Global Stocks Enter Bear Market

With stock markets from every continent plunging (Japan most recently), it should be no surprise that MSCI’s world index has entered a bear market – dropping over 20% from its April 2015 record highs. However, as Gavekal notes, while much of the drag on global stocks is from collapsing emerging markets, the average developed market stock is down 23% in the past year.

The World enters a bear market… at a crucial level…

But as Gavekal Capital’s Eric Bush notes, the average stock in the developed world is off 23% from its 1-year high…

And is down 8% over the past year.

52% of all developed world stocks are in a bear market over the past 200-days (i.e. down 20% from the 200-day high). During the worst of the 2011 drawdown, 65% of stocks were in a bear market.

Not a single sector has avoided falling into a correction over the past year. The classic defensive sectors have once again performed better on a relative basis. The average consumer staples company is 12% off its 1-year high, the average utility company is 13% off its 1-year high, and the average telcom company is 18% of its 1-year high. 

Energy stocks continue to be the dog in the market as the average energy company is down an astounding 40% of its 1-year high. Materials (down 28%), financials (down 24%) and tech (down 24%) are following energy lower.

From a regional perspective, the drawdown has been pretty uniform. The average stock in DM Americas is off 24% from its 1-year high, the average stock in DM Asia is off 21% and the average stock in DM Europe is off 23%.

However, if one looks at the average performance over the past year, DM Asia is outshining the other region. The average stock in DM Asia is only down 1% while the average stock in DM Europe is down 9% and the average stock is down 14%. The average stock in DM Americas is down over the past year than it has been at any time since September 2009.