The smallest 30 % of stocks did the best, with average annual gains of 12.3 % from 1960 through to the end of 2013. (moneysense.ca)
To date, the passive index fund averaged annual gains of 7.1 % and the five actively - managed funds returned an average of only 2.2 %, compounded annually. (ourfinancialpath.com)
Over the last 100 years individual stocks have averaged an annual gain of 17 % which leads all other investment vehicles in returns. (stockmonkeys.com)