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This Week's Exclusive Story
These 3 Country ETFs Are Big Beneficiaries of the Iran CeasefireAuthored by Dan Schmidt. First Published: 4/13/2026. 
Key Points
- The ceasefire in Iran has sent markets around the globe soaring once again.
- International stocks in energy-starved markets are likely to get the biggest boost in the coming weeks.
- Investors turning to international markets like Germany, South Korea, and Japan could reap the highest gains.
- Special Report: Elon Musk: This Could Turn $100 into $100,000
The tenuous ceasefire in Iran has sent the S&P 500 roaring back to life, reversing a month-long decline that put consumers and investors on edge. But the jump in U.S. stocks may have obscured the true beneficiaries: international markets that depend on energy imports. If the ceasefire leads to a resumption of normal oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, investors could see outperformance in overseas equities. Germany, South Korea, and Japan are poised to lead the way, and here’s why. Heavy Energy Import Needs Made These Nations VulnerableMarkets worldwide (outside the energy sector) took a hit when the United States launched strikes on Iran at the end of February, but the declines were not evenly distributed. While the S&P 500 lost roughly 10% in less than a month, markets in Europe and Asia fell further. The European STOXX 600 shed about 12% over the same period, the Nikkei fell nearly 15%, and South Korea’s KOSPI plunged roughly 25% during the conflict.
The Wall Street Journal is already raising the alarm about a potential market crash, and Weiss Ratings research points to the first half of 2026 as a particularly rough stretch for certain holdings.
Some of America's most popular stocks could take serious damage as a radical market shift plays out. Analysts at Weiss Ratings have identified five names you may want to remove from your portfolio before this unfolds.
If any of these are in your portfolio, now is the time to review your positions. See the 5 stocks to avoid
Europe and Asia were hit harder because of their reliance on imported energy. The United States is relatively insulated from the worst of a supply shock, but many European and Asian countries lack the domestic capacity to blunt large disruptions. These regions host major industrial economies that depend on relatively inexpensive energy imports, largely from the Persian Gulf. For example, South Korea imports more than 95% of its oil and is one of the world’s largest importers of liquefied natural gas (LNG). South Korea’s economy is driven by exports of energy-intensive products such as cars, semiconductors, and chemicals. Japan similarly imports more than 90% of its oil and is heavily export dependent. Tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remains stalled, but the prospect of reopening has sent stock indices in Europe and Asia higher at the start of April. The situation is fluid, and the ceasefire, according to the U.S. delegation, is admittedly fragile. Still, optimism is rising in these energy-starved markets, and normalization of traffic would deliver outsized benefits to the hardest-hit sectors. If the Iran conflict is truly in its final stages, Germany, South Korea, and Japan could see the biggest market upside. Rather than picking individual stocks, a practical way to play this theme is through country-specific ETFs that provide broad market exposure. Global X DAX Germany ETFThe Global X DAX Germany ETF (NASDAQ: DAX) is a solid option for exposure to German stocks thanks to a low expense ratio and a composition similar to the iShares MSCI Germany ETF (NYSE: EWG). DAX has just over $250 million in assets under management (AUM), versus EWG’s $1.38 billion. The fund’s smaller size is offset by lower costs: DAX charges a 0.20% expense ratio, less than half EWG’s 0.50%. DAX trades an average of more than 60,000 shares daily and allocates nearly 30% of its holdings to Germany’s industrial sector, which includes energy-intensive businesses such as automakers, petrochemical firms, and defense contractors. 
A bullish crossover in the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator signaled that downward momentum was turning, and the fund has rallied nearly 10% from its March 27 low. The 50-day moving average is the next key level for DAX; a sustained move above it could trigger another buying wave. Franklin FTSE South Korea ETFSouth Korean markets are heavily weighted toward technology, driven primarily by two semiconductor giants that together account for more than 40% of the major cap-weighted indices. An investment in South Korea is effectively an investment in SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (OTCMKTS: SSNLF). Broad, affordable exposure is available through the Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF (NYSE: FLKR). FLKR charges a very low 0.09% expense ratio, which is attractive for international exposure. Technology accounts for more than 47% of its holdings, with industrials representing another roughly 15%. Investors were quick to return, and the ETF has already reclaimed its 50-day moving average. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has moved back into bullish territory, suggesting the semiconductor-driven rally may be resuming. The iShares MSCI Japan ETFThe iShares MSCI Japan ETF (NYSE: EWJ) carries the highest expense ratio on this list (0.50%), but its holdings are more concentrated in technology and industrials than those of its lower-cost alternative, the Franklin FTSE Japan ETF (NYSE: FLJP). Those sectors would benefit the most from normalized oil flows, so EWJ is well positioned if traffic through the Strait resumes. Nearly 20% of the fund’s holdings are in banks, tech accounts for 18.8% and industrials for about 16.8%. You also get the liquidity of a $19.8 billion AUM fund that trades more than 10 million shares on average each day. 
Technical indicators suggest bullish momentum is returning to Japanese markets. EWJ found support at the 200-day moving average, and a bullish MACD crossover helped push the fund back above the 50-day MA. Those signals are encouraging for Japan, which has enjoyed a stock-market renaissance over the past few years. |
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