London (Reuters) – The year 2023 is poised to be remembered as one of the most extraordinary in financial markets, characterized by unexpected resilience amid turbulence and the debunking of numerous predictions.

Despite facing the highest interest rates in decades and the collapse of Credit Suisse, along with other smaller banks, global stocks have surged by nearly 20%. Unforeseen events, such as a U.S. regional banking crisis and the demise of Credit Suisse, did not deter the remarkable performance of risk assets.

Cryptocurrency Bitcoin experienced a 150% surge, while some previously distressed emerging market bonds achieved triple-digit gains. Notably, the seven leading tech giants saw their shares surge by 99% throughout the year.

Andrew Balls, CIO for Global Fixed Income at PIMCO, commented, “If you’d told me at the start of the year that we would have a U.S. regional banking crisis and Credit Suisse would cease to exist, then I’m not sure we would have guessed that we would see the year we’ve had for risk assets.”

Despite the volatility, top government bonds have yielded returns between 3.5% and 6.5%, contributing to a $10 trillion rally in world stocks. However, the market has experienced significant fluctuations, with Meta and Tesla soaring by 190% and 105%, respectively.

The Nasdaq is on track for its strongest year in two decades, driven by increasing demand for semiconductor chips in the artificial intelligence sector, propelling Nvidia into the $1 trillion club with a 240% surge.

The financial journey has been marked by unexpected events, including the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the rescue of Credit Suisse in March, resulting in a slide in world shares. This prompted a surge in demand for safe-haven assets, such as gold, which rose by 7%, and a notable drop in U.S. and European government bond yields.

While geopolitical tensions, like Hamas’ attacks in Israel, added to the summer market uncertainties, the forex markets have seen minimal movements in major currencies. The dollar is down only 1% on the year, while the yen and yuan faced declines of 9% and 3.5%, respectively.

Emerging markets displayed notable volatility, with Turkey’s lira plunging by 35%, while Egypt, Nigeria, and Argentina experienced currency devaluations ranging from 20% to 45%. On the positive side, Colombia and Mexico’s pesos surged by 23% and 14%, respectively.

Looking ahead to 2024, over 50 major elections, including those in the United States, Taiwan, India, Mexico, Russia, and potentially Britain, are scheduled. The political landscape is expected to contribute to ongoing market fluctuations.

As Elyas Galou, a strategist at BofA, noted, “This is an era of boom and bust. We are not out of the woods.” The financial markets, despite their unpredictable nature, have demonstrated remarkable resilience and an ability to defy expectations throughout the unprecedented events of 2023.