By USA TODAY staff and FINRA
You invest $500 to buy $1,000 worth of stock on margin. The value drops by 50%. You sell it.
How much money would you have if you left $100 to grow for 5 years in a savings account with an annual interest rate of 2%?
Imagine that the interest rate on your savings account was 1% per year, and inflation was 2% per year.