S&P 500 Bull Market Turns 4 With 120% Gain as AI Lifts Tech to Records
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Oct 12
S&P 500 Bull Market Turns 4 With 120% Gain as AI Lifts Tech to Records
2 articles · Updated · CNBC · Oct 12
Summary
Monday marks the bull market’s fourth anniversary, with the S&P 500 up nearly 120% from its Oct. 12, 2022 closing low and still hovering near record highs.
AI enthusiasm has powered much of that run since ChatGPT’s 2022 debut, helping push Nvidia to about $5.5 trillion and lifting tech to roughly 40% of the index.
7,800 was breached for the first time last week, but investors are weighing higher inflation, surging bond yields and a more hawkish Federal Reserve after September saw 75% of S&P stocks finish negative.
Oppenheimer says this is the sixth-longest bull market since 1932; its historical work suggests a median 13 months remain before a peak, though fifth-year returns have averaged 21%.
Strategists say the next leg may depend less on AI leaders alone and more on broader participation, small-cap strength and earnings that can justify stretched tech expectations.
As a few tech giants mask a weakening broader market, what hidden trigger might finally collapse this top-heavy AI financial bubble?
With AI infrastructure pushing the power grid to its limits, could a sudden energy crisis abruptly derail Wall Street's historic four-year bull run?
Memory chip shortages will worsen into 2027, but will massive AI infrastructure spending actually translate into durable profits before the money runs out?