# XLF · Annual Return — Financial Sector Historical Calendar-Year Returns

Source: https://historyofmarket.com/fin/fin-annual/
Language: en
Data through 2026-11-12
License: data CC BY 4.0, text © History of Market — cite "History of Market (historyofmarket.com)" and link the source page. Terms: https://historyofmarket.com/license/
Section: History of Market › Financials › Financial Sector Historical Calendar-Year Returns

XLF year to date: +7.6% as of 2026-11-12.

**Financial Sector Annual Returns** — Annual returns of the financial sector through interest rate cycles, balance sheet expansion, and credit crises.

Figure: Plate V.3 · Every complete calendar year since 1999: documenting the severe 55% loss in 2008, the sluggish recovery, and the intra-year 16% regional banking stress of 2023 that ultimately closed positive. · Data through 2026-11-12

## Latest Snapshot

- **Average** — +8.5%
- **Positive years** — 18
- **Negative years** — 9
- **Best year** — 2013 +35.6%
- **Worst year** — 2008 -54.9%
- **Observations** — 28
- **Sample** — 1999-12-31 – 2026-11-12

## What this page answers

Since 1999, XLF has recorded 27 calendar years: 18 positive and 9 negative (a 67% annual win rate), delivering an arithmetic mean annual return of +8.5%. Its strongest annual advance was 2013 (+35.6%); its steepest contraction occurred in 2008 (-54.9%). The most recent period, 2026 (year-to-date, through 2026-11-12), stands at +7.6%. XLF returned an arithmetic average of 8.5% a year over the 27 complete calendar years 1999–2025, or 6.0% a year compounded.

The data is refreshed by the History of Market pipeline and published as a stable JSON endpoint for research, citation, and AI-agent use.

## XLF — annual return over the past 5 to 25 years (complete years through 2025)

| Window | Return |
| --- | --- |
| 5 years | 15.2% |
| 10 years | 13.1% |
| 15 years | 12.1% |
| 20 years | 5.9% |
| 25 years | 5.4% |

## XLF — historical calendar-year returns, 1999–2026

| Year | Return |
| --- | --- |
| 2026 | +7.6% |
| 2025 | +14.9% |
| 2024 | +30.6% |
| 2023 | +12.0% |
| 2022 | -10.6% |
| 2021 | +34.8% |
| 2020 | -1.7% |
| 2019 | +31.9% |
| 2018 | -13.1% |
| 2017 | +22.0% |
| 2016 | +22.4% |
| 2015 | -1.8% |
| 2014 | +15.0% |
| 2013 | +35.6% |
| 2012 | +28.4% |
| 2011 | -17.2% |
| 2010 | +12.0% |
| 2009 | +17.6% |
| 2008 | -54.9% |
| 2007 | -19.2% |
| 2006 | +18.8% |
| 2005 | +6.2% |
| 2004 | +10.9% |
| 2003 | +30.5% |
| 2002 | -14.7% |
| 2001 | -9.4% |
| 2000 | +25.9% |
| 1999 | +2.7% |

Complete record (28 rows). Raw dataset: https://historyofmarket.com/api/fin/annual-returns.json

## Data & Source

[GET /api/fin/annual-returns.json](https://historyofmarket.com/api/fin/annual-returns.json) — Canonical dataset endpoint.

Exchange closing prices · Company filings · Robert Shiller · FRED · NBER.

## FAQ

### What is the average annual return of XLF?

XLF returned an arithmetic average of 8.5% a year over the 27 complete calendar years 1999–2025, or 6.0% a year compounded.

### What has XLF returned per year over the past 10 and 20 years?

Compound annual rates over complete calendar years through 2025: past 10 years (2016–2025) 13.1% a year; past 20 years (2006–2025) 5.9% a year.

### What was the best year on record?

2013, when XLF rallied +35.6%.

### What was the worst year on record?

2008, when XLF plunged -54.9%.

### Where does this data come from?

History of Market combines public market and macro datasets — exchange closing prices, company filings, Robert Shiller, FRED, NBER, and the UBS Global Investment Returns Yearbook (Dimson–Marsh–Staunton). The exact endpoint for this panel is linked below.

### How often is it updated?

Daily-tier datasets refresh after the U.S. market close, with a broader weekly refresh each weekend. The timestamp shown on this page comes from the JSON payload.

### Can I use the data?

Yes, for research and education with attribution to History of Market. Upstream data sources retain their own terms.

## Related charts and reading

- [A Century of Calendar-Year Returns](https://historyofmarket.com/sp500/annual/) — S&P 500
- [Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) Annual Returns by Year](https://historyofmarket.com/nasdaq/nasdaq100-annual/) — Nasdaq
- [Semiconductor Historical Annual Returns](https://historyofmarket.com/semi/semi-annual/) — Semiconductors
- [Technology Sector Historical Calendar-Year Returns](https://historyofmarket.com/xlk/xlk-annual/) — Information Technology
- [Consumer Discretionary Calendar-Year Returns vs. the S&P 500](https://historyofmarket.com/consumer/xly-annual/) — Consumer
- [Consumer Staples Calendar-Year Returns vs. the S&P 500](https://historyofmarket.com/consumer/xlp-annual/) — Consumer

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Data: https://historyofmarket.com/api/fin/annual-returns.json
Machine index: https://historyofmarket.com/llms.txt