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Investopedia explains 'S&P Phenomenon'
The S&P 500 is often considered the best single gauge of the large cap U.S. equities market. The index, which was first published in 1957, is followed by many traders and investors as a means of keeping a pulse on the overall market. The index is maintained by the S&P Index Committee, which includes Standard & Poor's economists and index analysts. This team meets regularly to monitor the index and to consider and implement changes to the index.
Criteria for index additions include: being a U.S. company, market capitalization in excess of $4 billion, a public float of at least 50%, financial viability, adequate liquidity and reasonable price, sector representation and company type.
Criteria for index removals include: violation of one or more index inclusion criteria, mergers, acquisitions or restructuring that changes inclusion status.
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