Lessons from the 2019 Index Chart
Between smartphones, websites and watches that alert you even when you have ignored the phone, it is hard, if not impossible, to tune out the noise of the world.
Trade wars, Brexit, currency slumps, geopolitical tensions are just the headlines that can dominate the news cycle on any given day at the moment. Thankfully the Australian cricket team provided some welcome relief – and restored a little national pride – at Edgbaston.
Vanguard has been publishing its annual index chart that plots the performance of all the major markets and asset class indices for Australian investors for 18 years. It allows investors to look at how markets have rewarded them for the risk they have taken through periods of market rises and periodic slumps.
This year's chart provides the data to June 30 2019, and naturally there is always a tendency to focus on what has topped the performance table – US shares at 10.3 per cent per annum is the answer – and while interesting, that is not the key message from the chart.
The core message – and the reason for continuing to publish it over such an extended period of time – is to understand the power of markets over the long-term.
Think of a major event that roiled investment markets and look at that point on the chart – the last Australian recession in 1992 or the collapse of Lehman Bros, for example, in 2008 – to understand its impact at the time. Then zoom out to see how it affected returns over the full 30-year time period covered by the chart.
The other message provided by the index chart that is sometimes lost in translation is when investors lean towards wanting to predict what will be the top performing asset class next year… and the year after that.
You can view the digital version of the chart here (or order a print copy here) but if you are tempted to try and time markets, it's worth taking a look at page four of the index chart brochure which has a table of the total returns across all the major asset classes featured in the chart.
The best and worst performing asset classes are highlighted across each year – and feel free to let us know if you spot a performance pattern because what we see is what Burton Malkiel captured so elegantly in his investment classic, A Random Walk Down Wall Street.
The index chart shows the performance of markets over the long-term, but for individual investors its value is in understanding how you blend all of those markets to create a portfolio with the right asset allocation to achieve your investment goals within a risk level that you are comfortable with.
For investors a sense of perspective is a critical tool in the armory that can help tune out short-term noise, focus on your long-term goals and, as the legendary founder of Vanguard, Jack Bogle said, help you to "stay the course".
Written by Robin Bowerman
Head of Corporate Affairs at Vanguard.
6 August 2019
Vanguardinvestments.com.au
Hot Issues
- ATO encourages trustees to use voluntary disclosure service
- Beware of terminal illness payout time frame
- Capital losses can help reduce NALI
- Investment and economic outlook, August 2024
- What the Reserve Bank’s rates stance means for property borrowers
- How investing regularly can propel your returns
- Super sector in ASIC’s sights
- Most Popular Operating Systems 1999 - 2022
- Our investment and economic outlook, July 2024
- Striking a balance in the new financial year
- The five reasons why the $A is likely to rise further - if recession is avoided
- What super fund members should know when comparing returns
- Insurance inside super has tax advantages
- It’s never too early to start talking about aged care with clients
- Capacity doubts now more common
- Most Gold Medals in Summer Olympic Games (1896-2024)
- SMSF assets reach record levels amid share market rally
- Many Australians have a fear of running out
- How to get into the retirement comfort zone
- NALE bill passed by parliament
- Compliance focus impacts wind-ups
- LRBA interest rates increase for 2025
- Income-free areas set to increase from 1 July
- Most Spoken Languages in the World
- Middle-to-higher incomes boosting SMSF growth
- Investment and economic outlook, May 2024
- Transitioning into retirement: What you should know
- Plan now to take advantage of stage 3 tax cuts
- Deeming freeze a win for Age Pensioners
Article archive
- April - June 2024
- January - March 2024
- October - December 2023
- July - September 2023
- April - June 2023
- January - March 2023
- October - December 2022
- July - September 2022
- April - June 2022
- January - March 2022
- October - December 2021
- July - September 2021
- April - June 2021
- January - March 2021
- October - December 2020
- July - September 2020
- April - June 2020
- January - March 2020
- October - December 2019
- July - September 2019
- April - June 2019
- January - March 2019
- October - December 2018
- July - September 2018
- April - June 2018
- January - March 2018
- October - December 2017
- July - September 2017
- April - June 2017
- January - March 2017
- October - December 2016
- July - September 2016
- April - June 2016
- January - March 2016
- October - December 2015
- July - September 2015
- April - June 2015
- January - March 2015
- October - December 2014
July - September 2019 archive
- SMSFs attract younger members
- Heed restrictions on downsizer contributions
- Access to more resources and tools than most websites.
- Valuations key to avoiding NALI restrictions
- SMSF advice appetite strong, says ASIC
- For a smoother path to investment success, diversify
- How's Australia doing statistically?
- LRBA changes mostly affect Melbourne, Sydney retirees
- Lessons from the 2019 Index Chart
- The global economy at midyear: How our views have changed
- The biggest global corporations since 1998
- ‘Retrospective’ LRBA measures tipped to cause headaches
- Downsizer Super Contribution
- Keep track of how Australia is really ticking over.
- Insights from the 2019 Vanguard / Investment Trends SMSF survey
- What falling interest rates mean for investors
- ATO releases ‘welcome guidance’ on death benefit income streams
- Super growth reducing age pension drawdown
- Big four firm outlines new financial year checklist for SMSFs
- Asset allocation as you age
- Australia - the story goes on.
- Consolidate your super and save
- Critical documentation steps flagged with switching SMSF loans
- Good investment habits versus damaging biases
- Control considerations flagged with death benefit pensions for children
- Interest rate for SMSF loans set to rise under safe harbour terms