🚀 You Witnessed History

The Federal Reserve hiked interest rates 11 times, the fastest rate in 40 years.

Nearly two years after Russia invaded Ukraine, the conflict, initially expected to last hours or days, drags on.

The Israel-Hamas war persists, metastasizing into conflicts among other nations.

Self driving cars. Holographic computer headsets. Injections guaranteeing weight loss. Artificial intelligence outperforming humans.

Every day it seems there is a new milestone or achievement and even setback in global peace.

So, as we celebrate this historic moment, lets take a trip down memory lane to see where we’ve come, alongside the S&P 500 key milestones.

March 4, 1957
S&P 500 Milestone: Begins Trading

» The S&P 500 as we know it today was officially introduced on March 4, 1957.

» The “Space Race” between the United States and the Soviet Union was in full force. Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to obit earth, was launched by the Soviet Union in October of 1957. It was the size of a beach ball.

» The Civil Rights Movement was gaining steam in the U.S. Later in the year, President Eisenhower would sign into law the Civil Rights Act of 1957 which aimed to protect the voting rights of African Americans.

» Fortune 500 magazine published its first list of the top 500 U.S. companies ranked by gross revenue.

» American Express introduced its first-ever charge card, marking the company's entry into the credit card industry.

June 4, 1968
S&P 500 Milestone: 100

» Martin Luther King Jr. had just been assassinated in April, and on June 5th Senator Robert F Kennedy, a leading candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, would be assassinated in Los Angeles, California.

» In December 1968, Apollo 8 became the first manned spacecraft to orbit the Moon, paving the way for the eventual moon landing in 1969.

» The McDonalds Big Mac was introduced, marking a key moment in the fast-food industry, showcasing the power of product innovation and branding.

» Intel Corporation, now one of the world's largest and highest valued semiconductor chip makers, was founded on July 18, 1968

» “Hey Jude” by The Beatles was released in August 1968, which topped charts worldwide and became an anthem of the era.

» Mister Rogers' Neighborhood children's show debuted in February 1968, starring Fred Rogers. It became famous for its gentle, nurturing approach to children's programming and its dealing with complex social issues.

March 24, 1995
S&P 500 Milestone: 500

» April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols carried out a domestic terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 people and later dubbed the Oklahoma City Bombing.

» Windows 95 was released on August 24 1995, a major advancement in personal computing that significantly impacted the tech industry.

» The O.J. Simpson Murder Trial dominated global media. The trial concluded in October 1995 with the acquittal of the former NFL player in the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.

» Pixar’s Toy Story was released in November 1995, the first entirely computer-animated feature film, becoming a critical and commercial success.

» In December 1995, NASA's Galileo spacecraft arrived at Jupiter, a little more than six years after it was launched, and began its mission to study the planet and its moons.

» The DVD is announced in September 1995, representing a significant leap in storage capacity over compact discs and leading to widespread adoption in home entertainment.

February 2, 1998
S&P 500 Milestone: 1,000

» U.S. President Bill Clinton was embroiled in an impeachment scandal due to his affair with Monica Lewinsky, leading to impeachment charges by the House of Representatives in December.

» The first module of the International Space Station was launched in November 1998, marking the beginning of one of the most significant cooperative technological projects in history.

» Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded Google in September, revolutionizing the internet and search technologies.

» In August, Apple released the iMac, significantly impacting the personal computer market and signaling the company's resurgence.

» In March, James Cameron's "Titanic" won 11 Academy Awards, tying the record for the most Oscars won by a single film.

» Legendary singer Frank Sinatra passed away in May, marking the end of an era in music.

» The first MP3 players were introduced to the market, changing how people listened to and distributed music.

» The popular television show "Seinfeld" aired its final episode in May, drawing an audience of over 76 million viewers.

August 26, 2014
S&P 500 Milestone: 2,000

» In March 2014, Russia annexed Crimea following a controversial referendum, leading to international condemnation and sanctions against Russia.

» Apple announced the iPhone 6 in September, along with the introduction of the Apple Watch, marking its entry into the wearable technology market.

» On March 8, Flight MH370 disappeared with 239 people on board, leading to one of the biggest aviation mysteries in history.

» One of the deadliest outbreaks of Ebola virus began in West Africa, primarily affecting Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, leading to a significant global health crisis.

» Disney's "Frozen" won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in March, becoming a cultural phenomenon.

» Beloved actor and comedian Robin Williams passed away in August, leading to a global outpouring of grief and discussions about mental health.» 

» Throughout 2014, several more countries and U.S. states legalized same-sex marriage, marking significant progress in LGBTQ+ rights.

July 12, 2019
S&P 500 Milestone: 3,000

» Throughout 2019, the United Kingdom grappled with Brexit negotiations, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Theresa May and the eventual election of Boris Johnson, who promised to "get Brexit done."

» Inspired by activist Greta Thunberg, millions of people around the world participated in global climate strikes to demand action on climate change, particularly in September.

» Tensions between Iran and the United States escalated significantly throughout 2019, culminating in the U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in early January 2020.

» The U.S. House of Representatives impeached President Donald Trump in December on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, setting the stage for a Senate trial.

» Taylor Swift's public dispute over the ownership of her master recordings highlighted issues of artists' rights and control over their music.

» In a dramatic turn of events, office-sharing startup WeWork canceled its highly anticipated IPO in September amid concerns over its business model and leadership.

» Following two fatal crashes involving the 737 MAX, Boeing faced international scrutiny, leading to the global grounding of the aircraft model in March.

» In May, the highly popular HBO series "Game of Thrones" aired its final episode, ending an eight-season run and sparking mixed reactions from fans.

» Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" became a viral sensation, breaking records as the longest-running No.1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

April 1, 2021
S&P 500 Milestone: 4,000

» On January 6, a mob of supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, leading to widespread condemnation and multiple deaths.

» The global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines accelerated in 2021, though disparities in vaccine access between countries became a major issue.

» The Taliban rapidly took control of Afghanistan in August as U.S. and NATO forces completed their withdrawal, leading to chaotic scenes at Kabul airport as thousands sought to flee the country.

» In March, the Ever Given, a massive container ship, became lodged in the Suez Canal for six days, disrupting global trade and highlighting the vulnerability of crucial shipping routes.

» In January, a coordinated effort by retail investors to buy shares of GameStop and other heavily shorted companies led to a massive surge in their stock prices, challenging Wall Street firms and sparking widespread attention to retail investing.

» Cryptocurrencies saw dramatic increases in value in 2021, alongside the rise of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens), though the market was also marked by significant volatility.

» Netflix's "Squid Game," a South Korean survival drama, became a global sensation, breaking records as the platform's most-watched series at the time.

» Adele released "30," her first album in six years, to critical acclaim and commercial success, highlighted by the hit single "Easy on Me."

February 9, 2024
S&P 500 Milestone: 5,000

» A major global event with Joe Biden expected to be the Democratic candidate and Donald Trump likely for the Republicans, focusing on issues like Ukraine, China relations, climate change, and a potential US-UK trade deal

» The Russia-Ukrainian War drags on while a new conflict between Israel and Hamas ramps up.

» Apple releases Apple Vision Pro, a spatial computer that blends digital content with your physical space.

» Wall Street braces for additional stress among regional banks and commercial real estate exposure, an impact of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates at a record pace.

To be continued….

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