iShares MSCI Japan ETF·Financial Services

Throughout 2025, the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF ( NYSE: VOO ) has performed well over the past 12 months at +29%, but Q1 2026 has been a struggle: at the time of this writing, it is -3.54% , year-to-date.

Ascent Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF (NYSEARCA:EWJ) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 31,149 shares of the exchange traded fund's stock, valued at approximately $2,515,000.

Japan's equity market, represented by EWJ, faces headwinds from energy shocks, a weak yen, and limited fiscal space despite recent investor enthusiasm. EWJ's sector exposure is vulnerable, with heavy weights in industrials and financials, while more resilient sectors have minimal representation. Valuation for EWJ at ~19x P/E is not excessive versus global peers but is above its own 10-year average and reflects sector mix differences.

Japan's prime minister in a tough spot going into her meeting with President Donald Trump, Desmond Lachman writes in a guest commentary.

I view the iShares MSCI Japan ETF as a buy after its recent 8% drop, driven by fears of Middle Eastern oil disruptions. Japan's strategic oil reserves, among the largest in the developed world, provide a critical buffer for several months against supply shocks. Short-term pain in gasoline and petrochemical prices is likely, but I expect a rapid rebound in EWJ once oil flows resume.

Providing investors with access to the Japanese stock market in a single trade, the iShares MSCI Japan ETF (NYSEARCA:EWJ) was one of the best-performing developed-market funds through early 2026, riding political optimism traders dubbed the "Takaichi trade." That run has hit a wall. EWJ is down 9% over the past month, even as it holds... Japan's Best ETF Trade of 2026 Is Down 9% in a Month and Oil Is Just Getting Started.
The iShares MSCI Japan ETF seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of Japanese equities.
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