Stock market’s haul in May comes as tariff turmoil and job angst lurk on the horizon

Market Snapshot

S&P 500 seizes huge May gains — and lands back on the doorstep of record territory

Last Updated: June 1, 2025 at 5:05 p.m. ET
First Published: June 1, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. ET

The stock market enters June in the vicinity of record territory, right around where the year started, but with households now more wary about tariffs, the economy and their jobs.

The S&P 500 index SPX scored huge gains in May, which was its biggest monthly haul since November 2023. It closed out a whirlwind month less than 4% off its record close in February, while sailing through hazards that in more normal times could have sunk a fortune.