What if you invested monthly in a Technology sector ETF (XLK) for 15 years?
This scenario invests a fixed USD amount every month in a U.S. technology sector ETF (XLK) from July 2011 to July 2026 — 15 years of dollar-cost averaging. It honestly compares the technology sector's long-run performance and its deeper drawdowns against the S&P 500.
Investment conditions
Asset · Technology sector ETF (XLK)
Method · Recurring monthly investment
Period · 2011-07-01 ~ 2026-07-01
Amount · $222 / month
As of · 2026-07-01
Key metrics
These results do not reflect taxes. Based on historical data.
Risk & recovery
As important as returns. This service does not hide maximum drawdown or loss periods.
Maximum drawdown (MDD)
-32.0%
Largest drop from peak
Longest loss period
3months
Months in loss: 3
Recovery period
9months
Growth over time
Invested principal (dashed) and portfolio value (solid). Values below match the calculation.
Total invested $40,222 → Final value $274,710 (+583.0%), Maximum drawdown (MDD) -32.0%
Why this period and asset
XLK concentrates on large U.S. technology companies such as Apple and Microsoft. From 2011 to 2026, smartphones, the shift to cloud, and a later artificial-intelligence boom made technology a market leader. Yet the same stretch also passed through the late-2018 selloff, the 2020 COVID shock, and the 2022 rate-hike drawdown.
Interpreting the result
Dollar-cost averaging spreads your buy points by investing the same amount monthly. The technology sector trended strongly upward, but the key point is that it was more volatile than the index. In rallies it can beat the S&P 500, but in corrections its maximum drawdown (peak-to-trough decline) tends to run deeper. A deeper drawdown usually means a longer loss period spent underwater and a longer recovery period back to break-even. The more you concentrate in one sector, the wider these swings.
Caveats & limits
Concentrating in a single sector exposes you fully to that industry's specific risks. Past performance does not guarantee future results, and cherry-picking a period can change the outcome. In real investing, expense ratios, trading commissions, taxes, and — for non-USD investors — currency movements all affect results. This scenario does not recommend buying any specific security or sector.
Data sources & limits
- Price data source: Yahoo Finance / FinanceDataReader
- Collected on: 2026-07-23
- Effective trading date: 2026-07-01
- Price basis: 复权收盘价(已反映股息与拆股)
- Trading fees and taxes are not reflected — figures are pre-tax.
- Based on historical data; does not guarantee future returns.
Frequently asked questions
Does a tech sector ETF like XLK always beat the S&P 500?
No. It can lead during tech-driven rallies, but it tends to suffer deeper maximum drawdowns in corrections. Depending on the window you choose, it may outperform or underperform.
Does monthly investing remove drawdown risk?
No. Dollar-cost averaging only spreads your entry points and smooths your average cost. The sector's own maximum drawdown and loss period still exist.
Should I concentrate everything in the tech sector?
This service does not recommend any allocation. What matters is understanding that single-sector concentration exposes you to that industry's full risk, with larger swings and drawdowns than the broad index.
Related scenarios
📋 结果基于历史数据计算,过去的收益不代表未来的收益。
📋 本服务旨在帮助理解投资、供教育之用,并非投资建议。