2% that day

   The megacaps fell sharply on a valuation call; the index barely noticed.
4. 4
   The Fed begins shrinking its balance sheetOctober 2+0.4% that day
5. 5
   Jerome Powell nominated as Fed chairNovember 2+0.2% that day
6. 6
   Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signedDecember 22+0.2% that day

   The S&P 500 rose every single month of 2017 on a total-return basis — the first time ever.

• Deepest fall -2.2% (August 1 → August 17)
• Best day +1.7% (April 24)
• Worst day -1.6% (May 17)
• $10,000 at the start of 2017 → $33,583 as of October 2, 2026 (+13.2%/yr over 9.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The MSCI World gained 7.3% in 2016 with dividends reinvested (+5.0% in price alone) — the 9th best of 13 years since 2013. URTH went from 69.60 at the close of December 31, 2015 to 73.08 on December 30, 2016, over 252 trading days (132 up, 120 down). It spent 86 of them below where it started.

1. 1
   Oil falls below $27January 20-1.3% that day

   The worst start to a year for stocks on record.
2. 2
   The year's closing low: S&P 500 at 1,829February 11-1.1% that day
3. 3
   The UK votes to leave the EUJune 23+2.2% that day

   The S&P 500 fell 3.6% the next day.
4. 4
   First record close in fourteen monthsJuly 11+0.7% that day
5. 5
   Trump electedNovember 8+0.1% that day

   Futures fell 5% overnight, then the index rallied to records within days.
6. 6
   OPEC agrees its first production cut since 2008November 30-0.2% that day
7. 7
   The Fed's second hikeDecember 14-1.0% that day

• Deepest fall -12.0% (December 31, 2015 → February 11)
• Best day +2.4% (January 22)
• Worst day -5.6% (June 24)
• $10,000 at the start of 2016 → $36,037 as of October 2, 2026 (+12.7%/yr over 10.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The MSCI World lost 0.6% in 2015 with dividends reinvested (-2.9% in price alone) — the 11th best of 13 years since 2013. URTH went from 71.66 at the close of December 31, 2014 to 69.60 on December 31, 2015, over 252 trading days (129 up, 120 down).

1. 1
   Switzerland abandons the franc's euro capJanuary 15-0.7% that day
2. 2
   The ECB announces quantitative easingJanuary 22+1.2% that day
3. 3
   S&P 500 record close of 2,131May 21+0.3% that day

   The high for the year; the index went nowhere for the next fourteen months.
4. 4
   Greece closes its banksJune 29-2.7% that day
5. 5
   China devalues the yuanAugust 11-0.6% that day
6. 6
   Black MondayAugust 24-3.8% that day

   The Dow fell 1,000 points at the open; the S&P 500 lost 3.9% and the VIX hit 53.
7. 7
   The Fed holds, citing global risksSeptember 17+0.0% that day
8. 8
   First Fed hike since 2006December 16+1.2% that day

• Deepest fall -14.8% (May 19 → September 29)
• Best day +3.0% (September 8)
• Worst day -3.8% (August 24)
• $10,000 at the start of 2015 → $35,808 as of October 2, 2026 (+11.5%/yr over 11.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The MSCI World gained 4.4% in 2014 with dividends reinvested (+2.0% in price alone) — the 10th best of 13 years since 2013. URTH went from 70.27 at the close of December 31, 2013 to 71.66 on December 31, 2014, over 252 trading days (127 up, 117 down). It spent 60 of them below where it started.

1. 1
   Russia annexes CrimeaMarch 18+0.4% that day
2. 2
   Alibaba IPOSeptember 19+0.0% that day

   The largest ever, at $25bn.
3. 3
   The Treasury flash rallyOctober 15+0.1% that day

   Stocks fell 3% intraday at the low of the year's only real correction.
4. 4
   The Fed ends QE3October 29-0.3% that day
5. 5
   OPEC declines to cut productionNovember 27-0.3% next session

   Oil, already down a third since June, kept falling.
6. 6
   Ruble crisisDecember 16-0.9% that day

   Russia's central bank hiked to 17% overnight.

• Deepest fall -9.3% (July 3 → October 16)
• Best day +2.9% (December 18)
• Worst day -2.8% (October 9)
• $10,000 at the start of 2014 → $37,374 as of October 2, 2026 (+10.9%/yr over 12.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →

The MSCI World gained 26.7% in 2013 with dividends reinvested (+25.2% in price alone) — the 2nd best of 13 years since 2013. URTH went from 56.11 at the close of December 31, 2012 to 70.27 on December 31, 2013, over 252 trading days (111 up, 97 down).

1. 1
   Fiscal-cliff deal signedJanuary 2+0.2% that day

   The S&P 500 rose 2.5%, its best day of the year.
2. 2
   First record close since 2007March 28+0.0% that day

   The S&P 500 finally passed its October 2007 high.
3. 3
   Bernanke raises the possibility of tapering QEMay 22-2.7% that day

   The “taper tantrum” in bonds began.
4. 4
   Bernanke lays out a timeline for ending QEJune 19-0.1% that day

   Stocks fell 2.5% the next day.
5. 5
   Government shutdown beginsOctober 1-0.8% that day

   Sixteen days, ended by a debt-ceiling deal on October 16.
6. 6
   The Fed announces the taperDecember 18+1.6% that day

   $10bn less a month; stocks rose 1.7% to a record.

• Deepest fall -10.8% (May 21 → June 24)
• Best day +5.4% (June 26)
• Worst day -5.1% (June 24)
• $10,000 at the start of 2013 → $47,338 as of October 2, 2026 (+12.0%/yr over 13.8 yrs) any amount, any dates →