December 31, 2008: For the year, S&P 500 falls 38.47 %, its worst yearly percentage loss.
The S&P 500 index officially started on March 4, 1957, when it was introduced as the Standard "500" by Standard & Poor's.
- Introduction: The S&P 500 was launched at a press event on February 27, 1957, with official start date of March 4, 1957.
- Evolution: While the S&P 500 started in 1957, Standard & Poor's had been creating market indicators for decades prior, including a 90-stock index in the 1920s.
Since its inception in 1926, the index's compound annual growth rate—including dividends—has been approximately 9.8% (6% after inflation),
The S&P 500 did not exist in its modern form in 1926, but it originated from the Standard & Poor's Composite Index, a 90-stock index launched in that year. The current 500-stock index was officially introduced in 1957, succeeding the earlier composite index and incorporating a larger number of companies
Average S&P 500 Performance by Month
- 90-Stock Index: This early index tracked 90 stocks and served as the initial version of the S&P 500.
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