It seems each decade has an investment theme that favors one asset class over another. What performed well over the last decade generally underperforms during the next.

During the 1990s, the stock market was the place to be. An explosion in Internet stocks led to the dot.com bubble. The Nasdaq rallied from 330 in 1990 to 5100 by 2000.

During the 2000s, precious metals and commodities were the best performing assets. Gold rallied from a low of $255 in 2001 to $1923 by 2011.

During the 2010s, money flows switched back to the stock market. The DOW bottomed at 6469 in 2009 and prices reached 27,400 in July 2019.

Of course, it’s impossible to get in at the bottom and out at the top in real-time. The transition period from one assets class to another usually takes a couple of years – the key is recognizing it.