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Geopolitical calendar

Last year was a reminder of the interconnection between politics and markets. Many investors use ETFs for an efficient, flexible way to express a market view on a political event. Increasingly, investors are also using ETF options - both to express views and gauge market sentiment ahead of and during political events. With a full political calendar planned in 2019, consider watching ETF and ETF options activity to provide insight into market sentiment.

2019 geopolitical calendar

Date Country/Region Event Related iShares ETFs
First quarter
January U.K. Parliment vote on Brexit EWU† HEWU
1/23 Japan Bank of Japan Meeting* EWJ† HEWJ†
1/24 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
1/30 USA Federal Reserve Meeting IVV†  
3/1 USA/China Potential end of 90-day trade war truce between US and China MCHI† CNYA†
3/7 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
3/20 USA Federal Reserve Meeting IVV†  
3/24 Thailand General Election THD†
3/29 U.K. Scheduled date for U.K. departure from the EU EWU† HEWU
Second quarter
4/10 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
4/17 Indonesia General Election EIDO†
4/25 Japan Bank of Japan Meeting* EWJ† HEWJ†
5/1 USA Federal Reserve Meeting IVV†  
April-May India General Election INDA† SMIN
May South Africa General Election EZA†
5/13 Philippines General Election EPHE†
5/14 Emerging Markets Announcement date: MSCI semi-annual index review (countries in focus: Saudi Arabia, Argentina, China) KSA† CNYA
By 5/18 Australia Federal Election EWA†
5/23 Eurozone European Parliament Election EZU† HEZU†
5/26 Belgium Parliamentary and Regional Election EWK†
6/3 Emerging Markets Effective date: MSCI semi-annual index review (countries in focus: Saudi Arabia, Argentina, China) KSA† CNYA
6/6 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
6/17 Denmark Parliamentary elections EDEN  
6/19 USA Federal Reserve Meeting IVV†  
6/28 G20 G20 Summit in Osaka EWJ† MCHI†
Third quarter
7/25 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
7/30 Japan Bank of Japan Meeting* EWJ† HEWJ†
7/31 USA Federal Reserve Meeting* IVV†  
8/12 Emerging Markets Announcement date: MSCI quarterly index review (country in focus: Saudi Arabia, China) KSA† CNYA
8/25 G7 G7 summit in France EWJ† EWG†
9/2 Emerging Markets Announcement date: MSCI semi-annual index review (countries in focus: Saudi Arabia, Argentina, China) KSA† CNYA
9/12 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
9/18 USA Federal Reserve Meeting IVV†  
Fourth quarter
October Japan Consumption Tax Hike to 10% EWJ† HEWJ†
10/21 Canada Federal Election (deadline) EWC† HEWC
10/24 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
10/27 Argentina General election AGT
10/30 USA Federal Reserve Meeting IVV†  
10/31 Japan Bank of Japan Meeting* EWJ† HEWJ†
10/31 Eurozone End of Term for Key European Union Leaders: Draghi, Junker, Tusk EZU† HEZU†
November Poland Parliamentary elections EPOL
11/5 Israel Parliamentary elections EIS†  
12/11 USA Federal Reserve Meeting IVV†  
12/12 Eurozone European Central Bank Meeting* EZU† HEZU†
12/20 Switzerland Parliamentary elections EWL† HEWL

* ECB meetings shown are those accompanied by press conferences. The BoJ events shown are followed by the publication of the central bank’s outlook report.
† Funds with listed options available as of 12/31/18.
Dates reflected are as of 12/31/18 and are subject to change.

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