The best and worst performers in the first half of 2026

The article reviews first-half 2026 market winners and losers across major asset classes. On the winners’ side, South Korea’s KOSPI led global markets with a 100% gain, driven by the AI and memory-chip rally, while Taiwan’s TAIEX rose 59% and Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained over 39%. U.S. equities also held up, with the Nasdaq up 13% and the S&P 500 up 9.5%, though June saw sharp weakness in big tech and the Magnificent Seven. Commodities were mixed: WTI crude still rose more than 20% despite a steep pullback from March highs, while gold, silver, platinum and palladium lagged badly as the outlook shifted more hawkish and the US-Iran conflict altered market expectations. Bitcoin was one of the worst performers, falling 33% and suffering record June ETF outflows. The article also highlights major FX moves, including a very weak Japanese yen and a sharply weaker Indonesian rupiah amid capital flight and index concerns.