Stock market return (%, year-on-year) in United States
United States: Stock market return (%, year-on-year) was 32.7% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Stock market return in United States, 1984–2021
Source: Bloomberg. Measured in %, year-on-year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for stock market return in United States is 32.7%, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 38 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 209.0% on the previous year and up 189.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, stock market return in United States peaked at 32.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, -22.4%, in 2009.
United States ranks 15th of 86 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Stock market return (%, year-on-year) in United States, year by year
| Year | %, year-on-year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | -2.9% | — |
| 1985 | 15.0% | -624.1% |
| 1986 | 27.3% | +82.7% |
| 1987 | 21.8% | -20.0% |
| 1988 | -7.0% | -132.2% |
| 1989 | 21.5% | -405.3% |
| 1990 | 3.6% | -83.3% |
| 1991 | 12.4% | +246.4% |
| 1992 | 10.5% | -15.3% |
| 1993 | 8.6% | -18.0% |
| 1994 | 1.9% | -77.4% |
| 1995 | 17.6% | +804.5% |
| 1996 | 23.9% | +35.3% |
| 1997 | 30.2% | +26.4% |
| 1998 | 24.3% | -19.4% |
| 1999 | 22.3% | -8.3% |
| 2000 | 7.5% | -66.4% |
| 2001 | -16.3% | -318.1% |
| 2002 | -16.6% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | -3.1% | -81.6% |
| 2004 | 17.2% | -662.5% |
| 2005 | 6.7% | -60.8% |
| 2006 | 8.5% | +26.6% |
| 2007 | 12.7% | +48.4% |
| 2008 | -17.3% | -236.8% |
| 2009 | -22.4% | +29.0% |
| 2010 | 20.2% | -190.5% |
| 2011 | 11.3% | -44.3% |
| 2012 | 8.7% | -22.4% |
| 2013 | 19.1% | +119.0% |
| 2014 | 17.6% | -8.2% |
| 2015 | 6.7% | -61.9% |
| 2016 | 1.6% | -76.1% |
| 2017 | 16.9% | +955.1% |
| 2018 | 12.1% | -28.6% |
| 2019 | 6.1% | -49.2% |
| 2020 | 10.6% | +72.1% |
| 2021 | 32.7% | +209.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 32.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 23.7%, 1.4× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Stock market return (%, year-on-year) in United States changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +955.1% | 1.6% | 16.9% |
| 1995 | +804.5% | 1.9% | 17.6% |
| 2004 | +662.5% | -3.1% | 17.2% |
| 1985 | +624.1% | -2.9% | 15.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.6% | -7.0% | 27.3% | 6 |
| 1990s | 15.5% | 1.9% | 30.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | -2.3% | -22.4% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.0% | 1.6% | 20.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.6% | 10.6% | 32.7% | 2 |
Countries ranked near United States
More financial sector data for United States
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 17.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 89.64 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 12.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0007 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 65.46 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 17.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 89.64 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 12.2 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is stock market return in United States?
- Stock market return in United States was 32.7% in 2021, according to Bloomberg.
- What is the highest stock market return recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 32.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest stock market return recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was -22.4% in 2009.
- How does United States rank for stock market return?
- United States ranks 15th out of 86 countries with data for 2021.
- Is stock market return rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 189.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Bloomberg, published as part of Stock market return (%, year-on-year). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Stock market return is the growth rate of annual average stock market index. Annual average stock market index is constructed by taking the average of the daily stock market indexes available at Bloomberg.