The S&P 500 Index is one of the most well-known benchmarks in the world of investing. It tracks the performance of 500 of the largest publicly traded companies in the United States, weighted by market capitalization. In contrast, the S&P 500 Equal-Weighted Index includes the same 500 companies but assigns each company an equal weighting, regardless of its size. Although they share the same constituents, the weighting methodologies create distinct investment profiles and performance outcomes. This segment explores the pros and cons of each index, their performance in 2024, how their top holdings differ, and how they compare to their composition in 1999.