Investing Returns on the S&P500

Re:Investing Returns on the S&P500 by loeg on Wednesday June 29, 2016 @01:15PM (#12003058)

I saw that visualization back in 2011 and I think it's actually a pretty poor one. It uses shades of red for what are objectively not bad outcomes (return greater than inflation is red, real return between 3 and 7% is pink). IMO that's misleading.

It would be helpful if it compared against the same visualization for other straightforward market investments, like bonds, or savings accounts / CDs. Those asset classes would be red (or pink for long-term bonds, perhaps) across the board. Stocks look great in comparison.

But picking a slightly more reasonable color scale would help.

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Re:Investing Returns on the S&P500 by squeaky-clean on Wednesday June 29, 2016 @01:52PM (#12003301)

> It uses shades of red for what are objectively not bad outcomes (return greater than inflation is red, real return between 3 and 7% is pink). IMO that's misleading.

Not sure if I'm reading it wrong, but the key shows <=0% as red, 0-3% as pink, 3-7% as biege.

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Re:Investing Returns on the S&P500 by loeg on Wednesday June 29, 2016 @02:45PM (#12003702)

3-7% looks more pink than beige to me, but I'm a little red-green colorblind, so what do I know.

IMO it would make more sense to show 0-3% real return — strictly above inflation — as beige and 3-7% real return as a shade of green.

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