About 5,500 companies were listed across U.S. stock exchanges last year, according to the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA). Many of those companies are included in stock indexes, which measure various aspects of the domestic market.

While hundreds of indexes exist, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) is synonymous with the U.S. stock market due to its scope. Here’s how the S&P 500 performed during the last 30 years and what Wall Street expects in the remaining months of 2026.

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The S&P 500 was created in March 1957. The index is generally considered the best benchmark for the U.S. stock market because it tracks 500 large companies that account for about 80% of domestic equities by market value.

Inclusion is ultimately at the discretion of a selection committee, but companies cannot be considered unless they meet certain eligibility criteria, such as generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) profitability, sufficient liquidity, and a minimum market value of $22.7 billion. The top 10 holdings (as of February 2026) are listed by weight:

1. Nvidia: 7.9%

2. Apple: 6.8%

3. Microsoft: 4.9%

4. Alphabet: 5.5%

5. Amazon: 3.4%

6. Broadcom: 2.6%

7. Meta Platforms: 2.3%

8. Tesla: 1.9%

9. Berkshire Hathaway: 1.5%

10. Eli Lilly: 1.4%

Excluding dividends, the S&P 500 returned 260% (13.6% annually) over the last decade, 439% (8.8% annually) over the last two decades, and 953% (8.1% annually) over the last three decades.

S&P 500 companies in aggregate reported an acceleration in revenue and earnings growth in 2025. Wall Street anticipates another acceleration in 2026, driven by tax cuts (courtesy of President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill”), artificial intelligence (AI) spending, and interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.

In turn, many Wall Street analysts anticipate a strong performance from the S&P 500 in the remaining months of 2026. The table shows where various research organizations and investment banks think the index will finish the year. It also shows the implied upside from the index’s current level of 6,940.

Data source: Reuters, Yahoo Finance. The table shows year-end forecasts for the S&P 500 in 2026. Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number.