Stock Market Overview

Track major U.S. stock market indices, explore sector performance across the economy, and access research tools to analyze individual stocks. For today's live market data, movers, and earnings, visit Market Today.

Understanding the Stock Market

What Are Stock Indices?

A stock index measures the performance of a group of stocks representing a segment of the market. The S&P 500, for example, includes 500 of the largest U.S. companies and is widely considered the best gauge of the overall U.S. stock market. Index movements are weighted, so larger companies have a bigger impact on the index value.

How to Read Sector Performance

Sector performance shows how different areas of the economy are performing. When technology is up but energy is down, it signals a rotation of capital between industries. Broad green across most sectors typically indicates a risk-on market, while broad red suggests risk-off sentiment. Sector ETFs track each industry group.

Key Metrics Explained

P/E Ratio compares price to earnings — lower may mean undervalued. Market Cap is total company value (price × shares). Dividend Yield is annual dividends as a percentage of price. EPS (earnings per share) shows profitability on a per-share basis.

Market Hours & Trading

U.S. stock markets are open Monday through Friday, 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time. Pre-market trading begins at 4:00 AM and after-hours trading extends to 8:00 PM ET. Markets are closed on federal holidays. Earnings are typically reported before market open (BMO) or after market close (AMC).