Selling a poor performer, whether a stock or mutual fund, can often be surprisingly difficult.

FORBES: Should You Sell That Mutual Fund? Steps To Consider

As you can see, Russia hardly stands out for being a uniquely poor performer.

FORBES: Russia's Population Decline in Regional Perspective

Another poor performer was Tokyo's Nikkei index, which closed with a 27.2% loss on the year - and a massive 34% drop from the highs reached in March.

BBC: Stock markets see red over 2000

It was the strongest performer on the Standard Poor's 500-stock index on Tuesday, and has gained 95% this year.

WSJ: Dow Reaches 4-Year High