Emerging Markets 2026: The Next Phase of Global Rebalancing
Emerging markets enter 2026 with stronger fundamentals, supportive macro trends, and rising global influence, which could position them to lead the next phase of global rebalancing.
Investments
Active management across a wide range of funds, including global equity, U.S. growth and core equity, U.S. value equity, and emerging markets debt.
Search for a Fund
Investments
Active management across a wide range of funds, including global equity, U.S. growth and core equity, U.S. value equity, and emerging markets debt.
Search for a Fund
Investments
Active management across a wide range of funds, including global equity, U.S. growth and core equity, U.S. value equity, and emerging markets debt.
Investments
Active management across a wide range of funds, including global equity, U.S. growth and core equity, U.S. value equity, and emerging markets debt.
Featured Funds
WBSIX
View Fund:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/mutual-funds/wbsix-small-cap-growth-fund
LCGFX
View Fund:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/mutual-funds/lcgfx-large-cap-growth-fund
WILIX
View Fund:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/mutual-funds/wilix-international-leaders-fund
WBEIX
View Fund:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/mutual-funds/wbeix-emerging-markets-growth-fund
BESIX
View Fund:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/mutual-funds/besix-emerging-markets-small-cap-growth-fund
WEDIX
View Fund:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/mutual-funds/wedix-emerging-markets-debt-fund
Featured Funds
LU2093691256
View Fund:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/sicav-funds/lu2093691256-emerging-markets-debt-hard-currency-fund
LU2879845290
View Fund:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/sicav-funds/lu2879845290-emerging-markets-frontier-debt-fund
LU0995405320
View Fund:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/sicav-funds/lu0995405320-emerging-markets-growth-fund
LU1397782274
View Fund:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/sicav-funds/lu1397782274-emerging-markets-small-cap-growth-fund
LU0995404943
View Fund:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/sicav-funds/lu0995404943-us-small-mid-cap-growth-fund
LU2511384518
View Fund:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/sicav-funds/lu2511384518-us-large-cap-growth-fund
Resources for Financial Professionals
EM Equity Outlook 2026: From Rebound to Rotation
Emerging markets equities may provide an efficient gateway to global secular themes such as AI, power infrastructure investment, healthcare innovation, changing consumer patterns, and manufacturing upgrades.
Value Amid Uncertainty
Members of our U.S. value equity team discuss how exploring under-covered, cyclical, and controversial areas of the market—often during periods of stress or transition—can create alpha-generating opportunities for patient, experienced investors.
Resources for Financial Professionals
EM Debt Outlook 2026: Momentum Continues
We believe emerging markets debt is positioned for another solid year in 2026, with risks from U.S. policy, trade tensions, and geopolitics expected to remain contained.
Why Consider Frontier Markets Debt?
Frontier markets—a subset of emerging markets—offer debt investors value both on a standalone basis or as part of a diversified portfolio. Here are five reasons why.
Investments
Active management across a wide range of funds, including global equity, U.S. growth and core equity, U.S. value equity, and emerging markets debt.
Search for a Strategy
Investments
Active management across a wide range of funds, including global equity, U.S. growth and core equity, U.S. value equity, and emerging markets debt.
Search for a Strategy
Investments
Active management across a wide range of funds, including global equity, U.S. growth and core equity, U.S. value equity, and emerging markets debt.
Search for a Strategy
Featured Strategies
View Strategy:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/separate-accounts/large-cap-growth
View Strategy:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/separate-accounts/small-mid-cap-growth
View Strategy:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/separate-accounts/emerging-markets-growth
View Strategy:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/separate-accounts/emerging-markets-ex-china-growth
View Strategy:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/separate-accounts/emerging-markets-debt-hard-currency
View Strategy:
https://im.williamblair.com/investments/separate-accounts/emerging-markets-debt
Resources for Institutional Investors
EM Equity Outlook 2026: From Rebound to Rotation
Emerging markets enter 2026 having moved beyond a simple rebound and into a broader rotation of leadership, quality, and opportunity.
Who We Are
As a trusted partner, we serve consultants, foundations and endowments, public funds, corporations, Taft-Hartley plans, financial institutions, and financial advisors.
Resources for Institutional Investors
EM Debt Outlook 2026: Momentum Continues
Emerging markets debt enters 2026 with its momentum intact, supported by the same forces that powered a strong 2025.
Emerging Markets Debt: 3 Ways We Are Differentiated
Our emerging markets debt team leverages a distinct approach, dynamic mindset, and diverse expertise to pursue stronger portfolio outcomes for clients.
Sustainable Investing
As an active manager whose heritage is built on rigorous, fundamental analysis, environmental, social, and governance considerations have long informed our investment decisions.
AT A GLANCE
$72.3 billion
total assets under management1
31% of our AUM
is from clients with multiple strategies
28 of 85
portfolio managers/analysts are partners
30
countries in which we have clients
26 years
average industry experience for portfolio managers
9.8 years
average client tenure
All data as of 12/31/2025
1 Total assets and total strategy assets are inclusive of total discretionary assets under management (AUM) as well as non-discretionary assets under advisement (AUA), as indicated. AUA generally consists of non-discretionary advisory assets managed by third parties in accordance with investment model portfolios provided by William Blair Investment Management, LLC (William Blair). William Blair receives an asset-based fee on AUA but does not exercise investment discretion or trading authority over such assets. All AUA data is reported on a one-month lag.
William Blair’s measure of AUM/AUA for these purposes may differ from the calculations employed by other investment managers and, as a result, may not be directly comparable. This measure also differs from the manner in which William Blair is required to report assets under management in certain regulatory filings.
In the News
View all media mentionsYvette Babb on CNBC Africa: The EMD Outlook for 2026
Emerging markets debt is regaining investor attention. Portfolio Manager Yvette Babb on our emerging markets debt team joined CNBC Africa to break down what’s changing, and what matters, heading into 2026. With trade dynamics shifting and a softer dollar in the mix, she shares where the team is finding value, from local rates to reform-led stories, with fundamentals and transparency front and center.
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