The Bureau of Historic Losses · Counterfactual Division
What if you'd bought the ASX 200 in 2008?
The ASX 200 nearly halved in the GFC. Australian super balances have never quite forgiven 2008.
$100 on 2008-01-01, worth today
A$139
As of 2026-06-12, $100 of the ASX 200 bought at 2008's open (A$6,353) is worth A$139 — 1.39×.
price return · index level · AUD
How much would $100 of the ASX 200 bought in 2008 be worth today?
| You'd have put in | You'd have now | Multiple |
|---|---|---|
| A$100 | A$139 | 1.39× |
| A$1,000 | A$1,386 | 1.39× |
| A$10,000 | A$13,858 | 1.39× |
Lump sum on the year's first trading day, tracking the index level (price return, before dividends), valued at the latest close. Past performance isn't a promise — it's a taunt.
What did the ASX 200 do in 2008?
Opened
A$6,353
2008-01-01
Peaked
A$6,353
2008-01-01
Bottomed
A$3,353
2008-11-19
Closed
A$3,722
2008-12-30
These are the index's own closing levels (price return). Real index funds also pay dividends, so a true total-return figure would be higher still.
Would steady buying have beaten going all in?
A$96,300 deployed as $100 a week from 2008-01-01, under four temperaments — same money, different nerves.
| All in on day one | A$133,449 |
| Steady weekly buys | A$149,673 |
| Sold dips, rebought rallies | A$135,815 |
| Traded it perfectly | A$162,009 |
“Traded it perfectly” requires knowing the future. Nobody knew the future.
The same $1,000, elsewhere
$1,000 at 2008's open, each valued at the latest close. Hindsight remains undefeated.
These were the round numbers. Run your real ones.
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