SPDR Gold Trust (GLD): Historical Returns

Last Update: 31 Aug 2021

Category: Commodities

ETF: SPDR Gold Trust (GLD)

In the last 10 years, the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) ETF obtained a -0.46% compound annual return, with a 15.90% standard deviation.

In the last 20 years, a 9.54% compound annual return, with a 16.85% standard deviation.

The ETF is related to the following investment themes:

Asset Class: Commodity
Commodity: Gold

The SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) ETF is present in the following Lazy Portfolios:

Portfolio Name	Author	ETF Weight
All Weather Portfolio	Ray Dalio	7.5%
Permanent Portfolio	Harry Browne	25.0%
Gold		100.0%
Golden Butterfly		20.0%
Pinwheel		10.0%
Desert Portfolio	Gyroscopic Investing	10.0%
Paul Boyer Permanent Portfolio	Paul Boyer	25.0%
GAA Global Asset Allocation	Meb Faber	5.0%

Capital Growth and Historical Returns

Capital growth, returns, stats are calculated assuming a reinvestment of dividends.

Capital Growth:

ETF Returns, up to December 2004, are simulated. They have been calculated using the historical series of equivalent ETFs / Assets.

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Period	Returns Aug 2021	Standard Deviation *	Max Drawdown	Months Pos - Neg
1M	-0.08%		-0.08% Aug 2021 - Aug 2021	0 - 1
3M	-4.87%		-7.15% Jun 2021 - Jun 2021	1 - 2
6M	+4.87%		-7.15% Jun 2021 - Jun 2021	3 - 3
YTD	-4.86%		-10.31% Jan 2021 - Mar 2021	3 - 5
1Y	-8.19%	16.49%	-13.46% Sep 2020 - Mar 2021	4 - 8
3Y	+14.34% annualized	14.61%	-13.73% Aug 2020 - Mar 2021	19 - 17
5Y	+6.34% annualized	13.28%	-13.73% Aug 2020 - Mar 2021	29 - 31
10Y	-0.46% annualized	15.90%	-42.90% Sep 2011 - Dec 2015	54 - 66
MAX 01 Jan 1972	+7.64% annualized	19.96%	-61.78% Oct 1980 - Aug 1999	309 - 287

* Annualized St.Dev. of monthly returns

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Drawdowns

Drawdonws Chart:

Worst drawdowns since August 2001.

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	Drawdown period			Recovery period		Total
Drawdown	Start	Bottom	#Months	End	#Months	#Months
-42.90%	Sep 2011	Dec 2015	52	Jul 2020	55	107
-25.83%	Mar 2008	Oct 2008	8	May 2009	7	15
-13.73%	Aug 2020	Mar 2021	8	in progress	5	13
-8.89%	Feb 2003	Mar 2003	2	Aug 2003	5	7
-8.65%	Dec 2004	May 2005	6	Sep 2005	4	10
-8.64%	May 2006	Sep 2006	5	Feb 2007	5	10
-8.37%	Dec 2009	Jan 2010	2	May 2010	4	6
-8.31%	Apr 2004	Apr 2004	1	Oct 2004	6	7
-6.72%	Jun 2002	Jul 2002	2	Dec 2002	5	7
-6.38%	Jan 2011	Jan 2011	1	Mar 2011	2	3
-6.01%	Oct 2001	Nov 2001	2	Feb 2002	3	5
-5.22%	Jun 2009	Jun 2009	1	Sep 2009	3	4
-5.09%	Jul 2010	Jul 2010	1	Aug 2010	1	2
-4.90%	Jan 2004	Feb 2004	2	Mar 2004	1	3
-4.21%	May 2007	Jun 2007	2	Sep 2007	3	5
-4.18%	May 2011	Jun 2011	2	Jul 2011	1	3
-1.65%	Nov 2007	Nov 2007	1	Dec 2007	1	2
-1.11%	Feb 2006	Feb 2006	1	Mar 2006	1	2
-1.11%	Mar 2007	Mar 2007	1	Apr 2007	1	2
-0.64%	Oct 2005	Oct 2005	1	Nov 2005	1	2

Worst drawdowns since December 1971.

