{
  "id": 16536505,
  "title": "Vanguard S&P 500 ETF Long-Term Outlook: What Historical Trends Suggest for Patient Investors",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/vanguard-s-p-500-etf-long-term-outlook-what-historical-trends-suggest",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-25T23:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Motley Fool",
    "slug": "motley-fool",
    "url": "https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/10/25/vanguard-sp-500-etf-long-term-outlook-history-says/?source=iedfolrf0000001"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The S&P 500 has historically delivered around 10% annual returns, including dividends, which offers a benchmark for long-term stock performance. This figure does not account for the ups and downs stocks may encounter en route to this average. Throughout the last century, the market has faced significant downturns, including the Great Depression, the 1970s stagflation/energy crisis, Black Monday 1987, the tech bubble, the financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these setbacks, the S&P 500 has continued to generate an average annual return of 10%. However, this long-term trend is not without its nuances. Short-term factors like inflation, jobs reports, Fed policy changes, and geopolitical events can cause significant fluctuations in stock prices. Over time, though, a company's earnings tend to be the primary catalyst for stock appreciation. Currently, the S&P 500 is benefiting from a robust earnings growth rate, driven by the AI boom. This acceleration in earnings growth is propelling the index to new highs, even as inflation remains elevated, oil prices are high, and long-term interest rates are at historic levels. While such a rapid earnings growth rate is unlikely to persist indefinitely, the U.S. economy remains on a positive trajectory. The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an excellent long-term investment choice due to its comprehensive exposure to the U.S. economy and low expense ratio. However, it's crucial to remember that trying to forecast market movements in the near term is usually futile. For investors who can commit to holding onto their investments for at least a decade, the S&P 500 offers a solid opportunity to ride out the market's volatility and increase the likelihood of achieving long-term success.",
  "summary": "Long-term earnings growth is going to be key for S&P 500 performance.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Nasdaq Markets",
        "title": "Vanguard S&P 500 ETF Long-Term Outlook: What Historical Trends Suggest for Patient Investors",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/vanguard-s-p-500-etf-long-term-outlook-what-historical-trends-suggest-16537090",
        "published": "2026-10-25T23:50:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}