Is the S&P 500 a good index?

Still, the S&P 500 index is regarded as one of the best gauges of prominent American equities' performance, and by extension, that of the stock market overall. The S&P 500 Index features 500 leading U.S. publicly traded companies, with a primary emphasis on market capitalization.

Is the S&P 500 a float-weighted index?

The S&P is a float-weighted index, meaning the market capitalizations of the companies in the index are adjusted by the number of shares available for public trading. Because of its depth and diversity, the S&P 500 is widely considered one of the best gauges of large U.S. stocks, and even the entire equities market.

How do I invest in the S&P 500 Index?

The simplest way to invest in the S&P 500 Index (or any other stock market index) is to buy shares of an index fund that targets that index. These funds invest in a cross-section of the companies represented on the index, meaning that the fund's performance should mirror the performance of the index itself.