GITNUXREPORT 2026

Investing Statistics

Long-term stock market investing has historically rewarded patient investors despite periods of volatility.

Min-ji Park

Research Analyst focused on sustainability and consumer trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

Global REIT index returned 9.2% annually from 2000-2023.

Statistic 2

U.S. commercial real estate cap rates average 6.5% for offices in 2023.

Statistic 3

Gold price increased 7.8% annually from 1971-2023 post-gold standard.

Statistic 4

Bitcoin annualized return since 2010 is over 200%, but with 80% volatility.

Statistic 5

Hedge funds averaged 7.1% net returns from 1990-2023.

Statistic 6

Private equity buyouts returned 15.2% annually 1986-2022.

Statistic 7

Commodities (GSCI) returned 5.4% annually 1970-2023.

Statistic 8

U.S. farmland values rose 5.1% annually 1992-2023.

Statistic 9

Timberland investments returned 8.9% annually long-term.

Statistic 10

Art market (Mei Moses) returned 6.5% annually 1986-2023.

Statistic 11

Venture capital median IRR is 2.4x multiples since inception.

Statistic 12

Infrastructure funds returned 10.5% annually 2000-2023.

Statistic 13

Silver price volatility is 25% annualized vs. gold's 15%.

Statistic 14

REIT dividend yields average 4.2% for equity REITs.

Statistic 15

Oil futures contango costs average 5% annually.

Statistic 16

Collectibles like wine returned 8.2% annually via Liv-ex index.

Statistic 17

Cryptocurrency market cap reached $2.5 trillion peak in 2021.

Statistic 18

Peer-to-peer lending defaults average 4-6% on platforms.

Statistic 19

Carbon credits traded $851 billion in 2022.

Statistic 20

Shipping container investments yield 8-10% leases.

Statistic 21

Whiskey cask investments returned 12% annually historically.

Statistic 22

Royalty trusts in energy yield 7-9% dividends.

Statistic 23

68% of individual investors underperform the market annually.

Statistic 24

Average investor return is 5.5% vs. S&P 10.7% over 30 years.

Statistic 25

Loss aversion causes investors to sell winners too early 20% more often.

Statistic 26

Herding behavior amplified 1987 crash by 30%.

Statistic 27

Overconfidence leads to 1.5% annual underperformance.

Statistic 28

40% of investors chase past performance.

Statistic 29

Disposition effect: hold losers 2x longer than winners.

Statistic 30

Recency bias causes 15% allocation shift post-bull markets.

Statistic 31

Anchoring to purchase price affects 25% of sell decisions.

Statistic 32

Confirmation bias in 78% of retail trader news consumption.

Statistic 33

Endowment effect values owned stocks 20-30% higher.

Statistic 34

Mental accounting separates gains/losses into buckets 60% of time.

Statistic 35

Status quo bias retains underperforming funds 45% longer.

Statistic 36

Hindsight bias post-event: 80% claim they predicted it.

Statistic 37

Availability bias favors recent events, skewing risk perception by 25%.

Statistic 38

Social proof: 55% mimic top holdings of famous investors.

Statistic 39

Regret aversion delays rebalancing by 3 months on average.

Statistic 40

Framing effect: gains framed as % beat $ amounts 70% preference.

Statistic 41

Hyperbolic discounting favors now over future at 2:1 ratio.

Statistic 42

Illusion of control in active trading boosts volume 50%.

Statistic 43

Gambler's fallacy after streaks affects 35% of trades.

Statistic 44

Self-attribution bias claims skill after wins 65% of time.

Statistic 45

House money effect risks more after gains 40%.

Statistic 46

Diversification insufficiency: naive 1/N rule used by 80% retail.

Statistic 47

The S&P 500 Index has historically returned an average of 10.26% annually from 1928 to 2023, including dividends reinvested.

Statistic 48

From 1957 to 2023, the S&P 500's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) was 10.67% with dividends.

Statistic 49

Over the past 20 years ending 2023, the S&P 500 annualized return was 9.7%, outperforming inflation by 6.8%.

Statistic 50

The NASDAQ Composite Index averaged 11.8% annual returns from 1971 to 2023.

