Time Machine Tool Reveals Potential Returns on Historic Stock Investments

Imagine being able to go back in time and invest in your favorite stocks. While that's not possible, a new tool allows you to see how much money $100 would have grown to if invested in certain companies.

The 'Time Machine' tool lets users adjust the year and amount invested in five selected stocks: Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Nvidia (NVDA), Amazon (AMZN), or the S&P 500. Even a small investment of $25 in Apple at its opening would have made you about $65,000 today.

Investing expert Scott Laing from the University at Buffalo emphasized that 'there's no better time' to start investing, and that index funds like the S&P 500 or ETFs are great starting points. He noted that the historical average annual return of the S&P 500 is about 10%, according to Fidelity.

Laing also mentioned that while it's impossible to know which companies will become the next big successes, diversifying your portfolio can help mitigate risks. 'What matters is you're in the market, and usually over time, a rising tide lifts all ships,' he said.