The S&P 500 (^GSPC 0.56%) roared back from its poor performance during the summer, climbing more than 8% to finish the month of October at 2,079. Yet within the S&P 500, some stocks had a greater influence on the index's gains than others. In particular, SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK), KLA-Tencor (KLAC -0.79%), and TripAdvisor (TRIP 1.73%) were among the S&P 500 components that had the most upward pressure on the index.
In the following slideshow, you'll learn more about why these three stocks rose so much this month. By watching when the stocks in your portfolio make big moves, you can gather the information you'll need to make smarter decisions about how to respond, and that will help make sure that you don't make mistakes either from doing nothing or by doing the wrong thing.
The $15,978 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook
If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. In fact, one MarketWatch reporter argues that if more Americans knew about this, the government would have to shell out an extra $10 billion annually. For example: one easy, 17-minute trick could pay you as much as $15,978 more... each year! Once you learn how to take advantage of all these loopholes, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how you can take advantage of these strategies.
