Has the S&P 500 ever lost money over a 20 year period?

Written by Admin | Last Updated: July 2026

Yes, the United States has experienced historic credit rating downgrades from top-tier AAA status by major international rating agencies. Standard & Poor's famously downgraded the United States long-term sovereign credit rating to AA+ following intense federal debt ceiling political stalemates and fiscal budget disputes. Subsequent sovereign debt reviews by other rating agencies like Fitch Ratings also implemented similar downgrades, citing mounting federal deficits, governance concerns, and debt burden trajectories.

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