Compare Stocks & Bonds
Historically, stocks have outpaced other common investment categories. And, bonds have outpaced short-term investments and inflation while helping to smooth out the investment ride over the long term.
This chart shows the growth of hypothetical $10,000 initial investments
in a variety of securities from 12/31/75 through 9/30/2000 assuming
reinvestment of all distributions. Of course, past performance
is no guarantee of future results.
Stocks, which are more volatile than other investments, are represented
by the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Composite Index, an unmanaged, commonly accepted barometer of the stock market as a whole. You
cannot invest directly in the S&P 500 or any index.
Corporate bonds offer a fixed principal value and a fixed rate of return if held to maturity. Results are represented by the Salomon Brothers Long-Term, High-Grade Corporate Bond Index; Ibbotson and Sinquefield; and the Standard & Poor’s High-Grade Corporate Composite. You cannot directly invest in any index.
Government bonds and Treasury bills are guaranteed as to the timely payment of interest and principal;
corporate bonds are not. Results were provided to Ibbotson by
The Wall Street Journal and the Center for Research in Security
Prices (CRSP), University of Chicago. You cannot directly invest in any index.
Inflation is measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a commonly accepted
measure of changes in the cost of selected consumer goods.
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