Major Asset Classes | October 2025 | Performance Review

US stocks topped returns for the major asset classes in October, regaining the leadership position for the first time in five months, based on a set of ETFs.

The Vanguard Total US Stock Market Index Fund ETF (VTI) rose 2.2% last month, marking the sixth straight monthly gain. Foreign stocks in developed (VEA) and emerging markets (VWO) followed up with the second- and third-best rallies, respectively, in October.

Last month losers were concentrated in real estate, US junk and foreign bonds. The deepest setback: US real estate investment trusts (VNQ), which fell 2.5%.

For year-to-date results, foreign stocks in developed (VEA) and emerging (VWO) markets are still leading by a wide margin.

All the major asset classes are posting gains this year – US property (VNQ) is the weakest performer, rising a relatively modest 3.1%.

The Global Market Index (GMI) extended its streak of monthly gains in October, rising 1.7%. The advance marks the seventh straight monthly increase. Year to date, GMI is up a strong 17.6%, well above its long-run performance.

GMI is an unmanaged benchmark (maintained by CapitalSpectator.com) that holds all the major asset classes (except cash) in market-value weights via ETFs and represents a competitive benchmark for globally diversified multi-asset-class portfolio strategies.