Economy
Related: About this forumMarkets UP today Monday, FYI.
S&P 500
4622.44 +0.39%
DOW INDUSTRIALS
36404.93 +0.43%
NASDAQ COMPOSITE
14432.49 +0.2%

progree
(11,909 posts)That's the index value. It's really close if one factors in the dividends.
elleng
(139,460 posts)Do I get dividends???
progree
(11,909 posts)elleng
(139,460 posts)progree
(11,909 posts)Picking the Vanguard S&P 500 Index fund as an example:
https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/VFIAX/history?p=VFIAX
ADJUSTED CLOSING VALUES of Vanguard 500 Index Admiral (VFIAX)
(adjusted for dividends and other distributions)
1/3/22: 433.68 (date of S&P 500 index's all-time closing high)
12/11/23: 427.81 latest date (so down $5.87 (1.35%) from all-time closing high)
The last dividend payment shown in the above is 3/23/23.
Yahoo Finance is slow to post dividends.
According to Vanguard: https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/mutual-funds/profile/vfiax#distributions
There are dividends of $1.5781 per share on 6/29/23 and $1.4937 per share on 9/28/23
Simply adding those in ( $1.5781 + $1.4937 = $3.07) doesn't quite overcome the $5.87 deficit, but close.
I don't have a good source for UP-TO-DATE S&P 500 total return (including dividends and cap gain distributions). There are some sources that just give you the latest month-end situation, like Vanguard and Morningstar. Yahoo Finance is unique (AFAIK) in giving the info for any dates one chooses to calculate the total return between those two dates by using the adjusted close column. Except for one flaw -- they are often several months behind in posting distributions.
elleng
(139,460 posts)progree
(11,909 posts)and make sure the math is correct and things add up. The statements show all the distributions and so on. (I admittedly rarely cross-check the distribution numbers with other sources and when I have I never found a discrepancy).
The problem is that they are month end statements, and so doesn't tell me, for example, how much the fund value is as of the latest close, and how it compares to that of a specific date like 1/3/22 -- the date of the all-time closing high.

Kick in to the DU tip jar?
This week we're running a special pop-up mini fund drive. From Monday through Friday we're going ad-free for all registered members, and we're asking you to kick in to the DU tip jar to support the site and keep us financially healthy.
As a bonus, making a contribution will allow you to leave kudos for another DU member, and at the end of the week we'll recognize the DUers who you think make this community great.