Understanding the S&P 500

Lesson 1 of 5

What is the S&P 500?

The S&P 500 is an index that tracks the stock performance of 500 of the largest publicly traded companies in the United States. It's one of the most widely used gauges of the overall U.S. stock market.

• •The S&P 500 is an index that tracks the stock performance of 500 of the largest publicly traded companies in the United States.