Why Are Stocks So Risky?

Abstract

With the decline in privately and publicly guaranteed benefits for pensions and health care, people increasingly must finance a greater share of their retirement expenses through their own savings. The relatively high long-term return on equity makes investments in stocks seem both an attractive and suitable means of accumulating the substantial wealth that savers will require. Yet, the 50 percent drop in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index from May 2008 to March 2009 is only the latest reminder that stocks pose considerable risk for investors. In the past, equity returns over periods as long as 10 or 20 years have diverged substantially from their long-term averages, tarnishing the appeal of stocks even as investments for the long run...