Yusra3
VIP Contributor
Historically, stocks have outperformed other investments over the long term. For example, from 1926 to 2016, large company stocks averaged an annual return of 10%, while government bonds averaged 5% and inflation averaged 3%. Over longer periods of time, stocks have produced even higher returns. For instance, from 1802 to 2002, U.S. stocks returned an average of 6.8% per year after inflation, while government bonds returned an average of just 2.1%.
Stocks are a way to build wealth
While there’s always a risk that stock prices could fall in the short term, over the long term they have consistently increased in value. This has allowed investors to build wealth over time by reinvesting their dividends and capital gains back into the market. In fact, since 1950 the stock market has generated positive returns in 29 out of 30 years (with an average annual return of 11%).
Stocks are a hedge against inflation
Investing in stocks can also help protect your purchasing power from inflation over time. While the prices of goods and services increase as the cost of living goes up, so do stock prices (assuming earnings growth doesn’t offset this). From 1950 to 2016, for example, U.S. stocks averaged an annual return of 11% after inflation, while consumer prices only increased by about 3% per year on average during that same period.
Stocks are a way to build wealth
While there’s always a risk that stock prices could fall in the short term, over the long term they have consistently increased in value. This has allowed investors to build wealth over time by reinvesting their dividends and capital gains back into the market. In fact, since 1950 the stock market has generated positive returns in 29 out of 30 years (with an average annual return of 11%).
Stocks are a hedge against inflation
Investing in stocks can also help protect your purchasing power from inflation over time. While the prices of goods and services increase as the cost of living goes up, so do stock prices (assuming earnings growth doesn’t offset this). From 1950 to 2016, for example, U.S. stocks averaged an annual return of 11% after inflation, while consumer prices only increased by about 3% per year on average during that same period.