Is SPY a safe investment?
9/17/2025 06:38am
**SPY is not a safe investment in the traditional sense, as it is subject to market volatility and potential for significant losses.** Here's why:
1. **Volatility**: The ETF has a volatility of 0.33%, which indicates that the price of the ETF can fluctuate significantly over short periods. Volatility is a measure of risk, and higher volatility generally means greater price swings and potential for loss.
|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Weekly Volatility|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240916|0.373656|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240917|0.380946|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240918|0.503627|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240919|0.707946|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240920|0.77918|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240923|0.769579|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240924|0.768843|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240925|0.790112|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240926|0.751755|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240927|0.346057|169|
2. **Drawdown Risk**: The SPY has a maximum drawdown of 21.28% over the past year. This means that there is a risk of losing a significant portion of your investment over a period of time. Drawdowns of this magnitude can be challenging to recover, especially if they occur at the beginning of a portfolio.
|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Percentage Change|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240916|0.147684|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240917|0.040864|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240918|-0.296588|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240919|1.706448|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240920|-0.478125|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240923|0.24989|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240924|0.286131|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240925|-0.22055|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240926|0.396463|169|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20240927|-0.145029|169|
3. **Short-Term Performance**: The ETF's short-term performance has been mixed. For example, over the past month, it has experienced a decline of -5.57%. This recent underperformance could be a sign of market skepticism about future prospects.
4. **Market Trends**: The 5-Day, 10-Day, and 20-Day moving averages are 657.63, 652.74, and 647.74, respectively. The fact that the short-term moving averages are above the long-term moving average could indicate a potential downward trend in the near term.
|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Moving Average|Percentage Change|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|SPY|SPY.P|SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust|20250916|657.6320|-0.13768894403170903|169|
In conclusion, while the SPY offers exposure to the S&P 500 and has a low expense ratio, it is not a safe investment due to its volatility and drawdown risk. Investors should consider their risk tolerance and investment horizon before making any investment decisions. It's also important to note that past performance is not always indicative of future results, and investors should conduct thorough due diligence before investing in any security.