On interrelations of recurrences and connectivity trends between stock indices

► We analyze connections between nine stock indices spread worldwide. ► We extend the correlation of probability of recurrence (CPR), a recurrence-based measure, to estimate the connectivities reliably. ► We find cycles of strong-weak connections, but not ever-increasing connectivity. ► Time-shifted markets show high connectivity around the dot-com bubble. ► Our method is robust to noise, short data sets, and low sampling frequency.