

The defined outcome ETF market, commonly known as buffer ETFs, has grown rapidly in popularity over the last few years, as investors look for funds that explicitly protect against downside risks. In 2022, the stock and bond markets saw a major decline.

The S&P 500's top 10 stocks now make up ~40% of the index. VEFA seeks to provide developed international exposure with an analyst sentiment tilt, which may help reduce concentration risk.

EU-based companies will be prohibited from selling Russian liquefied natural gas next year, even if buyers are located outside the EU, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Thursday.

If you put $10,000 into Schwab Fundamental International Large Company Index ETF (NYSEARCA:FNDF) on the last trading day of 2025, you were sitting on roughly $11,920 by the close on June 11, 2026, a 19.2% gain in a little over five months.

The developed market rate-hiking club is getting bigger, as the European Central Bank on Thursday joined counterparts in Australia, Norway and Japan in tightening monetary policy, while more central banks are set to follow in the coming months.

Despite continued concentration in mega-cap technology stocks, US dividend-focused strategies have generally remained competitive and historically experienced more shallow drawdowns than broader equity markets. Last year, US companies paid a record US$704.8 billion in dividends - the 15th consecutive annual record. Concurrently, dividend growth accelerated across several international markets, highlighting the continued strength of shareholder-return trends.

Every few years, the investment community rediscovers the case for international equities. A string of outperformance relative to the S&P 500 generates a wave of allocation recommendations, money flows in, and then — historically, more often than not — U.S. exceptionalism reasserts itself and the rotation reverses.

On CNBC's "Halftime Report Final Trades," Oliver Renick, the network's Options Reporter, said that while the S&P 500 has been on a 9-day winning streak, international stocks lagged last week.