Key Points:
- The US stock market has delivered extraordinary returns for investors over the long term
- Falling costs of investment platforms means UK investors can easily gain a slice of the market
The US stock market is unquestionably exciting. It has supported the meteoric rise of companies that have changed the way we live – Amazon, Netflix and Apple, for example. It has spawned celebrities and excellent films. In the last five years, the value of the S&P 500 (the 500 largest companies in the US) has almost tripled.
For context, the FTSE 100 – the UK’s equivalent large company index – has delivered growth of just 27 per cent in the same time. No one’s making films about that kind of ordinary performance. UK investors who neglect international equities risk missing out on excellent returns.