What is the S&P 500 YTD return in 2026?
The S&P 500 is up +12.93% year to date with dividends reinvested (total return through Sep 8, 2026), or +12.33% on price alone — dividends have added 0.60 points so far. SPY started the year at $681.92 and closed at $765.99. That makes 2026 the 11th best start in 33 years of data through this date.
Price return vs total return#
Total return assumes distributions are reinvested; price return measures only the change in the ETF's share price. The 0.60 percentage-point gap is the contribution from dividends so far this year.
2026 YTD daily chart#
Daily SPY price since the final market close of 2025. Hover for the close, price YTD, total return YTD with dividends reinvested, and that day's price move.
- Total-return high
- +14.7% · Aug 13, 2026
- Total-return low
- -7.1% · Mar 30, 2026
- Max drawdown YTD
- -8.9%
- All-time-high closes
- 28 days
How 2026 compares with previous years#
Every year is measured through Sep 8 — the same calendar date as the current result — so the comparison is not skewed by full-year outcomes.
Years that looked like this one
The five closest starts to 2026's +12.9%, each traced through its full year — labels show how each finished. 2026's path so far is the bold line.
2024 (+14.4% then → finished +24.9%) · 2025 (+11.4% then → finished +17.7%) · 2017 (+11.3% then → finished +21.7%) · 2009 (+15.5% then → finished +26.4%) · 1999 (+9.9% then → finished +20.4%).
Every year's YTD return through the same date#
Ranked by total return through Sep 8, with each completed calendar year's final return alongside it.
Best starts
| Year | YTD then | Finished |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +27.7% | +33.5% |
| 1995 | +27.0% | +37.3% |
| 2021 | +21.4% | +28.7% |
| 2019 | +20.4% | +31.2% |
| 2003 | +18.4% | +28.2% |
Worst starts
| Year | YTD then | Finished |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | -20.8% | -21.6% |
| 2001 | -16.7% | -11.8% |
| 2022 | -15.1% | -18.2% |
| 2008 | -12.3% | -36.8% |
| 2011 | -4.5% | +1.9% |
| Rank | Year | YTD through this date | Full-year return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1997 | +27.7% | +33.5% |
| 2 | 1995 | +27.0% | +37.3% |
| 3 | 2021 | +21.4% | +28.7% |
| 4 | 2019 | +20.4% | +31.2% |
| 5 | 2003 | +18.4% | +28.2% |
| 6 | 2013 | +17.7% | +32.3% |
| 7 | 2023 | +17.4% | +26.2% |
| 8 | 2012 | +16.1% | +15.4% |
| 9 | 2009 | +15.5% | +26.4% |
| 10 | 2024 | +14.4% | +24.9% |
| 11 | 2026 (now) | +12.9% | — |
| 12 | 2025 | +11.4% | +17.7% |
| 13 | 2017 | +11.3% | +21.7% |
| 14 | 1999 | +9.9% | +20.4% |
| 15 | 2014 | +9.6% | +13.5% |
| 16 | 2018 | +8.7% | -4.6% |
| 17 | 2016 | +8.3% | +12.0% |
| 18 | 1996 | +8.3% | +22.5% |
| 19 | 1998 | +6.8% | +28.7% |
| 20 | 2006 | +5.5% | +15.8% |
| 21 | 2020 | +4.6% | +18.3% |
| 22 | 2007 | +4.0% | +5.1% |
| 23 | 2005 | +3.0% | +4.3% |
| 24 | 2000 | +2.5% | -9.7% |
| 25 | 1994 | +1.9% | -2.2% |
| 26 | 2004 | +1.9% | +10.7% |
| 27 | 2010 | -0.0% | +15.1% |
| 28 | 2015 | -3.0% | +1.2% |
| 29 | 2011 | -4.5% | +1.9% |
| 30 | 2008 | -12.3% | -36.8% |
| 31 | 2022 | -15.1% | -18.2% |
| 32 | 2001 | -16.7% | -11.8% |
| 33 | 2002 | -20.8% | -21.6% |
2026 monthly YTD chart#
Each bar is one calendar month's total return; the current month runs through Sep 8, 2026.
2026 YTD return by month#
Monthly total return and the compounded year-to-date result after each month.
| Month | Monthly return | Cumulative YTD |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | +1.5% | +1.5% |
| Feb | -0.9% | +0.6% |
| Mar | -4.9% | -4.4% |
| Apr | +10.5% | +5.7% |
| May | +5.3% | +11.2% |
| Jun | -1.0% | +10.1% |
| Jul | +0.1% | +10.1% |
| Aug | +2.7% | +13.1% |
| Sep | -0.1% | +12.9% |
Notes & related#
Returns are computed from SPY (the S&P 500 ETF): total return uses dividend-adjusted closes, price return uses split-adjusted closes only. “YTD through the same date” compares each year at the identical month-day, so early-year rankings aren't skewed by full-year outcomes. Data updates after each market close.
Keep going: S&P 500 returns by year, monthly returns, or the drawdown record.
More on S&P 500
- Returns by year+12.9%
- Year by year+17.7%
- Trailing returns+19.4%
- Sector performance+46.9%
- Return calculator$1,815
- Average return10%?
- Companies & weights500
- Stock performance500