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	Drawdown period			Recovery period		Total
Drawdown	Start	Bottom	#Months	End	#Months	#Months
-61.78%	Oct 1980	Aug 1999	227	Apr 2007	92	319
-44.24%	Jan 1975	Aug 1976	20	Jul 1978	23	43
-42.90%	Sep 2011	Dec 2015	52	Jul 2020	55	107
-25.83%	Mar 2008	Oct 2008	8	May 2009	7	15
-24.27%	Feb 1980	Mar 1980	2	Jun 1980	3	5
-20.49%	Jul 1973	Oct 1973	4	Jan 1974	3	7
-20.28%	Nov 1978	Nov 1978	1	Feb 1979	3	4
-16.62%	Apr 1974	Jun 1974	3	Nov 1974	5	8
-13.73%	Aug 2020	Mar 2021	8	in progress	5	13
-8.37%	Dec 2009	Jan 2010	2	May 2010	4	6
-6.88%	Aug 1972	Nov 1972	4	Feb 1973	3	7
-6.38%	Jan 2011	Jan 2011	1	Mar 2011	2	3
-6.01%	Jul 1980	Jul 1980	1	Sep 1980	2	3
-5.22%	Jun 2009	Jun 2009	1	Sep 2009	3	4
-5.09%	Jul 2010	Jul 2010	1	Aug 2010	1	2
-4.46%	Mar 1979	Mar 1979	1	May 1979	2	3
-4.21%	May 2007	Jun 2007	2	Sep 2007	3	5
-4.18%	May 2011	Jun 2011	2	Jul 2011	1	3
-3.84%	Oct 1979	Oct 1979	1	Nov 1979	1	2
-1.65%	Nov 2007	Nov 2007	1	Dec 2007	1	2

Rolling Returns ( more details)

SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) ETF: annualized rolling and average returns

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	*Return ()**			Negative Periods
Rolling Period	Average	Best	Worst	Negative Periods
1 Year	+9.97%	+179.42% Feb 1979 - Jan 1980	-37.71% Apr 1981 - Mar 1982	41.03%
2 Years	+8.32%	+92.76% Feb 1978 - Jan 1980	-30.30% Jul 1980 - Jun 1982	40.49%
3 Years	+7.06%	+70.26% Feb 1977 - Jan 1980	-15.32% Nov 1980 - Oct 1983	37.61%
5 Years	+6.29%	+36.39% Oct 1975 - Sep 1980	-14.70% Mar 1980 - Feb 1985	34.26%
7 Years	+6.02%	+38.74% Feb 1973 - Jan 1980	-6.75% Feb 1980 - Jan 1987	36.84%
10 Years	+5.38%	+24.75% Jan 1972 - Dec 1981	-6.00% Jul 1980 - Jun 1990	27.04%
15 Years	+4.97%	+15.89% May 1972 - Apr 1987	-3.63% Feb 1980 - Jan 1995	25.42%
20 Years	+4.29%	+11.03% Jan 1972 - Dec 1991	-4.36% Oct 1980 - Sep 2000	14.57%

* Annualized rolling and average returns over full calendar month periods

If you need a deeper detail about rolling returns, please refer to the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) ETF: Rolling Returns page.

Seasonality and Yearly/Monthly Returns

In the table below, for the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) ETF, the average monthly return is represented.

Below each return, it's also mentioned the probability of obtaining a positive monthly result (Win %).

Both the Average Return and the Gain Frequency are useful to get an idea of what happened in the past.

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	Monthly Average Return (%) and Gain Frequency
Return (%)	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average Win %	1.85 54%	1.12 52%	-0.52 40%	0.67 50%	1.02 50%	0.07 50%	0.68 56%	0.91 58%	1.53 57%	0.03 47%	0.73 55%	1.23 53%
Best Year	27.5 1980	28.8 1973	14.4 1985	12.9 1982	26.5 1973	22.0 1980	10.8 2020	20.0 1982	26.1 1979	11.8 1978	12.8 2009	23.2 1979
Worst Year	-14.1 1981	-18.2 1983	-22.4 1980	-8.3 2004	-10.0 1982	-11.1 1981	-9.1 1976	-10.5 1973	-11.6 1975	-16.1 2008	-20.3 1978	-10.7 2011

For further information about the seasonality, check the Asset Class Seasonality page.

