Investing in the S&P 500 offers a 10% average annual return, encompassing 500 major U.S. stocks. Historical data shows the S&P 500 had high variability but outperformed in the long run.

The NASDAQ-100 is widely followed as a measure mainly of the big tech and social media stocks that make up the index.

In this century, the S&P's (SP500) returns on the first trading day of a year has matched its eventual annual performance in 13 instances, while differing in 12. See the chart below: Notably ...

Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Steve Vernon, FSA, helps retirees make their money last for life. The S&P 500 lost 18.11% during 2022, when you include the return from ...

But investors need not fret, as history shows that the benchmark S&P 500's (SP500) performance on the first trading day of a year is a poor benchmark for the gauge's eventual annual return.