The fastest growing stock market 2026 award goes to South Korea, and it is not close among major markets. The KOSPI is up nearly 60% this year, powered by an AI-driven memory chip shortage that sent SK Hynix and Samsung soaring.

The numbers behind the run:

  • The iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY) is up roughly 70 to 88% in 2026, depending on the month you check
  • Memory makers account for nearly half the ETF's weight
  • Earlier in the year, Nigeria briefly topped global charts on a dollar-terms rally

Concentration is the warning label. When two chip stocks are half your index, you are not buying a country. You are buying a theme with a flag on it. Themes reverse faster than countries do.

Sources: Motley Fool, MarketBeat

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