Is the S&P 500 stretched?
Markets that run far above their trend tend to pause or pull back before going further, and markets far below it are often closer to a low than they feel. How far the index sits from its averages is a quick read on how much good news is already in prices.
Updated Oct 6, 2026
Extended
The S&P 500 is 8.0% above its 200-day average, more stretched than on 61% of days in the last five years, with an RSI of 62. The last 5% pullback ended 182 days ago and the last 10% correction 526 days ago.
Over time
Select any measure, index or sector. Score compares today with the last five years; Value is the reading itself.
Indexes and sectors
Each fund’s distance from its 200-day average, scored against its own last five years. Select a column to sort.
| Fund | Stretch | vs 200-day | RSI | From high | vs 200-day, past year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technology XLK | 95Stretched | +22.0% | 72 | 0% | |
| Nasdaq-100 QQQ | 80Extended | +13.4% | 70 | 0% | |
| Health care XLV | 79Extended | +6.5% | 45 | −4.9% | |
| Semiconductors SMH | 75Extended | +25.9% | 69 | −5.4% | |
| Energy XLE | 74Extended | +12.3% | 56 | −3.3% | |
| S&P 500 SPY | 61Extended | +8.0% | 62 | 0% | |
| S&P 500 equal weight RSP | 43Normal | +3.1% | 48 | −4.7% | |
| Small caps IWM | 43Normal | +1.7% | 41 | −7.8% | |
| Mid caps IJH | 41Normal | +2.0% | 51 | −5.9% | |
| Financials XLF | 33Normal | +0.6% | 34 | −7.8% | |
| Communications XLC | 29Normal | −1.8% | 49 | −7.0% | |
| Materials XLB | 25Washed out | −1.9% | 44 | −7.3% | |
| Consumer discretionary XLY | 22Washed out | −3.9% | 49 | −10.3% | |
| Industrials XLI | 20Washed out | −0.5% | 49 | −8.0% | |
| Real estate XLRE | 20Washed out | −4.9% | 31 | −10.7% | |
| Consumer staples XLP | 16Washed out | −2.3% | 44 | −9.1% | |
| Utilities XLU | 6Washed out | −7.2% | 51 | −13.8% |
How to read this page
How it’s measured. The S&P 500’s distance from its 50- and 200-day moving averages and its 14-day RSI, each scored against the last five years. The overall score averages the three; 100 is the most stretched.
Sources. Daily prices from Financial Modeling Prep.
RSI compares the size of recent up days with recent down days on a 0 to 100 scale; readings above 70 are conventionally called overbought and below 30 oversold.
Stretched markets can stay stretched for months in a strong trend. These readings describe how far prices have run, not when they will turn.
This page is information, not investment advice. About our data and methods ›