Global markets diverge, which could be a good sign

As the G-20 summit concluded with a coordinated stimulus plan to the satisfaction of many, it's interesting to see the impact 2009 has had so far on global markets. While in late 2008 the sharp declines hit most markets with the only difference being how sharp the declines were, so far in 2009 global markets have begun diverging.

In the first quarter, if we look at world markets in U.S. dollars, 12 markets have had positive returns, with five of them in the double digits. The five are Chile, Russia, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and Pakistan. To compare, U.S. markets recorded double-digit declines during the same quarter. Why are markets diverging now?