If you're interested in broad exposure to the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market, look no further than the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on May 15, 2000.
Ray Dalio's Bridgewater Associates is a hedge fund with $136.5 billion in assets.
The S&P 500 see-sawed throughout the week, ultimately snapping the index's three-week win streak with a loss of 1.6%. Here is a snapshot of the index from the past week: The table below summarizes the number of record highs reached each year dating back to 2013.
Thirteen S&P 500 "DiviDogs" are highlighted as "safer" high-yield stocks, with free cash flow supporting their dividends and attractive entry points. Analysts project 24.44% to 44.42% net gains by November 2026 for the top ten S&P 500 dividend dogs, with an average estimated gain of 29.53%. The ideal dividend dog strategy favors stocks where $1K invested yields more than the share price, currently met by thirteen names including MO, VZ, and KIM.
U.S. stocks are stumbling this month amid worries over stretched valuations, with the S&P 500's concentration in Big Tech making it vulnerable to pullbacks like the one seen Thursday.
The WisdomTree Equity Premium Income Fund offers high income and strong capital preservation through a defensive, low-beta options strategy on the S&P 500. WTPI provides a high 11.57% yield and significantly lower volatility than broad market ETFs, making it attractive for conservative income investors. The fund's drawbacks include a high expense ratio, poor liquidity, and limited upside in bull markets, requiring careful monitoring of trading costs.
These companies combine high sales growth with improving productivity and efficiency.
‘What is the smartest way to create income with this money?'
Q3 earnings growth continues to improve. With 64% of constituents reporting thus far, S&P 500 EPS growth for Q3 2025 accelerated to 10.7%. Potential earnings surprises this week: Eastman Chemical, Martin Marietta Materials, Stanley Black & Decker, ConocoPhillips and more. This marks the second peak week of the Q3 earnings season with 3,313 companies set to release results.
These stocks have also shown recent earnings momentum, with increases to consensus estimates.
The forward 4-quarter estimate this week jumped to $294.87 from last week's $294.81 and August 1st's $281.15. The S&P 500 has seen positive revisions in the 2027 EPS estimate since August 1, '25. If the S&P 500 benchmark just meets that EPS growth target in '26 and returns 14%, it will be the fourth year in a row of mid-teens or better returns for the benchmark, with '23 and '24 returns being 25% each.