The S&P 500 is one of the major indices that tracks the largest companies trading on the U.S. stock market, similar to the Nasdaq and Dow. It encompasses a wide range of S&P 500 stocks, with some of the most significant and influential companies in the market.Over the last year, the S&P 500 has increased by 21%. From July 16 to Aug. 5, the index fell by 9% due to overall economic instability and the drop in Japanese markets, sparking investors’ fears. Since then, it has begun to recover, rising by 5% as of ...