15 Best Performing Stock Markets in 2009 (local currency terms)*

1)      Argentina +118%

2)      Turkey  +103%

3)      Brazil  +88.4%

4)      China (SSEA) +78.5%

5)      Singapore +66.4%

6)      Thailand + 63.5%

7)      Venezuela + 55.8%

8)      Hong Kong + 55.8%

9)      Mexico + 46.7%

10)  Australia + 35.2%

11)  Germany + 25.4%

12)  France + 24.9%

13)  Britain + 24.7%

14)  Japan (Nikkei 225) +21.1%

15)  U.S. (Dow Jones) +20.5%

Best performer in the Dow Jones Industrial Average for 2009; American Express, whose shares notched up a gain of 118% last year.

*Source: The Economist