Politics

On complex political issues, most Americans take shortcuts to simplicity

The cornerstone of American democracy rests on the belief that informed citizens use reason and logic to navigate the complexities of governance. However, a recent study conducted by social scientists at UC Berkeley suggests that this ideal is far from reality. Rather than carefully weighing multiple variables when faced with difficult political decisions, most Americans […]

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110 Years of market data on record
10.4% Average annual return, all decades
41,593× What $1 became over the full span
8 Major downturns survived since 1926
Stock

Senate blocks Republican bill restricting stock trades by US Congress members

The United States Senate blocked a Republican led effort to restrict stock trading by members of Congress on Wednesday, falling seven votes short of the threshold required to even begin a formal debate. In a party line divide, every Democrat and independent voted against the Stop Insider Trading Act, which had previously cleared the House […]

A century, one decade at a time

Average annual return of the S&P 500 in each decade since 1920. Two of the eleven lost money. The other nine paid for them.

+18.0%
1920s
Roaring Twenties bull market
-0.9%
1930s
Great Depression
+9.0%
1940s
WWII and postwar boom
+19.4%
1950s
Post-war expansion and consumer boom
+7.8%
1960s
Space Race, Vietnam War spending
+5.9%
1970s
Oil crisis and stagflation
+17.3%
1980s
Reaganomics and market deregulation
+18.1%
1990s
Dot-com and technology boom
-0.9%
2000s
Dot-com bust and financial crisis
+13.5%
2010s
Longest bull market in history
+7.0%
2020s
Pandemic shock and AI-driven rebound
Best decade 1950s +19.4% Post-war expansion and consumer boom
Worst decade 1930s -0.9% Great Depression
Explore the full century

Decade averages, price return excluding dividends. Past performance does not guarantee future results.