The S&P 500 Just Endured Its 12th Biggest 4-Day Decline Since 1950 -- and History Shows This Happens Next 100% of the Time Following Steep Downturns

The stock market's worst days often represent the ideal time to put your money to work on Wall Street.

Apr 19, 2025 - 08:16

The S&P 500 Just Endured Its 12th Biggest 4-Day Decline Since 1950 -- and History Shows This Happens Next 100% of the Time Following Steep Downturns

Over the last century, no asset class has come particularly close to rivaling stocks in the annualized return column. While holding commodities like gold, investing in bonds, or buying real estate have all generated positive annualized returns, stocks have been the bona fide wealth creator of the bunch.

However, generating the highest annualized return among all asset classes doesn't come without bouts of volatility.

Over the last eight weeks, the mature stock-driven Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI), benchmark S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC), and growth-fueled Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) have been on nothing short of a roller-coaster ride. Recently, all three indexes logged some of their largest single-day nominal point and percentage moves in their storied histories.