Best Year and Worst Year capture the extremes of an asset's annual return distribution. They answer a straightforward but important question: what is the best-case and worst-case scenario for a given calendar year?
On StressTest.pro, these are computed from the full historical annual return series. For a long-term investor, the worst year is one of the most psychologically important numbers — it represents the gut-check moment where many investors panic-sell. Understanding the historical worst year helps set realistic expectations and plan emotionally for inevitable downturns.
For example, the S&P 500's worst year in the last decade was 2022, when it fell approximately 18%. An investor who understood this in advance would be better positioned to stay the course rather than exit at the bottom.