S&P 500 Starts 2024 Up 1.6% in January, But Strong Early Returns Don't Guarantee Further Gains
• The S&P 500 rose 1.6% in January 2024, continuing strong performance from 2023 when it was up 24% • Historically the S&P 500 has had a good start in January over 50% of the time since 1973 • In years with a good January return, the average annual return is 16.8% and it rises another 11.2% over the rest of the year • However, some years see negative returns despite a strong January, so a good start isn't a guarantee • Rather than predicting trends, investors should focus on quality long-term investments like the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF