What if you invested monthly in a US aggregate-bond ETF (AGG) for 15 years?
See how a 15-year monthly investment into AGG, the benchmark for the entire U.S. bond market, would have looked using real data. A bond benchmark tends to have low volatility, but it is not a loss-free asset.
Investment conditions
Asset · US aggregate-bond ETF (AGG)
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)
-11.2%
Largest drop from peak
Longest loss period
3months
Months in loss: 6
Recovery period
5months
Growth over time
Invested principal (dashed) and portfolio value (solid). Values below match the calculation.
Total invested $40,222 → Final value $46,205 (+14.9%), Maximum drawdown (MDD) -11.2%
Why this period and asset
AGG broadly holds the U.S. investment-grade bond market (Treasuries, agency debt, high-quality corporates, mortgage bonds and more) and serves as the main benchmark for U.S. bonds. Because it blends many maturities and issuers, its price tends to move more gently than a single long-dated Treasury. Still, after the low-rate years of 2011-2021, the aggregate bond index had an unusually poor stretch during the sharp rate hikes of 2022, as the whole bond market felt the effect of rising rates.
Interpreting the result
AGG is known for 'low volatility,' but that does not mean no losses. It is important to check the maximum drawdown, underwater period, and recovery time on the results screen to understand the true nature of a 'gentle but not loss-free' asset. Bonds have a different risk-return profile from stocks and are often expected to cushion a portfolio, but that cushion can weaken during rapid rate spikes. Monthly investing spreads out timing but does not remove directional losses.
Caveats & limits
Aggregate bonds are also affected by interest-rate direction and can fall more than expected during sharp rate rises. As a foreign asset, exchange-rate moves flow into won-denominated returns, and expense ratios, trading costs, and taxes on distributions reduce real performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results, and this page does not recommend buying.
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
Is AGG safer than stocks?
A bond benchmark generally moves less than stocks, but 'safe' and 'loss-free' are different. Looking at the maximum drawdown and underwater period on the results screen shows that bonds too can fall below your invested amount in certain periods.
Does AGG alone diversify my bonds?
AGG holds a wide range of maturities and issuers, so it is more diversified than a single bond. However, because the whole market reacts to rates, most holdings can decline together during a rate-rising period.
Is it fine to invest only in bonds?
This page does not recommend any particular allocation. Since bonds and stocks have different risk-return profiles, comparing each asset's maximum drawdown and recovery time can help inform your own judgment.
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。