What is a good return in the stock market?

Asked by: Gage Walter  |  Last update: September 8, 2025
Score: 4.9/5 (7 votes)

Most investors would view an average annual rate of return of 10% or more as a good ROI for long-term investments in the stock market. However, keep in mind that this is an average. Some years will deliver lower returns -- perhaps even negative returns.

What is considered a good stock return?

That said, many experts suggest that a 10% or higher rate of return is often considered “good” for stocks because it reflects or outpaces the average stock market return. After adjusting for inflation, a return of around 7% might be considered “good.”

Is 10% return on investment realistic?

Yes, a 10% annual return is realistic. There are several investment vehicles that have historically generated 10% annual returns: stocks, REITs, real estate, peer-to-peer lending, and more.

Is 7% a good return on investment?

A good return on investment is generally considered to be around 7% per year, based on the average historic return of the S&P 500 index, adjusted for inflation. The average return of the U.S. stock market is around 10% per year, adjusted for inflation, dating back to the late 1920s.

What is a good return on a stock trade?

Generally speaking, if you're estimating how much your stock-market investment will return over time, we suggest using an average annual return of 6% and understanding that you'll experience down years as well as up years.

What Return Should Investors Reasonably Expect?

31 related questions found

How much money do I need to invest to make $1000 a month?

Invest in Dividend Stocks

Last but certainly not least, a stock portfolio focused on dividends can generate $1,000 per month or more in perpetual passive income. However, at an example 4% dividend yield, you would need a portfolio worth $300,000, which is a substantial upfront investment.

What is a realistic stock market return?

Understanding the average stock market return

The historical average stock market return, as measured by the S&P 500, generally hovers around 10 percent annually before adjusting for inflation, and about 6 to 7 percent when adjusted for inflation.

How much money do I need to invest to make $3,000 a month?

$3,000 X 12 months = $36,000 per year. $36,000 / 6% dividend yield = $600,000. On the other hand, if you're more risk-averse and prefer a portfolio yielding 2%, you'd need to invest $1.8 million to reach the $3,000 per month target: $3,000 X 12 months = $36,000 per year.

What is a good return on a 401k?

Many retirement planners suggest the typical 401(k) portfolio generates an average annual return of 5% to 8% based on market conditions. But your 401(k) return depends on different factors like your contributions, investment selection and fees.

Is an 8% return realistic?

Is a rate of return of 8% a good average annual return? The answer is yes if you're investing in government bonds, which shouldn't be as risky as investing in stocks.

What is the 10 10 10 rule in investing?

The 10–10–10 rule is a transformative approach that involves examining the potential impact of our decisions over distinct time horizons. When faced with choices, individuals are encouraged to consider the effects of their decisions over the next 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years.

What is a good 5 year return?

If the market averages 4% over a tough 5 year period, then your investment account should do at least that well. If the market is up 24% over an awesome three year period, then your long-term investments should keep pace with this, assuming that you have at least a moderate risk tolerance.

Is it worth it to invest $10,000?

$10,000 is an excellent amount to start investing in individual companies. For example, you could buy $1,000 of stock in 10 companies or $500 of stock in 20 companies. However, self-directed investing requires you to do your research to make informed decisions.

How much will stocks grow in 10 years?

If you assume margins and P/E multiples will remain at their current high level, and expect sales and buybacks to grow at their historical rates, then you can anticipate making about 6% in returns per year over the next decade.

At what percent return should you sell stock?

General Advice on When to Sell Stocks for Profit

Percentage Gains: It can be prudent to sell a portion of your stocks once you've reached a substantial profit margin, say 20-25%. This allows you to secure profits while still having skin in the game if the stock continues to rise.

What is a realistic rate of return in retirement?

Having said that, you can expect a balanced portfolio to deliver around 5% annually in retirement, whereas more aggressive portfolios may offer higher returns but at the cost of increased risk. Make sure to consider all of these factors to create a retirement portfolio that provides both growth and financial security.

Is 1 million enough to retire?

For many people, $1 million is enough to retire. But whether it will be enough for you depends on several factors, including your anticipated lifestyle, your estimated healthcare costs, inflation, and how long you expect to live.

Does a 401k double every 7 years?

One of those tools is known as the Rule 72. For example, let's say you have saved $50,000 and your 401(k) holdings historically has a rate of return of 8%. 72 divided by 8 equals 9 years until your investment is estimated to double to $100,000.

How much do you need to invest to be a millionaire in 5 years?

Let's say you want to become a millionaire in five years. If you're starting from scratch, online millionaire calculators (which return a variety of results given the same inputs) estimate that you'll need to save anywhere from $13,000 to $15,500 a month and invest it wisely enough to earn an average of 10% a year.

How much money do you have to make a month to make $100000 a year?

A $100,000 salary can yield a monthly income of $8,333.33, a biweekly paycheck of $3,846.15, a weekly income of $1,923.08, and a daily income of $384.62 based on 260 working days per year.

How much should I invest to get $50,000 per month?

Fixed Deposits (FDs): Safe but lower returns (7% return needs an 86 lakh investment for 50K monthly). Dividend Income: Invest in dividend-paying stocks (average 7% yield needs an 85 lakh investment for 50K monthly).

Is a 7% return realistic?

While quite a few personal finance pundits have suggested that a stock investor can expect a 12% annual return, when you incorporate the impact of volatility and inflation, 7% is a more accurate historical estimate for an aggressive investor (someone primarily invested in stocks), and 5% would be more appropriate for ...

Is it possible to get 10% return on investment?

With the right knowledge and strategies or the guidance of a skilled financial advisor, anyone can make strides to unlock their wealth potential and aim for a 10% return on investment. Various investment options might yield a 10%+ return.

How much does the average investor make in the stock market?

As of Dec 31, 2024, the average annual pay for a Stock Investor in the United States is $101,099 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $48.61 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,944/week or $8,424/month.