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 Oil futures fell sharply on Tuesday, with U.S. prices below the $100-a-barrel mark - at their lowest in more than two months, pressured by strength in the U.S. dollar and concerns over a possible recession that would hurt energy demand. WTI oil's fall was "inevitable as the market rebalances after fears of sanctions give way to the realities of Russian sales to new buyers in Asia, and the impact of high prices on demand and the economy become increasingly apparent," said Michael Lynch, president at Strategic Energy & Economic Research. West Texas Intermediate crude for August delivery fell $8.93, or 8.2%, to settle at $99.50 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the lowest front-month finish since April, according to Dow Jones Market Data.
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Inflation has been the dominant theme in investing across 2022 - and that goes well beyond domestic equities. Consumer prices have rapidly risen around the world, and even Wall Street's best emerging markets funds have felt the pinch.
"Many emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) have recently been experiencing an unpleasant combination of elevated inflation and rising borrowing costs," says the Brookings Institute, which points out that March's 8.5% in emerging markets consumer prices was the highest level since 2008.
Regardless, emerging markets stocks can be a smart diversification tool, providing growth potential greater than that of the U.S. and other developed markets. Just keep in mind that expecting quick gains from EMs - especially amid historic highs for inflation and mounting economic uncertainty - could be a recipe for disappointment. Emerging markets also are known for their instability, with performance often coming in fits and starts.
That said, over time, investing in emerging markets funds can, over time, provide differentiated returns. Thus, now - while EMs are down - might be a good time for patient investors to build their positions.
Here, we look at some of the best emerging markets mutual funds you can buy. This list is a combination of index and actively managed mutual funds, so every investor should be able to find something that fits their preferences.
SEE MORE 2022's Best Mutual Funds in 401(k) Retirement Plans
Data is as of July 4. Dividend yields represent the trailing 12-month yield, which is a standard m
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The first session of the holiday-shortened week was a wild one, as a deep Tuesday morning dip evolved into a severely split market featuring pockets of red and green alike.
On one side, you had big dips in economically sensitive sectors. Energy (-4.0%) fared the worst thanks to a drastic decline in U.S. crude oil futures, which plunged 8.2% to $99.50 - the commodity's lowest finish in more than two months.
SEE MORE The 10 Best Stocks for a Bear Market
"This move came on the back of an ever-increasing number of economic indicators (Goldman Sachs US Financial Conditions Index, Citi US Economic Surprise Index, ISM orders) now pointing to sustained weakening of financial conditions as well as Street expectations," says Michael Reinking, senior market strategist for the New York Stock Exchange.
Also weighing on oil was a strengthening U.S. dollar, which closed the session at a 19-year high. (Remember: Oil is priced in U.S. dollars, so a strong dollar will weigh on oil prices, and vice versa.) The aforementioned worries of weakness hampered other sectors, too, including materials (-2.0%) and industrials (-1.5%).
"Shifting to a more near-term view, with commodity prices coming a bit back down to reality, some investors may view this as a welcome sign that inflation is beginning to cool - the main driver of recent volatility," adds Chris Larkin, managing director of trading for E*Trade.
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However, other parts of the market - namely, those pinned to the ground by rising interest rates - came off the mat as rec
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Investors don't want to buy fintech stocks.
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