SPY Historical Performance: Missing 5 Best Days Costs $154,000

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) returned 28% over the past year. Fidelity data indicates that an initial $10,000 investment from 1988 to 2023 grew to $417,995, while missing just the five best trading days reduced this balance to $264,000, resulting in a loss of approximately $154,000. Moreover, missing the fifty best days slashed the ending value to $32,000, reflecting a 92% loss of gains. This information underscores the importance of long-term investment and the detrimental effects of market timing on portfolio growth.