27 Global Stock Markets in Bear Territory, US Not Among Them

A widely shared post on X (formerly Twitter) claimed that stock indexes in 42 nations had entered bear territory. BeInCrypto verified each index against its all-time high, finding 27 confirmed. The United States does not appear on that list.

A bear market is defined as a decline of at least 20% from a peak. Just seven of the 27 reached that peak this year. Eleven remain underneath peaks set between 1999 and 2008.

Which Markets Have Slipped Into Bear Territory This Year?

Japan joined the bear market this week. The Nikkei 225 dropped 6% on Friday, closing at 57,434.77, which is 21.1% below its record from June 22.

The KOSPI in South Korea sits 46.1% below its June peak. On Friday it fell under 5,000, triggering a 20-minute trading halt. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix represent roughly half the index.

Rounding out the 2026 group are Indonesia, Turkey, Brazil, Taiwan, and Venezuela.

On Thursday, the Nasdaq Composite dropped 5.52% while a major semiconductor index fell more than 12%. Market participants worried that Democratic victories in the midterms might delay the AI data center buildout.

“This feels like the capitulation phase for the data center capex beneficiary stocks, especially the semiconductors,” Jed Ellerbroek, portfolio manager at Argent Capital Management, told Reuters.

How Near Is Wall Street to Bear Territory?

The Nasdaq finished at 24,315, roughly 12% under its October 6 all-time high. That qualifies as a correction for the Nasdaq, not a bear market. A further decline of 9% would bring it to bear territory.

The S&P 500 stands roughly 6% beneath its peak, requiring an additional drop of about 15% to enter bear market territory.

“Absolutely wild,” analysts at Coin Bureau noted.

Why the Majority of the 27 Indices Are Unrelated to This Week's Moves

Cyprus and Iceland are still more than 75% down from their 2007 highs. Greece remains nearly 60% below its 1999 peak.

Portugal illustrates the discrepancy. The PSI index has gained roughly 13% over the last twelve months, per market data. Yet it remains 37% under its March 2000 record.

The viral post also featured Jordan, whose index stands 19.8% below its record. BeInCrypto was unable to confirm 15 other claims.