As of Friday afternoon, the S&P 500 had advanced nearly 16% since Trump returned to the White House as the 47th president of the United States on Jan. 20, 2025. The gain itself isn’t abnormal, though it does sit above the historical median return of 9% for a president’s first year in office since 1929, according to Dow Jones Market Data.

The S&P 500 Index has stalled near its all-time high as investors reflect on major news, including the ongoing earnings season

To find the best S&P 500 index fund, look no further than the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF ( VOO 0.01%), which provides all the diversification you'd ever want, for a very low maintenance fee. Here's why it's a no-brainer buy.

The S&P 500 is currently up 1.38% year-to-date, while the S&P Equal Weight is up 3.83% year-to-date. Read more here.

Sometimes companies booted from the S&P 500 go on to outperform the index. Recent examples include Zion Bank, Lincoln National, Lumen Technologies, PVH, and Apartment Investment and Management.

If you invest in the S&P 500 index, you should stick with the cheapest option, unless you adjust your approach slightly.

The S&P 500’s sectors were trading mixed Monday, with an exchange-traded fund that equal weights stocks in the index trading slightly lower around midday. The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF was slipping 0.

Here are the top catalysts for the S&P 500 Index and its ETFs like the VOO and SPY, including the inflation data and corporate earnings

The S&P 500 bull market entered its third year back in October. Over the past three calendar years, the famous benchmark has surged 78%. Optimism about the future of artificial intelligence (AI) has prompted investors to buy AI stocks -- and that’s fueled gains in the index.

The S&P 500, a widely followed index of U.S. large-cap stocks, has not seen many sharp moves up or down lately, according to CappThesis. “Despite the back-and-forth price action over the last few weeks,