The race to deliver the jab to the world’s populations has so far been led by a handful of smaller nations, and now they’re outpacing some of the wealthiest countries in the eyes of traders too.
The fastest Covid-19 vaccination rollouts globally, in Israel and the United Arab Emirates, are propelling their stocks to some of the world’s top gains. Israel’s benchmark index has advanced 7.6% this year, outperforming both the S&P 500 and the Euro Stoxx Index. It ranks 12th among major equity gauges. Meantime, the Dubai Financial Market General Index has climbed 9%, all but reversing its 10% slump in 2020 and handing investors the sixth-best returns year to date. The Abu Dhabi Securities Market General Index is the world’s third-best performer.
