Mark Lister: Strongest ally in the path to wealth creation is time 23 Apr, 2021 11:00 PM 3 minutes to read NZ shares have been returning about 10.2 per cent annually over the past 50 years. Photo / Getty Images NZ shares have been returning about 10.2 per cent annually over the past 50 years. Photo / Getty Images Bay of Plenty Times Albert Einstein once said compounding was the most powerful force in the universe. The maths universe, that is. In financial terms, compounding is where you earn returns on your returns, or interest on your interest. This magnifies your gains over time, which means you get exponential growth on your money.