Emerging Markets (EM) enter 2026 on the heels of an exceptional 2025 — a year defined by strong total returns and resilient fundamentals despite global volatility. The EMBI Global Diversified returned 14.3%, the GBI-EM Global Diversified returned 19.3%, and the CEMBI Broad Diversified returned 8.7%.
It has often been said that success and happiness lie within the journey rather than at the destination. For small cap investors, 2025 was a turbulent and twisting ride whose volatile journey fortunately ended with a successful outcome. After the 2024 Presidential election, equity markets rallied as many investors assumed the new administration’s focus on lower regulation and taxes would be beneficial to growth. Underlying economic activity was supportive of this conclusion, driven by consistent employment growth, better inflation trends and increased consumer activity.