Chart o’ the Day: The good years are better than the bad ones

Great graphic from the Virginia Retirement System outlining a crucial fact – there are many more positive years for US stocks (S&P500) than negative years, and the gains of the good years average out to a higher return than the losses of the bad ones. Worth keeping in mind, as US stocks are currently heading toward an annual loss at the moment.

The average positive annual return over the last 89 years has been 21.47% and positive years have occurred 73% of the time. The average loss of the negative years has been -14.29% and negative years have occurred 27% of the time.