Statistic 51

Dividend yield on the S&P 500 averaged 4.1% during the 1970s decade.

Statistic 52

In 2022, the S&P 500 experienced a maximum drawdown of 25.4% from its peak.

Statistic 53

Small-cap stocks (Russell 2000) returned 11.9% annually from 1979 to 2023.

Statistic 54

Value stocks outperformed growth stocks by 4.5% annually from 1927 to 2023.

Statistic 55

The Dow Jones Industrial Average has compounded at 7.5% annually since 1896.

Statistic 56

Tech sector in S&P 500 grew from 8% to 29% of index weight from 2000 to 2023.

Statistic 57

S&P 500 forward P/E ratio averaged 16.8x from 1871 to 2023.

Statistic 58

Earnings growth for S&P 500 companies averaged 6.7% annually over the last 10 years to 2023.

Statistic 59

70% of S&P 500 daily moves are less than 1% since 1950.

Statistic 60

Beta of S&P 500 to itself is 1.0, with average stock beta at 1.1.

Statistic 61

Sharpe ratio for S&P 500 buy-and-hold from 1926-2023 is 0.42.

Statistic 62

Number of S&P 500 companies increased from 500 in 1957 to over 500 today with reconstitutions.

Statistic 63

Average annual volatility (standard deviation) of S&P 500 returns is 15.2% from 1928-2023.

Statistic 64

S&P 500 has positive returns in 73% of calendar years since 1928.

Statistic 65

Best single-year S&P 500 return was 53.99% in 1933.

Statistic 66

Worst single-year S&P 500 return was -43.84% in 1931.

Statistic 67

S&P 500 median annual return from 1928-2023 is 11.9%.

Statistic 68

Turnover rate in S&P 500 is about 4-5% annually due to reconstitutions.

Statistic 69

Magnificent 7 stocks accounted for 28% of S&P 500 market cap in 2023.

Statistic 70

Average market cap of S&P 500 constituents is $85 billion as of 2023.

Statistic 71

S&P 500 price-to-book ratio averaged 2.9x from 1976-2023.

Statistic 72

Institutional ownership in S&P 500 stocks averages 80%.

Statistic 73

Average dividend payout ratio for S&P 500 is 38% over the last decade.

Statistic 74

S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats have outperformed the broader index by 2% annually since 2005.

Statistic 75

Number of IPOs on NYSE/Nasdaq averaged 150 per year from 2010-2019.

Statistic 76

Average first-day IPO pop was 18% in 2021.

Statistic 77

U.S. 10-year Treasury yield averaged 4.25% from 1962 to 2023.

Statistic 78

Investment-grade corporate bonds returned 5.2% annually from 1973-2023.

Statistic 79

High-yield junk bonds averaged 8.1% annual returns from 1983-2023.

Statistic 80

Duration of Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is 6.2 years as of 2023.

Statistic 81

Yield to maturity on AAA municipals averaged 3.5% over 20 years to 2023.

Statistic 82

In 2022, long-term Treasuries lost 31% amid rising rates.

Statistic 83

Credit spreads for BBB corporates averaged 150 bps over Treasuries since 2000.

Statistic 84

TIPS inflation-protected securities returned 4.1% annually since 1997.

Statistic 85

Average coupon on outstanding U.S. Treasuries is 2.5% as of 2023.

Statistic 86

Emerging market sovereign debt yields averaged 6.8% from 2000-2023.

Statistic 87

Mortgage-backed securities (MBS) prepayment rate averages 10% annually.

Statistic 88

30-year fixed mortgage rates peaked at 18.63% in 1981.

Statistic 89

Bond market size exceeded $130 trillion globally in 2023.

Statistic 90

U.S. corporate bond issuance hit $2 trillion in 2021.

Statistic 91

Default rate on high-yield bonds averaged 3.1% annually since 1981.

Statistic 92

Sharpe ratio for U.S. Aggregate Bonds 1976-2023 is 0.52.

Statistic 93

62% of bond returns are from yield, 38% from price changes historically.

Statistic 94

Callable bond premium averages 20-50 bps over non-callable.

Statistic 95

Inflation erodes bond purchasing power by 2.5% annually on average.

Statistic 96

Zero-coupon Treasury STRIPS yield curve slope is 1.2% (10y-2y) in 2023.

