S&P 500

S&P 500 Index over the past 85 years

The table appearing below highlight performance data for the S&P 500 Index by decade from 1920-1999 and for selected multiyear time periods from 1926-2004.

These S&P 500 Index historical data may offer valuable insights and lessons about equity investment performance during previous economic and financial eras; however, history does not repeat itself and past returns may not be indicative of future equity investment performance.

Also worth emphasis is the importance of dividend reinvestment, and its contribution to total return over sufficiently long multiyear holding periods.

• From 1920-1929,

  
  the S&P 500 climbed from a low of 6.45 to a high of 31.71, representing a multiplication of 4.9x during the 10 years. Following the market crash in 1929, 26 years were needed for the market to return to 1929 peak levels.

  
  

• From 1949-1966,

  
  the S&P 500 climbed from a low of 14.16 to a high of 92.88, representing a multiplication of 6.6x during the 18 years.

  
  

• From 1966-1982,

  
  the S&P 500 climbed from a low of 63.54 to a high of 140.64, representing a multiplication of 2.2x during the 17 years.

  
  

• From 1982-2000,

  
  the S&P 500 climbed from a low of 107.09 to a high of 1,517.68, representing a multiplication of 14.2x during the 19 years.