Purchasing Power Over Time

Fed Chair × President windows

Jerome H. Powell × Donald Trump
Jan 25 - Present (1yr 3mo)
Real CAGR +14.0%
CPI total
+4.2%
S&P total
+22.8%
CPI CAGR
+3.3%
S&P CAGR
+17.9%
Inflation normalization trend ⬆️⬆️
Easing-rate expectations ⬆️
AI leadership concentration ⬆️⬆️
Jerome H. Powell × Joe Biden
Jan 21 - Jan 25 (4yr)
Real CAGR +8.5%
CPI total
+21.4%
S&P total
+68.1%
CPI CAGR
+5.0%
S&P CAGR
+13.9%
Post-COVID reopening ⬆️⬆️
Inflation surge then disinflation ⬇️⬇️⬇️ / ⬆️
Rapid hikes then AI-led rally ⬇️⬇️ / ⬆️⬆️⬆️
Jerome H. Powell × Donald Trump
Feb 18 - Jan 21 (2yr 11mo)
Real CAGR +12.5%
CPI total
+5.3%
S&P total
+48.5%
CPI CAGR
+1.8%
S&P CAGR
+14.5%
Macro regime transition (2018s) ⬆️/⬇️
Inflation cycle effects ⬇️⬇️
Policy response dynamics ⬆️
Janet L. Yellen × Donald Trump
Jan 17 - Feb 18 (1yr 1mo)
Real CAGR +13.2%
CPI total
+2.4%
S&P total
+17.1%
CPI CAGR
+2.2%
S&P CAGR
+15.7%
Tax reform + earnings support ⬆️⬆️
Trade-war volatility ⬇️⬇️
COVID crash and rapid rebound ⬇️⬇️⬇️ / ⬆️⬆️⬆️
Janet L. Yellen × Barack Obama
Feb 14 - Jan 17 (2yr 11mo)
Real CAGR +7.9%
CPI total
+3.4%
S&P total
+29.2%
CPI CAGR
+1.2%
S&P CAGR
+9.2%
Late-cycle expansion ⬆️⬆️
Gradual policy normalization ⬇️/⬆️
Low inflation backdrop ⬆️
Ben S. Bernanke × Barack Obama
Jan 09 - Jan 14 (5yr)
Real CAGR +19.4%
CPI total
+11.0%
S&P total
+169.2%
CPI CAGR
+2.1%
S&P CAGR
+21.9%
GFC trough-to-recovery base effect ⬆️⬆️⬆️
QE + zero-rate policy ⬆️⬆️⬆️
Eurozone debt stress episodes ⬇️⬇️
Ben S. Bernanke × George W. Bush
Feb 06 - Jan 09 (2yr 11mo)
Real CAGR -14.0%
CPI total
+6.3%
S&P total
-31.5%
CPI CAGR
+2.1%
S&P CAGR
-12.2%
Housing bust acceleration ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Global financial crisis ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
Emergency liquidity response ⬆️
Alan Greenspan × George W. Bush
Jan 01 - Jan 06 (5yr)
Real CAGR -0.2%
CPI total
+13.5%
S&P total
+12.1%
CPI CAGR
+2.6%
S&P CAGR
+2.3%
Dot-com unwind aftermath ⬇️⬇️⬇️
9/11 shock then easing cycle ⬇️⬇️ / ⬆️
Housing/credit boom build-up ⬆️⬆️
Alan Greenspan × Bill Clinton
Jan 93 - Jan 01 (8yr)
Real CAGR +14.4%
CPI total
+23.0%
S&P total
+260.6%
CPI CAGR
+2.6%
S&P CAGR
+17.4%
Productivity + tech boom ⬆️⬆️⬆️
Disinflationary backdrop ⬆️⬆️
Valuation expansion into late cycle ⬆️⬆️⬆️
Alan Greenspan × George H. W. Bush
Jan 89 - Jan 93 (4yr)
Real CAGR +10.0%
CPI total
+17.8%
S&P total
+72.6%
CPI CAGR
+4.2%
S&P CAGR
+14.6%
Early-90s recession ⬇️⬇️
S&L and credit drag ⬇️
Recovery with falling inflation ⬆️⬆️
Alan Greenspan × Ronald Reagan
Aug 87 - Jan 89 (1yr 5mo)
Real CAGR -7.9%
CPI total
+6.0%
S&P total
-5.6%
CPI CAGR
+4.2%
S&P CAGR
-4.0%
1987 crash aftermath ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Fast stabilization response ⬆️⬆️
Late-80s inflation concerns ⬇️
Paul A. Volcker × Ronald Reagan
Jan 81 - Aug 87 (6yr 7mo)
Real CAGR +10.7%
CPI total
+31.1%
S&P total
+156.5%
CPI CAGR
