The leading U.S. stock market indices posted impressive 2024 gains. The tech-heavy NASDAQ led the way on the upside with a 28.64% 2024 gain, the S&P 500 was 23.31% higher last year, and the DJIA rose 12.88% in the year that ended on December 31, 2024. The VIX index, measuring the implied volatility of S&P 500 stocks, closed 2024 at the 17.35 level.
The equity markets corrected in Q1, with a 10.42% decline in the NASDAQ, a 4.59% drop in the S&P 500, and a 1.28% fall in the DJIA. The VIX index rose to 22.22 on March 31, 2025. The stock market continued to fall in April, reaching lows on April 7 as the market digested the Trump administration’s trade policies after “Liberation Day,” on April 7.
