The U.S. stock market had a rocky start to the year, thanks to tariffs and Trump's fight with the Fed. But it's ending on a high note

It was scary because the U.S. stock market plunged to several historic drops on worries about everything from President Donald Trump's tariffs to interest rates to a possible bubble in artificial-intelligence technology. In the end, though, it was a great year for anyone with the stomach to stick through the swings.S&P 500 index funds, which sit at the heart of many savers' 401(k) accounts, returned more than 18% in 2025 through Dec. 11 and set a record high that day. It's their third straight year of big r ...