Statistic 97

Agency debt spreads over Treasuries average 10 bps.

Statistic 98

U.S. municipal bond market size is $4 trillion outstanding.

Statistic 99

Tax-equivalent yield for munis at 40% bracket and 3% yield is 5%.

Statistic 100

Leveraged loans returned 5.9% annually since 1992.

Statistic 101

S&P U.S. Preferred Stock Index yield averages 5.8%.

Statistic 102

China A-shares P/E averaged 15x vs. global 18x 2010-2023.

Statistic 103

MSCI Emerging Markets Index returned 7.9% annually 1988-2023.

Statistic 104

Euro Stoxx 50 averaged 7.2% returns 1990-2023.

Statistic 105

Nikkei 225 CAGR 5.1% since 1989 bubble peak to 2023.

Statistic 106

Brazil Bovespa returned 10.4% annualized in USD 1994-2023.

Statistic 107

India Nifty 50 grew 12.1% annually 2000-2023.

Statistic 108

Currency risk: USD vs. EUR volatility 10% annually.

Statistic 109

ADRs represent 20% of U.S. trading volume for foreign stocks.

Statistic 110

Frontier markets volatility 25% vs. EM 18%.

Statistic 111

Saudi Arabia Tadawul returned 8.5% since IPO reforms.

Statistic 112

Global stock market cap $110 trillion in 2023, U.S. 60%.

Statistic 113

Carry trade yen unwind caused 15% EM currency drop 2022.

Statistic 114

MSCI ACWI ex-US returned 6.8% vs. US 10.2% 2000-2023.

Statistic 115

Dividend yield in Europe averages 3.5% vs. US 1.6%.

Statistic 116

Russia RTS index down 90% from peak due to sanctions.

Statistic 117

Taiwan Weighted Index tech-heavy 70% weight.

Statistic 118

Africa equity markets grew 8% annually 2010-2023.

Statistic 119

GDR trading volume $50 billion annually.

Statistic 120

Sovereign wealth funds AUM $11 trillion in 2023.

Statistic 121

Foreign ownership in Japan stocks 30%.

Statistic 122

LatAm bonds yield 7.5% average.

Statistic 123

ASEAN markets correlation to US 0.6.

Statistic 124

60/40 portfolio (stocks/bonds) returned 8.5% annually 1926-2023.

Statistic 125

Diversification reduced portfolio volatility by 30% in 2008 crash.

Statistic 126

Rebalancing annually adds 0.5-1% to returns long-term.

Statistic 127

Target-date funds assets under management hit $3.5 trillion in 2023.

Statistic 128

Monte Carlo simulations show 95% success rate for 4% withdrawal over 30 years.

Statistic 129

Dollar-cost averaging outperforms lump sum in 68% of 10-year periods.

Statistic 130

ETF assets grew from $1 trillion in 2010 to $10 trillion in 2023.

Statistic 131

Smart beta strategies capture 80% of factor premia.

Statistic 132

ESG funds inflows reached $350 billion in 2021.

Statistic 133

Robo-advisors manage $1 trillion AUM as of 2023.

Statistic 134

Factor timing success rate is below 50% for value/momentum.

Statistic 135

Maximum drawdown in balanced portfolios averages 20-25% in crashes.

Statistic 136

Tax-loss harvesting saves 1% annually in taxable accounts.

Statistic 137

Glide path in target-date funds shifts from 90/10 to 50/50 equities.

Statistic 138

Overlay strategies reduce transaction costs by 50%.

Statistic 139

Core-satellite allocation: 70% passive, 30% active typically.

Statistic 140

Risk parity portfolios equalize volatility contributions.

Statistic 141

All-weather portfolio (Bridgewater) targets 10% volatility.

Statistic 142

Tactical asset allocation beats strategic in 55% of periods.

Statistic 143

Withdrawal rate sustainability: 3.5% for 40 years at 90% confidence.

Statistic 144

85% of active funds underperform benchmarks over 10 years.

Statistic 145

Home bias: U.S. investors allocate 70% to domestic equities.

1/145

Sources

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What if I told you that with nearly a century of data revealing that the S&P 500 has delivered positive returns in 73% of all calendar years, the real secret to investing isn't about finding the next hot stock but about mastering the simple math of patience and compounding.

