The S&P 500 Posts a 14.05% Price Gain Through Oct. 12

The S&P 500 finished at 7,807.24 on Oct. 12, leaving the benchmark 14.05% higher for 2026 through that session on a price-only basis. The daily close was recorded at 4 p.m. ET (20:00 UTC).

The index fell 4.30 points from its Oct. 9 close of 7,811.54, a decline of 0.06%. Its year-to-date change compares the Oct. 12 level with the Dec. 31, 2025, close of 6,845.50. The price-return measure does not include dividends.

For 2025, the S&P 500 gained 16.39% on a price basis. With dividends reinvested, its total return was 17.88%; that measure includes dividend income.

The index represents 500 companies and about 80% of U.S. equity market value. Its weighting reflects the value of shares available for public trading, so companies with larger freely traded market values have more influence on the index.