Budget+: Gold, silver and stocks – This is how returns change with time

Atul Thakur & Richa GandhiTNN
Feb 2, 2026 | 08:20 IST
Image: AI

Short-term spikes tell one story, annual averages and multi-year returns tell another. Here’s how precious metals stack up against stocks, funds and SIPs over time

If you’ve been watching prices lately, it feels like gold and silver can’t lose — while stocks look … a bit underwhelming in comparison. One-year returns make metals look like the smartest place to be, and it’s easy to see why. But zoom out just a little, change how you measure returns, or stretch the timeline, and the story starts to shift. Timing matters, and what looks like the “best investment” depends a lot on when you start counting.

Copyright © 2024 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service.