Key Takeaways

The S&P 500 Index has historically returned an average of 10.26% annually from 1928 to 2023, including dividends reinvested.
From 1957 to 2023, the S&P 500's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) was 10.67% with dividends.
Over the past 20 years ending 2023, the S&P 500 annualized return was 9.7%, outperforming inflation by 6.8%.
U.S. 10-year Treasury yield averaged 4.25% from 1962 to 2023.
Investment-grade corporate bonds returned 5.2% annually from 1973-2023.
High-yield junk bonds averaged 8.1% annual returns from 1983-2023.
Global REIT index returned 9.2% annually from 2000-2023.
U.S. commercial real estate cap rates average 6.5% for offices in 2023.
Gold price increased 7.8% annually from 1971-2023 post-gold standard.
60/40 portfolio (stocks/bonds) returned 8.5% annually 1926-2023.
Diversification reduced portfolio volatility by 30% in 2008 crash.
Rebalancing annually adds 0.5-1% to returns long-term.
68% of individual investors underperform the market annually.
Average investor return is 5.5% vs. S&P 10.7% over 30 years.
Loss aversion causes investors to sell winners too early 20% more often.

Long-term stock market investing has historically rewarded patient investors despite periods of volatility.

Alternatives

Global REIT index returned 9.2% annually from 2000-2023.
U.S. commercial real estate cap rates average 6.5% for offices in 2023.
Gold price increased 7.8% annually from 1971-2023 post-gold standard.
Bitcoin annualized return since 2010 is over 200%, but with 80% volatility.
Hedge funds averaged 7.1% net returns from 1990-2023.
Private equity buyouts returned 15.2% annually 1986-2022.
Commodities (GSCI) returned 5.4% annually 1970-2023.
U.S. farmland values rose 5.1% annually 1992-2023.
Timberland investments returned 8.9% annually long-term.
Art market (Mei Moses) returned 6.5% annually 1986-2023.
Venture capital median IRR is 2.4x multiples since inception.
Infrastructure funds returned 10.5% annually 2000-2023.
Silver price volatility is 25% annualized vs. gold's 15%.
REIT dividend yields average 4.2% for equity REITs.
Oil futures contango costs average 5% annually.
Collectibles like wine returned 8.2% annually via Liv-ex index.
Cryptocurrency market cap reached $2.5 trillion peak in 2021.
Peer-to-peer lending defaults average 4-6% on platforms.
Carbon credits traded $851 billion in 2022.
Shipping container investments yield 8-10% leases.
Whiskey cask investments returned 12% annually historically.
Royalty trusts in energy yield 7-9% dividends.

Alternatives Interpretation

This smorgasbord of returns reveals the fundamental menu of investing: choose your preferred blend of sleepless nights, champagne tastes, boring reliability, or outright wizardry, all priced accordingly.

Behavioral Finance

68% of individual investors underperform the market annually.
Average investor return is 5.5% vs. S&P 10.7% over 30 years.
Loss aversion causes investors to sell winners too early 20% more often.
Herding behavior amplified 1987 crash by 30%.
Overconfidence leads to 1.5% annual underperformance.
40% of investors chase past performance.
Disposition effect: hold losers 2x longer than winners.
Recency bias causes 15% allocation shift post-bull markets.
Anchoring to purchase price affects 25% of sell decisions.
Confirmation bias in 78% of retail trader news consumption.
Endowment effect values owned stocks 20-30% higher.
Mental accounting separates gains/losses into buckets 60% of time.
Status quo bias retains underperforming funds 45% longer.
Hindsight bias post-event: 80% claim they predicted it.
Availability bias favors recent events, skewing risk perception by 25%.
Social proof: 55% mimic top holdings of famous investors.
Regret aversion delays rebalancing by 3 months on average.
Framing effect: gains framed as % beat $ amounts 70% preference.
Hyperbolic discounting favors now over future at 2:1 ratio.
Illusion of control in active trading boosts volume 50%.
Gambler's fallacy after streaks affects 35% of trades.
Self-attribution bias claims skill after wins 65% of time.
House money effect risks more after gains 40%.
Diversification insufficiency: naive 1/N rule used by 80% retail.

