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Summary

The S&P 500, sometimes just called the S&P, consists of 500 of the largest companies listed on US stock exchanges. The S&P index measures the cap-weighted returns of the stocks in the S&P 500. Funds that track this index have traditionally been highly recommended by the most prominent investors, but this may be changing due to relatively higher valuations in the S&P. On average, the value of this index has nearly tripled every 10 years, including dividend reinvestment. Other summary values are provided below, followed by a table of the historical yearly returns. Dividends are included in all values.

For more information about the S&P 500 checkout Ed Yardini's book S&P 500 Earnings, Valuation, and the Pandemic— you should be able to get it for less than $8.

Entire history mean annual return: 11.7%

Entire history min/max annual return: -43.8%/52.6%

Last 25 years mean annual return: 9.2%

Last 10 years mean annual return: 13.3%

Last 5 years mean annual return: 17.8%

Only 5 times (in this 95-year history) has the S&P lost value in 2 consecutive years. It gained value in 73% of these years (lost value in 27% of the years).

Table of total yearly returns of the S&P 500 (includes dividends)

YearReturn [%]
202326.29
2022-18.11
202130.92
202018.40
201931.49
2018-4.38
201721.83
201611.96
20151.36
201413.52
201332.15
201215.89
20112.10
201014.82
200925.94
2008-36.55
20075.48
200615.61
20054.83
200410.74
200328.36
2002-21.97
2001-11.85
2000-9.03
199920.89
199828.34
199733.10
199622.68
199537.20
19941.33
19939.97
19927.49
199130.23
1990-3.06
198931.48
198816.54
19875.81
198618.49
198531.24
19846.15
198322.34
198220.42
1981-4.70
198031.74
197918.52
19786.51
1977-6.98
197623.83
197537.00
1974-25.90
1973-14.31
197218.76
197114.22
19703.56
1969-8.24
196810.81
196723.80
1966-9.97
196512.40
196416.42
196322.61
1962-8.81
196126.64
19600.34
195912.06
195843.72
1957-10.46
19567.44
195532.60
195452.56
1953-1.21
195218.15
195123.68
195030.81
194918.30
19485.70
19475.20
1946-8.43
194535.82
194419.03
194325.06
194219.17
1941-12.77
1940-10.67
1939-1.10
193829.28
1937-35.34
193631.94
193546.74
1934-1.19
193349.98
1932-8.64
1931-43.84
1930-25.12
1929-8.30
192843.81
Growth of $1 invested in the S&P 500 in January of 1928
Histogram of S&P 500 annual returns

Click here for other historical returns.