The Noise Nobody Expected
The news was truly unexpected. Not too long ago, we woke up to headlines that the U.S. had apprehended the President of Venezuela. Following this, there was a lot of noise around oil, and everything tied to it.
Frankly, that noise still prevails — and with time, we’ll obviously know more.
Here’s one thing, though, that shouldn’t be overlooked: investors are loving South American countries right now. You may not have heard this in the mainstream financial press – South America ETFs are on fire.
Peru: From Sideways to Soaring
iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF (NYSEArca: EPU) tracks the performance of Peruvian stocks.
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com
Between 2011 and 2014, EPU traded relatively flat, moving sideways. However, since early 2024, it has found wings. The ETF has climbed from roughly $30 in early 2024 to around $90 today — an increase of about 200% in roughly two years.
Chile Is Catching a Bid
Now take a look at iShares MSCI Chile ETF (CBOE: ECH).
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com
Chile — a country investors didn’t love for a long time — is catching a bid. Between 2010 and 2024, ECH trended lower. Since early 2025, however, it has shown signs of life.
ECH has broken out of a long, painful downtrend and currently trades at its highest level since around 2013.
Brazil: A Healthier Trend Emerges
Looking at the chart of iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (NYSEArca: EWZ), it’s clear Brazilian stocks are becoming investor favorites.
EWZ has seen its fair share of volatility over the years, and for a long time the trend pointed lower. Now, the chart looks much healthier. EWZ has broken out of its downtrend.
That naturally raises the question: if momentum continues, could Brazilian stocks see all-time highs again?
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com
Colombia: Quiet Strength
Global X MSCI Colombia ETF (NYSEArca: COLO) is something that shouldn’t be ignored either.
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com
If you bought COLO back in 2014 and sold in late 2024, you’d probably be kicking yourself looking at the chart today.
Colombia has been making headlines — but rarely for how well its stock market has performed. Between early 2025 and now, COLO has doubled in value, if not a little more.
Why South America ETFs?
So why talk about South America ETFs at all?
While everyone was focused on what President Trump might do, tariff noise, and other political fiascos, investors were quietly buying stocks across South American markets — and they did well.
Are these good stocks to buy or sell right now? This is not a recommendation to buy or sell. But there’s clearly momentum here, along with solid volume — a sign of real excitement. That said, there’s also a lot of noise in the market. And if there’s one thing we know, it’s that things can turn in an instant. These chart could look a lot different if something adverse follows.
For investors who believe these ETFs will continue to perform, the wisest approach may be risk management: using stops and ensuring portfolio allocations stay in check.
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