Behavioral Finance Interpretation

The collective human mind, armed with a dazzling array of cognitive biases and emotional reflexes, has spent decades diligently engineering a sophisticated machine for transferring wealth from individual investors to the patient, unfeeling market.

Equities

The S&P 500 Index has historically returned an average of 10.26% annually from 1928 to 2023, including dividends reinvested.
From 1957 to 2023, the S&P 500's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) was 10.67% with dividends.
Over the past 20 years ending 2023, the S&P 500 annualized return was 9.7%, outperforming inflation by 6.8%.
The NASDAQ Composite Index averaged 11.8% annual returns from 1971 to 2023.
Dividend yield on the S&P 500 averaged 4.1% during the 1970s decade.
In 2022, the S&P 500 experienced a maximum drawdown of 25.4% from its peak.
Small-cap stocks (Russell 2000) returned 11.9% annually from 1979 to 2023.
Value stocks outperformed growth stocks by 4.5% annually from 1927 to 2023.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average has compounded at 7.5% annually since 1896.
Tech sector in S&P 500 grew from 8% to 29% of index weight from 2000 to 2023.
S&P 500 forward P/E ratio averaged 16.8x from 1871 to 2023.
Earnings growth for S&P 500 companies averaged 6.7% annually over the last 10 years to 2023.
70% of S&P 500 daily moves are less than 1% since 1950.
Beta of S&P 500 to itself is 1.0, with average stock beta at 1.1.
Sharpe ratio for S&P 500 buy-and-hold from 1926-2023 is 0.42.
Number of S&P 500 companies increased from 500 in 1957 to over 500 today with reconstitutions.
Average annual volatility (standard deviation) of S&P 500 returns is 15.2% from 1928-2023.
S&P 500 has positive returns in 73% of calendar years since 1928.
Best single-year S&P 500 return was 53.99% in 1933.
Worst single-year S&P 500 return was -43.84% in 1931.
S&P 500 median annual return from 1928-2023 is 11.9%.
Turnover rate in S&P 500 is about 4-5% annually due to reconstitutions.
Magnificent 7 stocks accounted for 28% of S&P 500 market cap in 2023.
Average market cap of S&P 500 constituents is $85 billion as of 2023.
S&P 500 price-to-book ratio averaged 2.9x from 1976-2023.
Institutional ownership in S&P 500 stocks averages 80%.
Average dividend payout ratio for S&P 500 is 38% over the last decade.
S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats have outperformed the broader index by 2% annually since 2005.
Number of IPOs on NYSE/Nasdaq averaged 150 per year from 2010-2019.
Average first-day IPO pop was 18% in 2021.

Equities Interpretation

The market, in its infinite and often infuriating wisdom, offers a roughly ten percent annual reward for tolerating its frequent twenty percent tantrums and trusting its slow, stubborn, and statistically optimistic climb over a lifetime.

Fixed Income

U.S. 10-year Treasury yield averaged 4.25% from 1962 to 2023.
Investment-grade corporate bonds returned 5.2% annually from 1973-2023.
High-yield junk bonds averaged 8.1% annual returns from 1983-2023.
Duration of Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is 6.2 years as of 2023.
Yield to maturity on AAA municipals averaged 3.5% over 20 years to 2023.
In 2022, long-term Treasuries lost 31% amid rising rates.
Credit spreads for BBB corporates averaged 150 bps over Treasuries since 2000.
TIPS inflation-protected securities returned 4.1% annually since 1997.
Average coupon on outstanding U.S. Treasuries is 2.5% as of 2023.
Emerging market sovereign debt yields averaged 6.8% from 2000-2023.
Mortgage-backed securities (MBS) prepayment rate averages 10% annually.
30-year fixed mortgage rates peaked at 18.63% in 1981.
Bond market size exceeded $130 trillion globally in 2023.
U.S. corporate bond issuance hit $2 trillion in 2021.
Default rate on high-yield bonds averaged 3.1% annually since 1981.
Sharpe ratio for U.S. Aggregate Bonds 1976-2023 is 0.52.
62% of bond returns are from yield, 38% from price changes historically.
Callable bond premium averages 20-50 bps over non-callable.
Inflation erodes bond purchasing power by 2.5% annually on average.
Zero-coupon Treasury STRIPS yield curve slope is 1.2% (10y-2y) in 2023.
Agency debt spreads over Treasuries average 10 bps.
U.S. municipal bond market size is $4 trillion outstanding.
Tax-equivalent yield for munis at 40% bracket and 3% yield is 5%.
Leveraged loans returned 5.9% annually since 1992.
S&P U.S. Preferred Stock Index yield averages 5.8%.

