Long-Term Investing: Probability Of Losses Goes Down Significantly (Study From 1929-Today)
What’s the probability of making a loss in the stock market? If you are patient, the odds are on your side. Let’s have a look:
The likelihood of experiencing a financial loss in the stock market within a single day is slightly less favorable than a coin toss, standing at 46%. However, this probability significantly diminishes to a mere 6% when considering a 10-year timeframe dating back to 1929.
As time horizons grow, equity losses fall off. Let’s look at the statistical probability of negative returns on SP500 total returns from 1929 until today:
We thank Bank of America for the research. You might also want to look at the rolling returns of SP500.
The graph above illustrates that experiencing 10 consecutive years of negative returns is an uncommon occurrence. The sole decade with negative total returns, apart from the 1930s, emerged during the serial crises of the 2000s.
Historical data suggests that individuals who remain composed and exercise patience will reap the rewards of returns surpassing inflation, particularly when adopting a long-term perspective.
The world of investing, particularly in the stock market, often evokes images of volatile fluctuations and unpredictable outcomes. While short-term market movements can be unpredictable, a wealth of historical data suggests that embracing a long-term investment horizon significantly reduces the probability of losing money.
That said, we only have data going back 150 years, and several markets have been zeroed, like Russia, for example. There are no guarantees!
The Day-to-Day Rollercoaster
It’s true that the stock market can be a volatile place, with individual days often exhibiting wide swings in prices. In fact, a study by BofA Global Research revealed that the probability of losing money on any given day is close to 50%, akin to the odds of flipping a coin.
However, this short-term volatility doesn’t paint the full picture of stock market performance. When analyzed over a longer time frame, the stock market’s long-term upward trajectory becomes evident. BofA’s data indicates that the probability of losing money over a 10-year period drops to a mere 6%.
Why the Long-Term Approach Triumphs
The reason for this dramatic shift in loss probability is the inherent nature of market returns. While daily fluctuations may appear random, over the long term, market forces tend to favor growth. This is due to a combination of factors, including corporate earnings growth, economic expansion, inflation, and the reinvestment of dividends. Stock market returns snowball – you make money on the interest (dividends) you make.
Moreover, the long-term approach allows investors to ride out temporary market downturns, which are inevitable but typically temporary. By staying invested, investors are able to benefit from the market’s long-term upward trend.
Charlie Munger once said that if you are not willing to accept a 50% drawdown in the stock market, you should look somewhere else.
The Recipe for Success
Emerging from this analysis, a clear strategy emerges for successful stock market investing: focus on the long term.
Short-term fluctuations are inevitable, but their impact diminishes over time. By adopting a long-term mindset and staying invested, investors can significantly reduce their risk of losing money and maximize their chances of achieving long-term wealth creation.