Investing in SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) ETF: detail of monthly returns

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		Months
Year	Return	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
2021	-4.86%	-3.2	-6.3	-1.1	3.6	7.7	-7.2	2.5	-0.1
2020	+24.81%	4.5	-0.6	-0.2	7.3	2.6	2.7	10.8	-0.3	-4.2	-0.5	-5.4	7.0
2019	+17.86%	2.9	-0.6	-1.6	-0.7	1.8	8.0	0.0	7.9	-3.4	2.6	-3.2	3.7
2018	-1.94%	3.2	-2.1	0.6	-1.0	-1.2	-3.6	-2.2	-2.1	-0.7	2.1	0.3	4.9
2017	+12.81%	5.4	3.2	-0.4	1.7	-0.1	-2.2	2.3	4.2	-3.4	-0.8	0.4	2.1
2016	+8.03%	5.4	10.9	-0.8	5.1	-6.1	9.0	2.0	-3.3	0.7	-2.9	-8.4	-1.9
2015	-10.67%	8.7	-5.9	-2.2	-0.2	0.6	-1.5	-6.6	3.7	-1.8	2.3	-6.8	-0.5
2014	-2.19%	3.4	6.3	-3.1	0.5	-3.1	6.3	-3.6	0.4	-6.2	-3.1	-0.5	1.3
2013	-28.33%	-0.5	-5.1	1.0	-7.6	-6.2	-11.1	7.4	5.2	-4.8	-0.3	-5.5	-3.8
2012	+6.60%	11.4	-3.0	-1.3	-0.2	-6.3	2.4	0.8	4.9	4.7	-2.9	-0.5	-2.4
2011	+9.57%	-6.4	6.0	1.6	8.9	-1.8	-2.4	8.4	12.3	-11.1	5.9	1.7	-10.7
2010	+29.27%	-1.3	3.3	-0.4	5.9	3.1	2.4	-5.1	5.7	4.8	3.7	2.1	2.4
2009	+24.03%	5.5	1.5	-2.5	-3.3	10.2	-5.2	2.4	0.1	5.8	3.7	12.8	-7.2
2008	+4.92%	10.8	5.2	-6.0	-4.2	0.9	4.5	-1.4	-9.3	4.1	-16.1	12.6	7.7
2007	+30.45%	2.6	2.6	-1.1	2.1	-2.3	-1.9	2.4	1.1	10.5	7.0	-1.7	6.7
2006	+22.55%	9.9	-1.1	3.6	12.0	-1.3	-4.7	3.2	-1.4	-4.5	1.3	6.9	-1.8
2005	+17.76%	-3.6	3.1	-1.6	1.2	-3.9	4.3	-1.4	1.4	7.6	-0.6	5.8	5.1
2004	+4.65%	-4.0	-1.0	7.0	-8.3	1.2	0.7	-1.1	4.1	2.1	2.4	6.5	-3.9
2003	+19.89%	5.9	-5.5	-3.6	0.6	7.3	-4.3	2.5	5.9	3.3	-0.5	3.1	4.5
2002	+25.57%	2.1	5.2	1.5	2.3	6.0	-2.5	-4.4	2.7	3.5	-2.1	0.7	8.8
2001	+0.75%	-3.6	0.8	-3.4	2.1	1.7	1.2	-1.7	2.7	7.4	-4.9	-1.2	0.4
2000	-5.44%	-2.4	3.7	-5.8	-0.6	-1.0	5.8	-4.0	0.1	-1.2	-3.3	1.7	2.0
1999	+0.85%	-0.8	0.6	-2.7	2.6	-6.3	-2.8	-2.1	-0.3	17.4	0.0	-2.6	-0.4
1998	-0.83%	5.1	-2.4	1.2	3.2	-5.5	0.9	-2.5	-5.4	7.5	-0.5	0.8	-2.3
1997	-21.41%	-6.4	3.8	-2.9	-2.3	1.6	-3.2	-2.5	-0.3	2.1	-6.2	-4.7	-2.2