+4.2%
S&P CAGR
+15.4%
Volcker disinflation push ⬆️⬆️⬆️
1981–82 recession ⬇️⬇️
Long bull-market launch ⬆️⬆️⬆️
Paul A. Volcker × Jimmy Carter
Aug 79 - Jan 81 (1yr 5mo)
Real CAGR +2.5%
CPI total
+18.3%
S&P total
+22.5%
CPI CAGR
+12.6%
S&P CAGR
+15.4%
Volcker tightening pivot ⬇️⬇️
Recession risk rising ⬇️⬇️
Inflation expectations reset attempts ⬆️
G. William Miller × Jimmy Carter
Mar 78 - Aug 79 (1yr 5mo)
Real CAGR -0.2%
CPI total
+16.2%
S&P total
+15.8%
CPI CAGR
+11.2%
S&P CAGR
+10.9%
Policy credibility erosion ⬇️⬇️
Weak dollar + commodity stress ⬇️⬇️
Inflation persistence ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Arthur F. Burns × Jimmy Carter
Jan 77 - Jan 78 (1yr)
Real CAGR -16.3%
CPI total
+6.8%
S&P total
-10.6%
CPI CAGR
+6.8%
S&P CAGR
-10.6%
Stagflation building ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Energy shock pressure ⬇️⬇️
Weak real-return backdrop ⬇️⬇️
Arthur F. Burns × Gerald Ford
Aug 74 - Jan 77 (2yr 5mo)
Real CAGR +11.3%
CPI total
+17.6%
S&P total
+52.4%
CPI CAGR
+6.9%
S&P CAGR
+19.0%
Post-1974 rebound ⬆️⬆️⬆️
Inflation remained elevated ⬇️⬇️
Stop-go policy backdrop ⬇️/⬆️
Arthur F. Burns × Richard Nixon
Feb 70 - Aug 74 (4yr 6mo)
Real CAGR -8.6%
CPI total
+31.0%
S&P total
-12.8%
CPI CAGR
+6.2%
S&P CAGR
-3.0%
Bretton Woods breakdown ⬇️⬇️
Oil embargo shock + stagflation ⬇️⬇️⬇️
1973–74 bear market ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
William McC. Martin Jr. × Richard Nixon
Jan 69 - Jan 70 (1yr)
Real CAGR -16.2%
CPI total
+6.2%
S&P total
-11.0%
CPI CAGR
+6.2%
S&P CAGR
-11.0%
Late-60s inflation pickup ⬇️⬇️
Valuation compression ⬇️⬇️
Growth-slowdown risk ⬇️
William McC. Martin Jr. × Lyndon B. Johnson
Nov 63 - Jan 69 (5yr 2mo)
Real CAGR +3.3%
CPI total
+16.0%
S&P total
+37.5%
CPI CAGR
+2.9%
S&P CAGR
+6.4%
War + Great Society fiscal impulse ⬆️/⬇️
Inflation pressures built late-cycle ⬇️⬇️
Strong nominal growth ⬆️⬆️
William McC. Martin Jr. × John F. Kennedy
Jan 61 - Nov 63 (2yr 10mo)
Real CAGR +4.5%
CPI total
+3.2%
S&P total
+16.8%
CPI CAGR
+1.1%
S&P CAGR
+5.6%
Stable low-inflation regime ⬆️⬆️
Early-60s expansion ⬆️⬆️
Improving risk appetite ⬆️
William McC. Martin Jr. × Dwight D. Eisenhower
Jan 53 - Jan 61 (8yr)
Real CAGR +9.5%
CPI total
+12.0%
S&P total
+130.9%
CPI CAGR
+1.4%
S&P CAGR
+11.0%
1953–54 and 1957–58 recessions ⬇️⬇️
Strong recoveries in between ⬆️⬆️
Contained inflation overall ⬆️
William McC. Martin Jr. × Harry S. Truman
Apr 51 - Jan 53 (1yr 9mo)
Real CAGR +8.9%
CPI total
+2.8%
S&P total
+19.4%
CPI CAGR
+1.6%
S&P CAGR
+10.7%
Korean War demand effects ⬇️/⬆️
Accord-era policy transition ⬆️
Post-war normalization ⬆️⬆️
Thomas B. McCabe × Harry S. Truman
Apr 48 - Mar 51 (2yr 11mo)
Real CAGR +7.4%
CPI total
+8.6%
S&P total
+33.9%
CPI CAGR
+2.9%
S&P CAGR
+10.5%
Post-war inflation volatility ⬇️⬇️
1949 recession then rebound ⬇️ / ⬆️⬆️
Treasury-Fed Accord setup ⬆️
Note: Compare unlike durations with CAGR; totals are context.