Stock market just had worst 10 years in history
Posted on: April 1, 2009
Out of curiosity, I took the S&P 500 annual return data since 1926, calculated the index’s moving 10-year returns and produced the chart below. Two things are worth noting:
1. The 10 years ending 2008 are the worst ever for the index, with a total return of -13%.
2. The S&P 500’s 10-year return dynamic seems to follow a periodic pattern. The second worst 10-year period ended in 1938 (-9%); and the third worst 10-year period ended in 1974 (13%）, almost right in the middle of 1938 and 2008. Serendipity?
The market is in a trough. A chart can not predict the future, but if it can, things can only get better from here.
S&P 500 10-year return dynamic
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5 Responses to "Stock market just had worst 10 years in history"
April 2, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Paul,
Thx for the link. The NYT chart uses a monthly data grid and I used a annual data grid. Otherwise, the result is the same.
Michael
April 15, 2009 at 8:15 am
I thought the S&P500 only came into being in the 1950s, and thus did not exist during the Great Depression?
December 16, 2011 at 6:44 am
can you please provide the link for daily OCLH since Jan 2001 of the major world indices.
The Investment Scientist 
April 2, 2009 at 8:37 pm
S&P 500 10 year return data is also available here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/07/business/07charts.html .