S&P 500 Snapshot: 50-Day MA Becomes a Pivot Point Amid February Volatility

Core Viewpoint - The S&P 500 index has shown volatility in February, slipping below its 50-day moving average and ending the week with a loss of -0.4%, now 1.43% off its all-time high from January 27, 2026 [1] Group 1: S&P 500 Performance - The S&P 500 experienced its seventh cross of the 50-day moving average in February [1] - The index closed at a loss of -0.4% for the week, indicating a downward trend [1] - Historical context shows that the S&P 500 reached an all-time high of 1565.15 on October 9, 2007, before experiencing a significant drop of approximately 57% during the Global Financial Crisis [1] Group 2: Volatility Insights - The S&P 500 has been below the 50-day moving average since February 27, while remaining above the 200-day moving average since May 12 [1] - The index experienced its largest intraday price volatility of 10.77% on April 9, 2025, since December 24, 2018 [1] - The average percent change from intraday low to high over the past 20 days is 1.22%, indicating ongoing volatility [1] Group 3: Index Comparisons - The S&P 500 is up 0.49% year to date, while the S&P Equal Weight Index has outperformed with a gain of 6.78% year to date [1] - The S&P 500 is a market cap-weighted index, while the S&P Equal Weight Index gives equal weight to each constituent [1]