At $14 trillion, the U.S. market represented about 44% of the world's $32 trillion in stock-market value at the end of August 2008

asr: Wow US stock market represents close to half of world in terms of value ( market cap)
At $14 trillion, the U.S. market represented about 44% of the world's $32 trillion in stock-market value at the end of August, according to Russell Indexes. But that means the rest of the world's markets combined eclipse the U.S. stock market. And Winters -- whose fund does own stock in Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRKA) -- is of the mind that the best investment opportunities are outside the U.S.

Indeed, after several years of standout performance, international stocks have taken a much tougher drubbing this year so far than their U.S. counterparts. The average world-stock mutual fund lost almost 19% through August 2008, versus a 10% decline for diversified U.S. funds, according to fund researcher Lipper Inc. The downturn abroad, particularly in Europe, may have been one reason that Buffett -- the quintessential bargain buyer -- took a European "shopping tour" in May.