<P> The Standard & Poor 's 500 , often abbreviated as the S&P 500 , or just `` the S&P '' , is an American stock market index based on the market capitalizations of 500 large companies having common stock listed on the NYSE or NASDAQ . The S&P 500 index components and their weightings are determined by S&P Dow Jones Indices . It differs from other U.S. stock market indices , such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the Nasdaq Composite index , because of its diverse constituency and weighting methodology . It is one of the most commonly followed equity indices , and many consider it one of the best representations of the U.S. stock market , and a bellwether for the U.S. economy . The National Bureau of Economic Research has classified common stocks as a leading indicator of business cycles . </P>
<P> The Standard & Poor 's 500 , often abbreviated as the S&P 500 , or just `` the S&P '' , is an American stock market index based on the market capitalizations of 500 large companies having common stock listed on the NYSE or NASDAQ . The S&P 500 index components and their weightings are determined by S&P Dow Jones Indices . It differs from other U.S. stock market indices , such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the Nasdaq Composite index , because of its diverse constituency and weighting methodology . It is one of the most commonly followed equity indices , and many consider it one of the best representations of the U.S. stock market , and a bellwether for the U.S. economy . The National Bureau of Economic Research has classified common stocks as a leading indicator of business cycles . </P>
what is the standard and poor 's 500 index
what is the standard and poor 's 500 index
stock market index
stock market index