Stocks close out best year since 2013; S&P 500 soars 28.9%

Stock traders wear New Year's 2020 party glasses at the New York Stock Exchange, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019. Stocks slipped globally in quiet New Year's Eve trading Tuesday with many markets closed. Wall Street could close 2019 with back-to-back daily losses in a year that the U.S. posted the largest market gains since 2013. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) Stock traders wear New Year's 2020 party glasses at the New York Stock Exchange, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019. Stocks slipped globally in quiet New Year's Eve trading Tuesday with many markets closed. Wall Street could close 2019 with back-to-back daily losses in a year that the U.S. posted the largest market gains since 2013. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

By Alex Veiga / AP Business Writer December 31, 2019 6 min read

Wall Street closed the books Tuesday on a blockbuster 2019 for stock investors, with the broader market delivering its best returns in six years.

The S&P 500 finished with a gain of 28.9% for the year, or a total return of 31.5%, including dividends. The Nasdaq composite rose 35.3%. For both indexes it was the best annual performance since 2013. Technology stocks helped power those gains by vaulting 48%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 22.3%, led by Apple.

Along the way, the three major indexes set more record highs than in 2018 and kept the longest bull market for stocks going.

“We had a remarkable year of returns in the stock market,” said Keith Buchanan, portfolio manager at Globalt Investments. “Things are much different going into 2020 than they were going into 2019.”