Trading activity for the ETF had dropped to 22.62 million shares on Friday, a level that analysts initially described as the lowest in either seven years or since 2004. The current contraction in volume occurs while the S&P 500 index continues to hit record highs, suggesting fewer market participants are engaging in the rally. This decline establishes a new multi-decade floor for trading volume in the most active fund tracking the 500 largest U.S. companies.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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S&P 500 ETF Hits 23 Year Volume Low of 18.3M Shares
US Markets8 days ago
The market's flagship index fund recorded its lowest liquidity since December 26, 2003, during trading on Oct. 12. The S&P 500 SPY ETF traded only 18.3 million shares, breaking the previous low set just days earlier. Equity prices slid during the session as gains in energy shares failed to offset losses in technology, coinciding with a cooling period for Wall Street's recent record-breaking trading streak.
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