US Stock Market Today: S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq
By Markets & Investing DeskUpdated Nov 10, 2026
Index · SPX
S&P 500
Nov 12, 2026 · 21:58 UTC · Yahoo Finance
- Prev. close
- 7,619.38
- Day range
- 7,550.84 – 7,652.76
- 52-week range
- 6,316.91 – 7,844.52
- Exchange
- SNP
- 1D−0.35%
- 5D+2.92%
- 1M−1.96%
- 6M+2.48%
- YTD+10.91%
- 1Y+12.75%
Key takeaways
- The S&P 500 weights about 500 large US companies by float-adjusted market value.
- The Dow tracks 30 blue-chip stocks weighted by share price, so high-priced stocks move it most.
- Index levels are measured in points, and period returns show price change only, excluding dividends.
- Regular trading runs 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on weekdays, excluding exchange holidays.
The US stock market is usually summarized by three indexes: the S&P 500, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq Composite. Each tracks a different basket of US-listed stocks and is calculated differently, so on the same day they can move by different amounts or in opposite directions.
What Each Index Tracks
- S&P 500: about 500 large US companies, weighted by float-adjusted market value, so the biggest companies have the most influence. It is the most widely used gauge of large-cap US stocks.
- Dow Jones Industrial Average: 30 blue-chip companies, weighted by share price rather than company size, so a high-priced stock moves the Dow more than a larger company with a lower share price.
- Nasdaq Composite: nearly all common stocks listed on the Nasdaq exchange, weighted by market value and heavily tilted toward technology.
How to Read the Quote
The headline figure is the latest index level, measured in points, not dollars. The percentage change compares it with the previous close:
Change % = (current level − previous close) ÷ previous close × 100
The day range shows the lowest and highest levels reached in the current session. The 52-week range shows the low and high over the past year. The period returns (5D, 1M, YTD, 1Y) show price change only and exclude dividends.
What Moves US Stocks
Index levels follow the combined prices of their member stocks. Those prices respond to company earnings, interest rate expectations and Federal Reserve policy, inflation data, employment and growth reports, and shifts in investor risk appetite.
Practical Caveats
Regular trading runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on weekdays, excluding exchange holidays. Outside those hours, the index shows the last session’s value while futures keep trading. Quotes can be delayed, so check the timestamp. You cannot buy an index directly: index funds, ETFs and futures provide exposure, and their prices differ slightly from the index level.
