US Blue-Chip Stock Indices Outperform European Counterparts Across Time Horizons, New APME FX Study Shows
Limassol, Cyprus, May 19th, 2026, FinanceWire
A comprehensive study conducted by APME FX examining the performance of major US stock indices against their European counterparts reveals a clear victory for US equities. By comparing the established benchmarks for blue-chip stocks on both sides of the Atlantic over 1-, 3-, and 5-year horizons, analysts concluded that the United States has swept the competition in a definitive 3–0 performance.
The study evaluated the US S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), and Nasdaq 100 against Europe’s Euro Stoxx 50, DAX, and FTSE 100. Across every analyzed timeframe, US markets demonstrated superior growth, driven largely by massive gains in the technology sector. See the report of the study.
Key Study Highlights:
- Nasdaq 100 Takes the Ultimate Trophy: The Nasdaq 100 emerged as the single highest performer of all analyzed indices, securing the top spot for relative growth across all time horizons. As of May 1st, 2026, the index reached 27,710.36 points, marking a 38.78% year-on-year increase and a staggering near-110% (+108.99%) increase over three years. Its performance is heavily influenced by chipmaker Nvidia (12.88% weight) and Apple (10.98% weight), the only two companies in the index carrying double-digit weightings.
- S&P 500 Dominates European Field: Sitting comfortably in second place overall, the S&P 500 outperformed every single European index across all short- and long-term periods. Reaching 7,230.12 points as of May 1st, 2026, the broad-based benchmark recorded a 29.01% year-on-year gain and a 73.30% three-year increase. This growth occurred despite notable volatility, including the global market decay of 2022, a temporary drop when Donald Trump stepped into his second presidential mandate, and a slight first-quarter drop in 2026 following US involvement in a military attack on Iran.
- Dow Jones Maintains Steady Growth: The price-weighted DJIA reached 49,499.27 points as of May 1st, 2026, logging a 21.46% 1-year gain and a 51.09% 3-year gain. Investment bank Goldman Sachs currently holds the largest individual weight in the index at 11.10%.
- Mixed Results Across Europe: From the European perspective, the UK’s FTSE 100 was the standout short-term performer, yielding a 21.97% gain over the 1-year horizon. However, for medium- to long-term horizons (3 and 5 years), Germany’s DAX proved to be the best European option, posting gains of 52.57% and 57.75% respectively. Conversely, the Euro Stoxx 50—led heavily by Dutch tech giant ASML Holding (8.47%)—saw more modest relative 1-year growth at 11.33%.
- Geopolitical and Global Impacts: While most indices were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 market decay, the FTSE 100 recovered remarkably fast from the 2022 slide. However, like the US markets, the FTSE 100 suffered a noticeable decline at the beginning of 2026 due to the geopolitical shock of the US attack on Iran.
Performance Comparison Table
The following data compiled by APME FX outlines the clear disparity in percentage gains between the US and European blue-chip indices: 
Source: APME FX internal calculations based on stock indices data acquired from the Financial Times and Google.
Risk vs. Reward
The APME FX study concludes with an important note on risk. Though the US indices have drastically outpaced European benchmarks in terms of sheer yield, analysts present the hypothesis that US stocks may carry a higher level of inherent risk. Ultimately, the study reiterates that broad diversification across these markets remains the absolute best approach for investors looking to minimize overall investment risk.
Prepared by Peter Svoreň, CEO of Apme FX Trading Europe Ltd.
About Apme FX Trading Europe Ltd.
APME FX TRADING EUROPE LTD. is a fully licensed and regulated brokerage company operating under the supervision of the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySec).APME FX TRADING EUROPE LTD is regulated and supervised by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission with CIF Licence number 335/17 with a registered address Lophitis Business Center, Office 404, 4th Floor, 28 October Ave 249, Limassol 3035, Cyprus.
Contact
SvorenPeter
Apme FX Trading Europe Ltd.
info@apmefx.com
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