I was just thinking the same thing when looking at this chart, except that I wonder if we are not due for more than 17 years of lousy returns since 2000.
See, in the past the bear periods were always longer than the bull periods. So, as we had 17 years of exceptional performance in 1982-2000, perhaps we need to suffer 25 years of lousy performance to pay for this sin (
1000% cumulative return!). Fundamentally, this multi-decade bear period could be the result of P/E contraction as many pundits fear.
Aye, aye, aye... Could be another 10 years of up/down but getting nowhere.
Early SS, here I come.
PS. Oh, and then when the 25-year period of famine ends, an asteroid may just hit earth and put us all out of our misery.