The S&P 500 is a stock market index tracking the 500 largest publicly traded US companies. It is widely considered the best single indicator of the US stock market's overall health. With an average annual return of roughly 10% over the long term (including dividends), it is the benchmark most investment professionals measure their performance against.
Related Terms
A stock (also called a share or equity) is a fractional ownership stake in a company. When you buy a...
The stock market is a collection of exchanges where buyers and sellers trade shares of publicly list...
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A bear market is a period of declining stock prices, typically defined as a drop of 20% or more from...
Market Navigator Glossary — plain-English definitions of 93+ investing and crypto terms. All content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.