S&P 500 Nears 4th Straight Double-Digit Gain Year as 11.6% Rise Fuels Bear Market Fears
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Finance · Aug 24
S&P 500 Nears 4th Straight Double-Digit Gain Year as 11.6% Rise Fuels Bear Market Fears
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Finance · Aug 24
Summary
An 11.6% year-to-date gain has put the S&P 500 on track for four straight years of double-digit annual returns, a streak not seen since the 1990s.
That run has sharpened concern that stretched valuations—especially around artificial-intelligence stocks—could leave the index vulnerable to a bear market even before 2026 ends.
A bear market is typically defined as a drop of at least 20% from recent highs, but the report says timing is inherently unpredictable despite warning signs in economic indicators and pricing.
History in past sell-offs suggests investors who keep buying through downturns tend to recover paper losses, while those who sell lock in declines.