Key Points S&P 500 index funds have proven to be solid long-term investments. The Schwab U.S. Dividend ETF offers a higher current dividend yield. Dividend growth stocks like the ones SCHD holds have historically delivered higher returns with less volatility compared to the S&P 500.

The S&P 500 stock index and the Nasdaq Composite both finished at record highs on Thursday, as investors embraced strong economic data and earnings reports that showed American consumers remained willing to spend.

ProShares Ultra S&P500 ETF offers leveraged exposure, amplifying both gains and losses. Read why we do not recommend SSO as a buy-and-hold kind of investment.

The S&P 500 index is meant to be broadly representative of the U.S. economy. The well-known index is also a key gauge for tracking the U.S. stock market. The S&P 500 is what just about everyone uses to monitor the performance of the U.

Stock futures are slightly higher Friday morning as the market looks to close out the first week of earnings-reporting season on a high note.

The S&P 500 Index shuffled between small gains and losses on Wednesday, as a decline in chipmakers kept broader gains in check as traders parsed cooling producer prices and a string of profit updates from big banks.

Skyrocketing tech company valuations have made the S&P 500 more concentrated than usual. The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF has outperformed the standard S&P 500 since its inception. The S&P 500 is the stock market's most followed index by a large margin.

The S&P 500 added 0.5% on Thursday, July 17, 2025, notching a record closing high for the first time in a week as June retail sales exceeded economists' forecasts.

RBC Capital Markets on Sunday raised its S&P 500 index year-end target to 6,250 from 5,730, its second hike this year, citing stronger investor sentiment and growing focus on 2026 economic prospects.

The iShares S&P 500 ex Top 100 ETF, meanwhile, tracks the S&P 500 performance excluding the 100 largest stocks, better known as the S&P 100. BlackRock promotes using the ETF in conjunction with the iShares S&P 100 ETF ( OEF -0.23%), so that investors can balance their megacap exposure as they want.

Stronger-than-expected economic support from consumers reinforces the case for the Federal Reserve to stay in its holding pattern on rates.