How a classic 60/40 portfolio fared in the 2008 financial crisis
60/40 — 60% equities · 40% cash · quarterly rebalance · physical costs on (coins) · window 2007-10-09 to 2013-03-28 · computed 2026-07-06 with the same engine the app runs.
Solid: this portfolio, real (CPI-deflated) value of $10,000. Dashed: the all-equity baseline.
| Total return (real) | −5.7% |
|---|---|
| Total return (nominal) | +4.8% |
| CAGR (real) | −1.1% |
| Max drawdown (real) | −38.4% |
| Recovery | not recovered in window |
| Purchasing-power ratio | 0.94× |
| Ulcer index | 17.7 |
| Worst calendar year | 2008: −23.9% |
| Physical costs paid | $0 |
| Liquidation value | $10,475 |
A $10,000 stake in a classic 60/40 portfolio (60% equities · 40% cash, rebalanced quarterly, physical costs on coins applied) entering the 2008 financial crisis would have ended the window worth $9,434 in real, CPI-deflated terms — a real return of −5.7%. Along the way it fell at most 38.4% from its peak (not recovered in window), with an ulcer index of 17.7. The same stake in equities alone returned −9.7% real — this allocation beat it by 4.0 percentage points of purchasing power. This allocation carries no physical sleeves, so no ownership costs applied.
Open this portfolio in the stress-tester More scenarios
The link above prefills the allocation — adjust weights, costs, and windows from there. Sources and formulas: methodology.
Educational estimates — not financial advice