S&P 500 index

The S&P 500 (Standard & Poor's 500) is the world's most followed equity index. It represents the 500 largest companies listed on US exchanges, selected by an S&P Dow Jones Indices committee based on market capitalisation ($14.5B+ minimum in 2026), liquidity, positive earnings and sufficient float. It covers roughly 80% of total US market capitalisation.

Historical performance

Created in its current form in 1957, the S&P 500 has delivered roughly 10.5% annualised total return (dividends reinvested) since inception. This masks high variability: the index lost over 37% in 2008 and gained over 30% in 2013 and 2019. Over any 20-year period historically, it has never produced a negative return.

S&P 500 vs MSCI World

The S&P 500 is entirely US-focused, while the MSCI World offers diversification across 23 developed countries (US ~70%, others ~30%). Over 10-20 years, both indices have performed similarly due to the US's dominant weight in the MSCI World.

Main S&P 500 ETFs in Europe

• SXR8 (iShares Core S&P 500 Acc): TER 0.07%, physical — recommended for standard accounts
• 500 (Amundi S&P 500): TER 0.15%, synthetic — PEA-eligible
• SP5 (Lyxor S&P 500): TER 0.09%, synthetic — PEA-eligible