S&P 500 Explained – What It Is and Why Investors Watch It Closely 📊 The S&P 500 is one of the most widely followed stock market indexes in the world. For anyone looking to invest in the US stock market, understanding the S&P 500 is essential. It gives you a snapshot of how the overall market is performing and helps you track the health of large US companies. 1. What is the S&P 500? The S&P 500, short for Standard & Poor’s 500 , is a stock market index that tracks 500 of the largest publicly traded companies in the United States. It includes companies from various sectors like technology, healthcare, finance, and consumer goods. Big names like Apple 🍎, Microsoft 💻, Amazon 📦, and Johnson & Johnson 🏥 are part of this index. By following the S&P 500, investors can see the overall trend of the US stock market without checking individual stocks. It is considered a benchmark for how the market and the economy are performing. 2. How Does t...

📘 What Is a Stock Exchange? A stock exchange is a platform where people can buy and sell shares of companies. It acts like a digital marketplace that connects buyers and sellers of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other financial instruments. Every time you place a buy or sell order through your broker, it goes to a stock exchange to get matched with someone on the other side of the trade. In India, the two main stock exchanges are NSE and BSE. 🏦 What Are NSE and BSE? NSE (National Stock Exchange) and BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) are the two major stock exchanges in India where buying and selling of shares happen. These are platforms where companies get listed and investors trade their shares. Think of NSE and BSE like big online marketplaces where people can buy or sell parts (shares) of companies like Reliance, TCS, or Infosys. 🔍 Full Forms NSE – National Stock Exchange BSE – Bombay Stock Exchange 📅 When Were They Established? BSE: Oldest...