NYSE closing bell may ring in S&P 500 history

Despite all the drama and all the dips, surprise, surprise, here comes another S&P 500 all-time high.

The first half of 2025 was a wild ride, to say the least.

However, with all the chaos, comebacks, and curveballs, the S&P 500 might pull off a surprise that rewrites the first-half script.

The S&P 500 ended at 6,092 on Wednesday, shy of its February closing peak of 6,144. On Thursday, it’s trading just shy of a new record near 6,130 at 11am EST.

Oil bounced 2% as Middle East tensions eased, and big-picture worries like tariffs and the spending bill paused.

However, let’s just say the next move might be heating up before the NYSE closing bell rings again.

From bull runs to pullbacks, the market’s still charging

The S&P 500’s ride through 2025 so far has been a total financial soap opera.

We’re talking highs, steep drops, and nonstop global turmoil that’s kept investors strapped in tight.

The S&P 500 wrapped 2024 around 5,815, before ripping past the 6,000 mark by January 23, closing at 6,118.71.

By February 19, it hit a fresh all-time high of 6,144.15, and profit-taking hit the brakes.

Two key drivers drove those gains, including blowout earnings and cooling inflation. Mega-cap tech continued to storm ahead, smashing expectations across the board.

At the same time, price pressures started easing, with hopes that the Fed might pump the brakes on rate hikes.

However, by mid-March, the market dropped over 4% from its February high, sliding into correction territory.

It was flirting with 5,800 again by early April, with the early-year gains wiped out.

However, markets didn’t stay down for long.

The recovery picked up steam with strong jobs data, cooling inflation, and the Fed hinting at a more dovish stance.

By the close of May, the index was back above 6,000.

A big part of the recent bullishness is down to the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in the Middle East, easing fears of a broader conflict.