Fixed Income Interpretation

These statistics reveal the unglamorous but essential truth of fixed income: you're not just collecting coupons, you're navigating a minefield of duration risk, credit spreads, and inflation, all while hoping the math of yield eventually outweighs the agony of price swings.

Global Markets

China A-shares P/E averaged 15x vs. global 18x 2010-2023.
MSCI Emerging Markets Index returned 7.9% annually 1988-2023.
Euro Stoxx 50 averaged 7.2% returns 1990-2023.
Nikkei 225 CAGR 5.1% since 1989 bubble peak to 2023.
Brazil Bovespa returned 10.4% annualized in USD 1994-2023.
India Nifty 50 grew 12.1% annually 2000-2023.
Currency risk: USD vs. EUR volatility 10% annually.
ADRs represent 20% of U.S. trading volume for foreign stocks.
Frontier markets volatility 25% vs. EM 18%.
Saudi Arabia Tadawul returned 8.5% since IPO reforms.
Global stock market cap $110 trillion in 2023, U.S. 60%.
Carry trade yen unwind caused 15% EM currency drop 2022.
MSCI ACWI ex-US returned 6.8% vs. US 10.2% 2000-2023.
Dividend yield in Europe averages 3.5% vs. US 1.6%.
Russia RTS index down 90% from peak due to sanctions.
Taiwan Weighted Index tech-heavy 70% weight.
Africa equity markets grew 8% annually 2010-2023.
GDR trading volume $50 billion annually.
Sovereign wealth funds AUM $11 trillion in 2023.
Foreign ownership in Japan stocks 30%.
LatAm bonds yield 7.5% average.
ASEAN markets correlation to US 0.6.

Global Markets Interpretation

While these global statistics suggest patient investors are rewarded over time, they also starkly remind us that geography is a profound gamble, as a nation's fate can transform soaring markets into cautionary tales in the space of a single headline.

Portfolio Management

60/40 portfolio (stocks/bonds) returned 8.5% annually 1926-2023.
Diversification reduced portfolio volatility by 30% in 2008 crash.
Rebalancing annually adds 0.5-1% to returns long-term.
Target-date funds assets under management hit $3.5 trillion in 2023.
Monte Carlo simulations show 95% success rate for 4% withdrawal over 30 years.
Dollar-cost averaging outperforms lump sum in 68% of 10-year periods.
ETF assets grew from $1 trillion in 2010 to $10 trillion in 2023.
Smart beta strategies capture 80% of factor premia.
ESG funds inflows reached $350 billion in 2021.
Robo-advisors manage $1 trillion AUM as of 2023.
Factor timing success rate is below 50% for value/momentum.
Maximum drawdown in balanced portfolios averages 20-25% in crashes.
Tax-loss harvesting saves 1% annually in taxable accounts.
Glide path in target-date funds shifts from 90/10 to 50/50 equities.
Overlay strategies reduce transaction costs by 50%.
Core-satellite allocation: 70% passive, 30% active typically.
Risk parity portfolios equalize volatility contributions.
All-weather portfolio (Bridgewater) targets 10% volatility.
Tactical asset allocation beats strategic in 55% of periods.
Withdrawal rate sustainability: 3.5% for 40 years at 90% confidence.
85% of active funds underperform benchmarks over 10 years.
Home bias: U.S. investors allocate 70% to domestic equities.

Portfolio Management Interpretation

Here's a witty but serious interpretation that threads these facts into a single, human-sounding sentence: The cold math of investing suggests the game is rigged in favor of those who stick to a simple, diversified plan they rebalance religiously, as most attempts to outsmart the market only prove that our emotions are more expensive than any fund manager's fee.

Sources & References

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