Does a Stock Market Downturn Lead to a Down Year?
Stock market declines over a short-time period may lead investors to anticipate a down year. But as the chart below shows, the US stock market had positive returns in 17 of the past 20 calendar years, despite some notable dips in many of those years.
US Market Intra-Year Declines vs Calendar Year Returns, Jan. 2002 - Dec. 20211
- Intra-year declines for the index ranged from 3% to 49%.
- Many years with large intra-year declines saw positive annual returns. In 17 of the last 20 years, US stocks ended up with gains for the year.
- Even in 2020, when there were sharp market declines associated with the coronavirus pandemic, US stocks ended the year with gains of 21%.
Volatility is a normal part of investing. Tumbles may be scary, but they shouldn’t be surprising. A long-term focus can help investors keep perspective.
David Rappaport, CFP®
David is the Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Rappaport Reiches Capital Management. He acts as personal CFO to entrepreneurs and corporate executives, providing organization and clarity in their finances. Please connect with David below. He loves to talk about investing, financial planning, and Aspiritech, a non-profit hiring individuals on the autism spectrum.