I have cobbled together a few dodgy sources to build a 35 year graph of the total returns (includes dividends) for the ASX 200. The S&P/ASX 200 only came into being in 2000 so some of the data is of a composite nature. The thing that is always interesting about this is how little damage the 1987 crash actually did.
![Stockmarket screen copy](https://www.tradinggame.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Stockmarket-screen-copy-1604x802.jpg)
Thanks Chris it fascinates me how perception never matches reality
What is also interesting is that the market was down 40% in the year of the GFC and up 40% the following year plus 2 further years of + 20% returns and we are still yet to surpass the highs achieved pre-GFC in Australia. Illustrates how hard it is to come back from such a big negative hit.