{"version":1,"asset_type":"statistical_series","data_type":"time_series","slug":"sp-500-historical","url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/sp-500-historical","html_url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/sp-500-historical/","title":"S&P 500 Index — Historical Levels & Returns","description":"Daily closing levels, total returns, and earnings data for the S&P 500, tracking 500 large-cap US companies representing approximately 80% of US market capitalisation.","domain":"markets","category":"Financial Markets","keywords":["Equities","S&P 500","Financial Markets","US Stocks","Index Returns"],"publisher":"S&P Dow Jones Indices","frequency":"Daily","geography":"United States","temporal_coverage":"1928-01/..","last_updated":"2026-04-14","last_updated_text":"April 14, 2026","data_as_of":"2025","variable_measured":"S&P 500 Index Level and Returns","measurement_technique":"Float-adjusted market-capitalisation weighting","license":"https://apiardata.com/data-license","is_accessible_for_free":true,"sources":[{"name":"S&P Dow Jones Indices","url":"https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/sp-500/"},{"name":"FRED — Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis","url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SP500"},{"name":"Quandl / Nasdaq Data Link","url":"https://data.nasdaq.com/data/MULTPL/SP500_PE_RATIO_MONTH"}],"meta":[{"label":"Frequency","value":"Daily"},{"label":"Coverage","value":"Jan 1928–present"},{"label":"Constituents","value":"500 companies"},{"label":"Geography","value":"United States"},{"label":"Market cap coverage","value":"~80% of US market"},{"label":"Last updated","value":"April 14, 2026"}],"kpis":[{"label":"Index Level","value":"6,845.50","unit":"Points (Dec 31, 2025)","trend":{"direction":"up","value":"+16.39% in 2025"}},{"label":"Trailing P/E","value":"22.4×","unit":"12-month trailing","trend":{"direction":"down","value":"vs. 24.1× prior year"}},{"label":"Dividend Yield","value":"1.48%","unit":"Trailing 12-month","trend":{"direction":"up","value":"+8bps YoY"}},{"label":"10Y Annualised Return","value":"+12.4%","unit":"Total return, USD"}],"series":[{"key":"value","label":"S&P 500 Index Level"}],"observation_count":31,"observations":[{"period":"1995","value":615.93},{"period":"1996","value":740.74},{"period":"1997","value":970.43},{"period":"1998","value":1229.23},{"period":"1999","value":1469.25},{"period":"2000","value":1320.28},{"period":"2001","value":1148.08},{"period":"2002","value":879.82},{"period":"2003","value":1111.92},{"period":"2004","value":1211.92},{"period":"2005","value":1248.29},{"period":"2006","value":1418.3},{"period":"2007","value":1468.36},{"period":"2008","value":903.25},{"period":"2009","value":1115.1},{"period":"2010","value":1257.64},{"period":"2011","value":1257.6},{"period":"2012","value":1426.19},{"period":"2013","value":1848.36},{"period":"2014","value":2058.9},{"period":"2015","value":2043.94},{"period":"2016","value":2238.83},{"period":"2017","value":2673.61},{"period":"2018","value":2506.85},{"period":"2019","value":3230.78},{"period":"2020","value":3756.07},{"period":"2021","value":4766.18},{"period":"2022","value":3839.5},{"period":"2023","value":4769.83},{"period":"2024","value":5881.63},{"period":"2025","value":6845.5}],"table":{"columns":[{"key":"period","label":"Year"},{"key":"cpiIndex","label":"Year-End Level"},{"key":"growth","label":"Price Return (%)"},{"key":"coreInflation","label":"Total Return (%)"}],"rows":[{"period":"2025","cpiIndex":"6845.50","growth":"+16.39%","coreInflation":"+17.69%"},{"period":"2024","cpiIndex":"5881.63","growth":"+23.31%","coreInflation":"+25.02%"},{"period":"2023","cpiIndex":"4769.83","growth":"+24.23%","coreInflation":"+26.29%"},{"period":"2022","cpiIndex":"3839.50","growth":"-19.44%","coreInflation":"-18.11%"},{"period":"2021","cpiIndex":"4766.18","growth":"+26.89%","coreInflation":"+28.71%"},{"period":"2020","cpiIndex":"3756.07","growth":"+16.26%","coreInflation":"+18.40%"},{"period":"2019","cpiIndex":"3230.78","growth":"+28.88%","coreInflation":"+31.49%"},{"period":"2018","cpiIndex":"2506.85","growth":"-6.24%","coreInflation":"-4.38%"},{"period":"2017","cpiIndex":"2673.61","growth":"+19.42%","coreInflation":"+21.83%"},{"period":"2016","cpiIndex":"2238.83","growth":"+9.54%","coreInflation":"+11.96%"},{"period":"2015","cpiIndex":"2043.94","growth":"-0.73%","coreInflation":"+1.38%"},{"period":"2014","cpiIndex":"2058.90","growth":"+11.39%","coreInflation":"+13.69%"},{"period":"2013","cpiIndex":"1848.36","growth":"+29.60%","coreInflation":"+32.39%"},{"period":"2012","cpiIndex":"1426.19","growth":"+13.41%","coreInflation":"+16.00%"},{"period":"2011","cpiIndex":"1257.60","growth":"-0.00%","coreInflation":"+2.11%"},{"period":"2010","cpiIndex":"1257.64","growth":"+12.78%","coreInflation":"+15.06%"},{"period":"2009","cpiIndex":"1115.10","growth":"+23.45%","coreInflation":"+26.46%"},{"period":"2008","cpiIndex":"903.25","growth":"-38.49%","coreInflation":"-37.00%"},{"period":"2007","cpiIndex":"1468.36","growth":"+3.53%","coreInflation":"+5.49%"},{"period":"2006","cpiIndex":"1418.30","growth":"+13.62%","coreInflation":"+15.79%"}]},"qa":[{"question":"What does the S&P 500 index represent?","answer":"The S&P 500 is a float-adjusted market-capitalisation-weighted index of 500 large-cap US companies selected by the S&P Index Committee based on liquidity, market cap (minimum ~$18B), financial viability, and sector representation. It covers approximately 80% of US equity market capitalisation and is the benchmark against which most US equity funds are measured. The index is rebalanced quarterly, with constituent changes announced in advance."},{"question":"What is the difference between price return and total return?","answer":"Price return tracks only changes in the index level — it excludes dividends. Total return reinvests dividends back into the index, reflecting the full investor experience. Over long periods, dividends contribute roughly 40% of total equity returns. Most S&P 500 ETFs (SPY, IVV, VOO) track total return. The raw index level quoted in financial news is the price return index."},{"question":"How is the S&P 500 used in institutional portfolio management?","answer":"The S&P 500 is the universal benchmark for US large-cap equity. Active managers are measured against it — any deviation from the index constitutes \"active risk\" or tracking error. Derivatives (futures, options) on the S&P 500 are among the world's most liquid financial instruments, used for hedging, leverage, and portfolio rebalancing. Factor-based strategies (value, growth, quality, momentum) are typically defined and tested relative to the S&P 500 universe."}]}