The S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq: Real Returns Since the 2000 Peak (May 2026)

The article compares the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq since their 2000 peaks (data through May 2026), showing broad recovery and strong long-term real returns. At the end of May the S&P 500 was up 5.1% (4.3% inflation-adjusted), the Dow 30 up 2.8% (1.9% real) and the Nasdaq up 8.4% (7.5% real) month-over-month. Over the past decade the indices grew in real terms by roughly +153% (S&P), +122% (Dow) and +172% (Nasdaq). The piece also traces returns to $1,000 invested at the 2000 peaks in major ETFs: SPY (real purchasing power $3,987, real CAGR 5.42%), DIA ($3,836, 5.23% real CAGR) and QQQ ($3,897, 5.32% real CAGR). The analysis is data-driven and useful for investors assessing long-term equity performance and ETF exposure across major U.S. benchmarks.