The S&P 500 closed at 7,718.94 on October 14, 2026, off 1.11% from its record 7,818.93 high reached October 6 and up roughly 12.8% year-to-date amid AI-driven earnings growth. Strong corporate profit momentum, particularly in technology, has supported valuations despite elevated forward multiples, while soft September payrolls and upcoming inflation prints have tempered near-term rate hike expectations ahead of the October 28 FOMC meeting. Traders are monitoring the October CPI release, Q3 GDP on October 29, and the December FOMC for signals on monetary policy and economic resilience that could influence year-end equity performance.