Prediction: The S&P 500 Finishes 2027 Above 9,000. Here's the Earnings Math.

The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) closed at a record 7,798.99 on Aug. 13, its 27th record close of 2026, and finished Sept. 22 at 7,764.64, putting its 2026 gain at about 13%. Through that close, the index had still never ended a day above 7,800.

I think it ends 2027 above 9,000, a level about 15% higher than the Aug. 13 record.

That sounds aggressive for a market this close to its record. Run the numbers, though, and it isn't. From the Sept. 22 close, 9,000 is a gain of about 16%, which comes to about 12% a year through the end of 2027. The index has already delivered more than that in 2026, with a quarter of the year still to go.

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