What if you'd held DSU?
A $1,000 investment in Blackrock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (DSU) at the month-end close of 1998-03 would be worth $5,136 at the close of 2026-08 — +413.6% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $6,996.
Your scenario
Result
If you'd bought $1,000 at the start of each year
Value of $1,000 invested on January 1 of each year, held to 2026-08, dividends included.
Every year, $1,000 from 1998
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | $1,000 | — |
| 1999 | $969 | -3.1% |
| 2000 | $1,025 | +5.8% |
| 2001 | $1,170 | +14.1% |
| 2002 | $1,157 | -1.1% |
| 2003 | $1,623 | +40.2% |
| 2004 | $1,792 | +10.5% |
| 2005 | $1,774 | -1.1% |
| 2006 | $2,308 | +30.1% |
| 2007 | $1,956 | -15.3% |
| 2008 | $1,019 | -47.9% |
| 2009 | $1,667 | +63.6% |
| 2010 | $1,925 | +15.5% |
| 2011 | $2,126 | +10.5% |
| 2012 | $2,553 | +20.1% |
| 2013 | $2,566 | +0.5% |
| 2014 | $2,579 | +0.5% |
| 2015 | $2,522 | -2.2% |
| 2016 | $3,038 | +20.4% |
| 2017 | $3,358 | +10.6% |
| 2018 | $3,025 | -9.9% |
| 2019 | $3,748 | +23.9% |
| 2020 | $3,805 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $4,547 | +19.5% |
| 2022 | $3,843 | -15.5% |
| 2023 | $5,013 | +30.4% |
| 2024 | $5,572 | +11.2% |
| 2025 | $5,906 | +6.0% |
| 2026 | $5,943 | +0.6% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought DSU was 2009-03 ($1.33): $1,000 then is $7,105 today. The worst was 2026-04 ($9.63): $1,000 then is $981.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in DSU be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Blackrock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (DSU) at the start of 1998 would be worth about $5,136 today, a total return of +413.6%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for DSU?
Blackrock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (DSU)'s strongest calendar year since 1998 was 2009, a +63.6% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $1,636 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2008, at -47.9%.
Does the calculator include dividends and splits?
Yes where available. Prices are adjusted for both stock splits and reinvested dividends (total return), the same measure brokerages use.
How much would $100 per month in DSU have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1998-03 would have grown to about $100,193 on $34,200 invested.
Did DSU beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $6,996. DSU trailed the S&P 500 by +26.6% in total return.
Is this investment advice?
No. Wall Street Regrets is an entertainment and education tool. Every number is a historical calculation, not a prediction, and past performance never guarantees future results.
Methodology
Blackrock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (DSU) historical total-return data from 1998-03 to 2026-08, reduced to month-end closes for the tables above.
Returns use adjusted close prices from Yahoo Finance historical data — adjusted for stock splits and reinvested dividends — the same convention used by major brokerages. A "year" scenario invests $1,000 at the prior December's month-end close and values it at the latest available month-end close. Non-USD amounts are converted at historical month-end exchange rates (Yahoo Finance): to USD on the buy date and back to your currency at the latest rate, so the return reflects the currency move as well as the asset.
Month-end resolution means intra-month extremes are not captured in tables; the calculator uses exact trading-day closes where daily data is available. Figures ignore taxes, fees, and the currency effects of non-USD listings. History is not a forecast. Wall Street Regrets is entertainment, not investment advice.
What if you'd held…
Data: adjusted close prices via Yahoo Finance. As of 2026-08. Not financial advice.