1996	-4.59%	4.8	-1.2	-1.1	-1.3	-0.2	-2.2	0.9	0.3	-1.9	0.1	-2.2	-0.6
1995	+0.98%	-2.2	0.4	4.1	-0.6	-1.4	0.7	-1.0	-0.3	0.4	-0.4	1.4	-0.2
1994	-2.17%	-3.5	1.0	2.0	-3.3	3.0	0.2	-1.1	0.5	2.4	-2.8	-0.2	0.0
1993	+17.68%	-0.7	-0.9	3.1	4.9	6.5	0.3	6.2	-7.5	-4.3	4.0	0.4	5.6
1992	-5.73%	0.3	-0.3	-3.2	-1.6	0.3	1.8	4.2	-5.0	2.7	-2.8	-1.5	-0.4
1991	-8.56%	-5.2	-0.9	-1.9	0.6	0.7	2.2	-1.5	-4.3	2.2	0.7	2.5	-3.6
1990	-3.11%	4.1	-1.8	-9.6	-0.2	-1.3	-3.0	5.7	4.2	5.3	-7.1	1.4	0.4
1989	-2.84%	-4.0	-1.8	-1.0	-1.5	-4.2	3.1	-1.3	-2.3	1.9	2.4	8.8	-2.3
1988	-15.26%	-5.4	-7.0	7.2	-1.7	1.5	-4.2	0.1	-2.1	-7.3	4.0	2.5	-2.9
1987	+24.53%	3.0	1.3	3.7	7.7	-0.5	-0.8	3.4	-2.0	1.4	2.0	5.1	-1.7
1986	+18.96%	7.3	-3.5	1.7	0.5	-0.7	1.0	3.1	7.6	10.0	-5.3	-2.9	-0.2
1985	+6.00%	-0.5	-6.2	14.4	-2.4	-2.3	1.2	3.1	1.8	-2.3	-0.2	0.1	0.5
1984	-19.38%	-2.3	5.5	-1.5	-3.3	2.3	-2.9	-8.2	1.7	-1.3	-3.0	-1.4	-6.3
1983	-16.31%	9.3	-18.2	1.5	3.5	1.9	-4.9	1.4	-1.8	-2.2	-5.7	6.0	-5.6
1982	+14.94%	-2.6	-6.3	-11.8	12.9	-10.0	-2.4	8.0	20.0	-3.5	6.6	3.0	4.8
1981	-32.60%	-14.1	-3.5	5.1	-6.0	-0.7	-11.1	-4.7	4.7	0.9	-0.4	-2.9	-4.1
1980	+15.19%	27.5	-2.5	-22.4	4.8	3.4	22.0	-6.0	2.8	5.6	-5.7	-1.5	-4.8
1979	+126.55%	3.4	7.5	-4.5	2.2	11.9	1.1	6.8	6.3	26.1	-3.8	8.8	23.2
1978	+37.01%	6.6	3.7	-0.4	-5.9	7.8	-0.6	9.4	4.2	4.0	11.8	-20.3	16.9
1977	+22.64%	-1.6	7.9	4.3	-1.1	-2.9	0.0	0.8	1.3	5.5	4.8	-0.9	3.1
1976	-4.10%	-8.6	3.2	-2.0	-0.9	-2.3	-1.4	-9.1	-7.6	11.5	6.2	5.8	3.3
1975	-24.80%	-5.7	3.4	-2.5	-5.8	0.0	-0.5	0.3	-4.1	-11.6	1.2	-3.3	1.5
1974	+66.15%	18.0	22.6	6.5	-2.2	-7.4	-8.0	8.2	0.0	-3.0	10.4	10.2	1.4
1973	+72.96%	1.7	28.8	5.9	0.8	26.5	7.4	-6.2	-10.5	-3.4	-2.0	3.1	11.1
1972	+49.02%	8.3	2.2	0.4	2.5	19.9	8.8	5.7	-2.1	-4.0	0.3	-1.2	2.0

ETF Returns, up to December 2004, are simulated. They have been calculated using the historical series of equivalent ETFs / Assets.