Emerging, Developed Markets Stayed Positive in November

A Standard & Poor’s news release said its global stock market review, The World By Numbers, found that emerging markets gained 7.96% in November, while developed markets rose 2.75% for the month.Developed market returns continued to trail emerging markets for both the quarter and the latest one-year period, S&P found.

In November, 26 of the 27 developed markets posted gains with an average advance of 4.65%, S&P said.Iceland was the sole decliner, falling 4.49%.Meanwhile, the emerging markets had mixed results, with 19 markets up, averaging an 8.03% gain, and seven markets declining, with an average loss of 4.53%.

For the month, impressive returns were posted by Russia (10.58% from 1.91% in October), China (11.53% from 6.64%), and Taiwan (10.81% from 1.33%).Jordan, however, had posted a slight gain of 1.34% last month but reverted back in November to show a 7.95% loss, resulting in a 12-month giveback of 41.75%.

All 10 sectors showed gains, with Energy as the best performer in November, gaining 6.29%.Health Care managed a slim 0.45% gain, with much of the pressure coming from theUS; Ex-U.S. Health Care was up 1.23%, the S&P news release said.

“Oil prices rebounded from its October close of $58.73 to close at $63.16.Speculation on how consumers might use this “extra’ money ranges from increased holiday spending to viewing the low price as a short-term event due to the volatility of oil prices and not spending,” said Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at Standard & Poor’s, in the news release.“Also influencing markets were currency concerns over the weakness of the dollar. The Euro moved up closer to its historical high of 1.36 vs. the US dollar, and the Pound neared the $2.00US mark for the first time in 14 years.”

The full S&P/Citigroup World by Numbers Report for November is at www.standardandpoors.com.