The S&P 500 in 2026
As of October 7, 2026, the S&P 500 is up 14.0% in 2026: 7,801.77, against 6,845.50 at the end of 2025.
- Price return
- +14.0%
- Total return
- +15.0%
- Deepest decline in the year
- −9.1%March 30, 2026
- Latest close
- 7,801.77October 7, 2026
- Highest close
- 7,818.93October 6, 2026
- Lowest close
- 6,343.72March 30, 2026
- Record closes
- 28
- Trading days
- 192
- Best day
- +2.9%March 31, 2026
- Worst day
- −2.6%June 5, 2026
- Shiller CAPE in January
- 39.7
How 2026 unfolded
The highest close of the year was 7,818.93 on October 6, 2026; the lowest was 6,343.72 on March 30, 2026.
The deepest fall from a peak within the year was −9.1%, bottoming on March 30, 2026.
28 closes set new all-time highs, the last on October 6, 2026.
The best session was March 31, 2026 (+2.9%); the worst was June 5, 2026 (−2.6%).
No month of 2026 falls inside an NBER-dated recession.
The Shiller CAPE stood at 39.7 in January 2026.
The VIX averaged 18.2 over the year and closed as high as 31.1 on March 27, 2026.
Drawdowns that touched 2026
| Drawdown | Peak → trough | Decline | Back at the record |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI & geopolitical fears | January 27, 2026 → March 30, 2026 | −9.1% | April 15, 2026 |
Every decline of 5% or more from a record close that was under way, or still being recovered, during 2026.
2026 month by month
| Month | Return |
|---|---|
| January | +1.4% |
| February | −0.9% |
| March | −5.1% |
| April | +10.4% |
| May | +5.1% |
| June | −1.1% |
| July | −0.1% |
| August | +2.6% |
| September | −0.4% |
| October | +2.0% |
S&P 500 index changes in 2026
| Effective | Added | Removed |
|---|---|---|
| February 9, 2026 | CIEN · Ciena | DAY · Dayforce |
| March 23, 2026 | VRT · Vertiv | MTCH · Match Group |
| March 23, 2026 | LITE · Lumentum | MOH · Molina Healthcare |
| March 23, 2026 | COHR · Coherent Corp. | LW · Lamb Weston |
| March 23, 2026 | SATS · EchoStar | PAYC · Paycom |
| April 9, 2026 | CASY · Casey's | HOLX · Hologic |
| May 7, 2026 | VEEV · Veeva Systems | CTRA · Coterra Energy |
| June 1, 2026 | FDXF · FedEx Freight | — |
| June 2, 2026 | — | EPAM · EPAM Systems |
| June 22, 2026 | MRVL · Marvell Technology | POOL · Pool Corporation |
| June 22, 2026 | FLEX · Flex Ltd. | CPB · The Campbell's Company |
| June 29, 2026 | HONA · Honeywell Aerospace | — |
| June 30, 2026 | — | CAG · Conagra Brands |
| August 5, 2026 | FERG · Ferguson Enterprises | EA · Electronic Arts |
| August 18, 2026 | RDDT · Reddit | AVB · AvalonBay Communities |
| September 21, 2026 | BE · Bloom Energy | TAP · Molson Coors Beverage |
| September 21, 2026 | P · Everpure | TTD · The Trade Desk |
| September 21, 2026 | ILMN · Illumina | BLDR · Builders FirstSource |
| October 1, 2026 | VYLR · Vylor | — |
| October 6, 2026 | TWLO · Twilio | WBD · Warner Bros. Discovery |
| October 6, 2026 | — | CTVA · Corteva |
21 changes took effect in 2026.
FAQ
How is the S&P 500 doing in 2026?
As of October 7, 2026, the S&P 500 is up 14.0% in 2026: 7,801.77, against 6,845.50 at the end of 2025.
How far did the S&P 500 fall in 2026?
Its deepest peak-to-trough decline within 2026 was −9.1%, reaching bottom on March 30, 2026.
Was 2026 part of a bear market?
No. No decline of 20% or more from a record close was under way in 2026.
Did the S&P 500 hit a record high in 2026?
Yes: 28 closes set new all-time highs in 2026, the last on October 6, 2026.
Data and sources
Daily closes · Calendar-year price returns · Calendar-year total returns · Intra-year declines · Drawdowns from record closes · Shiller CAPE · NBER recession months (via FRED) · Monthly returns · Index changes · VIX daily closes
Index levels are daily closes. Price return leaves dividends out; total return reinvests them. A past year's page changes only when a later year completes and the rankings move.