Vanguard S&P 500 ETF’s 8.7% Gain Trails Japan ETFs, Nvidia Adds 1.5 Points
VOO•Vanguard S&P 500 ETF is up 8.7% YTD, underperforming Japan’s EWJ which climbed 24% YTD and returned 41% over 12 months as yen weakness penalizes unhedged funds. Nvidia, representing 8.5% of VOO, added 1.5 percentage points to the S&P’s 8.6% YTD gain ahead of its fiscal Q1 report.
1. Japan ETF Outperformance and Currency Impact
Japan’s Nikkei 225 has surged 24% year to date, with the iShares MSCI Japan ETF returning 41% over the past 12 months compared to Vanguard S&P 500 ETF’s 8.7% gain. Unhedged funds lost ground as the yen weakened to around 158 per dollar, while the currency-hedged DXJ returned nearly 46%.
2. Nvidia’s Weight and Market Influence
Nvidia accounts for 8.5% of Vanguard S&P 500 ETF and has contributed 1.5 percentage points to the S&P 500’s 8.6% year-to-date gain. Analysts look for $1.78 EPS on $79 billion in Q1 revenue and guidance near $87.2 billion for Q2, making this report key for broader AI-driven market momentum.
