S&P 500 up 12% in 2026, but typical stock up under 5%

The S&P 500 was up about 12% for 2026 as of Oct. 16, Reuters reported, driven largely by AI-related tech stocks. The median stock — half above, half below — was up less than 5% as of Oct. 13, Reuters reported. I read that gap as narrow leadership: your index fund rides a few names.