COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF HOW STOCKS, BONDS, CDS, GOLD, SILVER, AND REAL ESTATE HAVE PERFORMED SINCE 2000
I put this research together for one of the companies I founded, Sovereign Advisors because people have been asking me for a couple decades how to invest.
The reality is that OFFICIAL INFLATION IS UNDERSTATED. Your wallet will tell you that.So, what is unofficial inflation? In my doctoral dissertation, An empirical identification of an appropriate inflation definition and an inflation targeting monetary regime, I developed a new methodology for measuring inflation, and here it is:
THE RESULTS OF MY RESEARCH
In a nutshell, my research shows that with a 25% margin of error to the UPSIDE only, official inflation is understated by 285.33%. Current official inflation in December 2019 is at 1.8% (according to the CPI). Based on my research true inflation is:5.14% – 6.42%AVERAGE ANNUAL INFLATION SINCE 2000 = 6.08%
WHY DOES UNDERSTANDING INFLATION EVEN MATTER?
Understanding inflation matters a TON! CPI inflation which is the OFFICIAL inflation measurement vehicle reported by the government, understates inflation, as we have just seen.
REAL RETURN ON CDS
CURRENT 1 YEAR CD rates are about .51%. Most people believe this is a guarantee to not lose money. But, with unofficial inflation averaging 6.08%, the guarantee of a CD means since 2000 you will be guaranteed to lose 88.2% of your investment because you are really losing 4.41% per year.
LET ME REPEAT THIS! Since 2000, CDs have a 33.42% gain or 1.67% per year. But, when you account for inflation, the average per year was a -4.31% LOSS.
THAT IS A HORRIBLE GUARANTEE!
REAL RETURN ON TREASURY BONDS
Since 2000 the total return on a 30 year treasury bond is 60.37% or 4.09% per year.
With inflation at 6.08% on AVERAGE, a 30 year treasury bond has an average loss of -1.99% per year!
REAL RETURN ON REAL ESTATE
In 2000, the median home price in the U.S. was $165,300. Currently, the median home price in the U.S. is $312,500. That is UP 63.81% since 2000, averaging 4.08% per year. Accounting for inflation, real estate is DOWN 2.00% PER YEAR!
REAL RETURN ON GOLD
In 2000, gold was $289 per ounce. In December 2019, gold is at $1520. That is UP 195.68% in since 2000! That’s an average of 9.32% per year. Taking inflation out, gold is still up on average 3.24% PER YEAR!
REAL RETURN ON SIVER
In 2000, Silver started the year at $5.10 per ounce. In December 2019, silver is $17.78 per ounce. That is UP 174.78% since 2000, or 9.20% per year. Taking inflation out, silver is still up on average 3.12% PER YEAR!
REAL RETURN ON STOCKS
In 2000, the DJIA started the year at 11,239.98. In December 2019, the DJIA is at 28,452. That is UP 140.04% since 2000, or 6.26% per year. Taking inflation out, the DJIA is still up on average 0.08% PER YEAR!
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST INVESTMENT SINCE 2000?
In 2000, the DJIA started the year at 11,239.98. In December 2019, the DJIA is at 28,452. That is UP 140.04% since 2000, or 6.26% per year. Taking inflation out, the DJIA is still up on average 0.08% PER YEAR!
RESEARCH SUMMARY
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE DATA
As these trends continue, expect to see much higher prices in tangible assets and more losses in stock, bonds, real estate and CDs. This should continue until the fundamentals of the markets change, signaling a shift in the trends.The choice all of the sudden seems easy when we sift through all of the disinformation, and try to deprogram ourselves from what we thought were safe investments our whole lives.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BAD INVESTMENT, THERE IS JUST BAD TIMING FOR INVESTMENTS!
REFERENCES
Elliott, K. (2007). An empirical identification of an appropriate inflation definition and an inflation targeting monetary regime. Ann Arbor, MI: UMI.
http://www.bankrate.com/banking/cds/historical-cd-interest-rates-1984-2016/
http://www.forecast-chart.com/rate-cd-interest.html
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DGS10
http://www.multpl.com/10-year-treasury-rate/table/by-month
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSPUS
http://www.gold.org/data/gold-price
http://silverprice.org/silver-price-history.html
