Vanguard S&P 500 ETF Long-Term Outlook: What History Tells Investors
The S&P 500 has been perhaps the greatest wealth generation machine of the past several decades.
Overview
Over the past several decades, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) index has been one of the greatest wealth generation machines in history. Even more impressive is its simplicity -- invest in 500 of the largest companies in the United States and readjust periodically. No stock picking. No market timing. Just long-term compounding of growth.
What will the next years, decades, and beyond look like for the S&P 500? History gives us a good idea of what to expect.
Details
Since the index's official launch in 1957, the S&P 500 has returned roughly 10% per year. Those numbers might feel a little low considering that it's gained closer to 15% per year over the past decade. But keep in mind that the market has been operating far longer than just during the tech boom.
Source
Originally published at www.fool.com.