• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health

2

The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady

3

Sam Altman says a 'cool use case' for ChatGPT is a daily AI podcast about your kids. The replies were brutal

1

Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health

2

The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady

3

Sam Altman says a 'cool use case' for ChatGPT is a daily AI podcast about your kids. The replies were brutal
Finance

Investors Have Lost $1.78 Trillion so far this Year

By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 11, 2016, 6:56 PM ET
85018532
Wall Street in Manhattan, New YorkPhotograph by Paul Giamou — Getty Images/Aurora Creative
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

It’s been a rough year for investors, and it’s just getting started.

The S&P 500 Index has plunged 10.5% since the first trading day of 2016, erasing $1.78 trillion in value for investors, says S&P’s Richard Peterson, a senior director of Global Markets Intelligence. On average, investors have lost a collective $57 billion per trading day this year. Ouch.

That’s roughly equal to the GDP of Canada in 2014, according to the World Bank.

The number appears as the S&P 500 extended its losses for the fifth straight day Thursday, falling 1.23% and closing at 1,829.08 Thursday—its lowest since April 2014. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped nearly 255 points, or 1.6%. The technology heavy Nasdaq was the relative winner for the day, down just 0.39%.

The drop in the S&P 500 on Thursday was led by a plunge in the shares of Mylan. The drugmaker’s stock fell 18% after announcing plans to buy Swedish pharmaceutical company, Meda. For the year, the S&P 500 has been led downward in 2016 by financials, consumer discretionary, and information technology sectors, posting declines of 15%, 12%, and 12% respectively.

The biggest losses in value, year-to-date, can be attributed to Amazon (AMZN), which has seen a loss of $85.9 billion year-to-date, Bank of America (BAC) with a loss of $64.2 billion, and Alphabet (GOOG), which saw $50.9 billion erased.

Global economics have also played a part shaking investor confidence: Jitters about growth in the Chinese economy have reverberated across global markets as oil prices continue to fall, with no OPEC deal in sight.

Now some are beginning to wonder if the relationship between the economy and the market will flip. Will the drop in the stock market because of the huge loss of wealth drag the U.S. economy into a recession? Some economist believe that lower stock market values cause people to spend less, which is the so called wealth effect. Others have argued that drops in the stock market really don’t impact spending. What’s more, the $1.75 trillion drop comes after years of gains for investors, in which the stock market value of U.S. corporations rose from $14.9 trillion at the end of 2009 to a peak of nearly $23 trillion in the middle of last year.

Unfortunately, we may get to see which side of that argument is right.

 

 

 

About the Author
By Lucinda Shen
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Finance

Sea’s MariBank wants to export its Singapore digital banking playbook: First stop, the Philippines
BankingBanks
Sea’s MariBank wants to export its Singapore digital banking playbook: First stop, the Philippines
By Angelica AngAugust 3, 2026
4 hours ago
Palantir CEO Alex Karp
AIpalantir
Palantir shares jump 13% as U.S. AI demand sends revenue soaring past targets
By Preston ForeAugust 3, 2026
4 hours ago
The Danube is running dry, and Europe’s power grid is suffering as a result
EnvironmentEuropean Union
The Danube is running dry, and Europe’s power grid is suffering as a result
By Justin Spike and The Associated PressAugust 3, 2026
5 hours ago
Conventional vs. FHA home loans: Which is better for you?
Personal Financemortgages
Conventional vs. FHA home loans: Which is better for you?
By Joseph HostetlerAugust 3, 2026
5 hours ago
ph
EconomyRestaurants
The real reason a Pizza Hut frozen in the 1990s still draws crowds isn’t nostalgia
By The ConversationAugust 3, 2026
5 hours ago
Ukraine uses business principles to maximize Russia’s casualties and economic costs, potentially crushing its will to keep fighting, RAND says 
EconomyUkraine invasion
Ukraine uses business principles to maximize Russia’s casualties and economic costs, potentially crushing its will to keep fighting, RAND says 
By Jason MaAugust 3, 2026
6 hours ago

Most Popular

Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health
North America
Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health
By Catherina GioinoAugust 2, 2026
2 days ago
The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
Economy
The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
By Jason MaAugust 1, 2026
2 days ago
Sam Altman says a 'cool use case' for ChatGPT is a daily AI podcast about your kids. The replies were brutal
AI
Sam Altman says a 'cool use case' for ChatGPT is a daily AI podcast about your kids. The replies were brutal
By Holly Van Leuven and Morning BrewAugust 3, 2026
13 hours ago
As Trump balks again at escalating war, Iran smells ‘blood in the water’ and looks to exploit its newfound strategic advantage, experts say
Middle East
As Trump balks again at escalating war, Iran smells ‘blood in the water’ and looks to exploit its newfound strategic advantage, experts say
By Jason MaAugust 2, 2026
1 day ago
Electric air taxis are finally ready for takeoff
Magazine
Electric air taxis are finally ready for takeoff
By Alexei OreskovicAugust 3, 2026
18 hours ago
He was homeless at 16. Now he sits on the board of David Beckham's wellness company and his business is about to hit $1 billion in revenue
Success
He was homeless at 16. Now he sits on the board of David Beckham's wellness company and his business is about to hit $1 billion in revenue
By Emma BurleighAugust 2, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.