Charting the S&P 500's Post-Election Rollercoaster Ride

Key Takeaways

• The S&P 500 went from an all-time high to approaching a bear market in just a month and a half.
• The VIX–often called the "fear gauge"–surpassed an intraday level of 50 points earlier this week, a level associated with extreme volatility.

Tariff Timeline

February 1st, 2025: Trump announces tariffs on Canada (25%), Mexico (25%), and China (10%), later delaying Canada and Mexico tariffs by 30 days.

February 19th, 2025: S&P 500 reaches an all-time high of 6,147.

March 4th, 2025: Canada and Mexico 25% tariffs come into effect.

April 2nd, 2025: Trump announces reciprocal tariffs on countries around the world.

April 7th, 2025: The market reached a low of 4,835 on this day.

April 9th, 2025: 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs announced for countries that did not retaliate. Tariffs on China are raised to 125% due to China's retaliatory 84% tariffs.