Gold, The Goat No One Talks About, Never Disappoints

Over 25 years, gold has beaten major indices and asset classes both in dollar and rupee terms

- SANDEEP DAS

Gold doesn't shout, but it shines. While investors chase the latest fads—tech stocks, crypto, real estate booms—gold has quietly delivered, quarter after quarter. Fueled by tariff tensions, stubborn inflation, and mounting global uncertainty, the yellow metal has had a spectacular run in recent times. But this isn't just a short-term rally. Over the long haul, gold has even outperformed some of the biggest names in the investing world.

According to Aequitas Investments, gold has outperformed both the S&P 500 and the Nifty 50 over the past 25 years—not to mention traditional fixed income instruments and even real estate in many markets.

Consider the numbers: since 2000, gold has grown nearly 10x in dollar terms, while the S&P 500 has returned around 4.5x. In rupee terms, gold has surged approximately 20x, compared to the Sensex's gain of about 16x. Over the last 15 years, gold has delivered annualised returns of around 12%, versus the Sensex's 10-11%.

So, is gold the greatest asset of our lifetimes? The answer might just be yes.

Gold: The silent outperformer

Gold thrives in times of uncertainty—think pandemics, inflation spikes, financial meltdowns. It's the fallback asset, the hedge investors turn to when things go south.