Charlie Bilello, Chief Market Strategist at Creative Planning, said that the S&P 500’s strong rebound from a steep early-year loss to a year-to-date gain illustrates the unpredictability and resilience of markets. This statement was made on X.
“On April 8, the S&P 500 was down 15% in 2025, the 4th worst start to a year in history,” said Bilello. “After one of the greatest comebacks ever, it’s now up over 7% YTD and above the average year at this point in time. There is no impossible in markets.”
As reported by Bloomberg, the S&P 500’s decline and recovery in 2025 were influenced by initial concerns over persistent inflation, aggressive Federal Reserve rate hikes, and a selloff in technology stocks. However, the index staged a robust rebound after inflation eased, the Federal Reserve paused its tightening measures, and strong earnings from major companies renewed investor optimism.
According to Yahoo Finance, by July 2025, the S&P 500 recorded a year-to-date gain of more than 10% after recovering from an early 7% drop. This performance ranks among the top 15 fastest market recoveries in the index’s history for similar periods.
CNBC data indicates that the S&P 500’s return pattern in 2025 resembles previous significant comebacks such as those in 2009 and 2020. The pattern includes a sharp early loss followed by a double-digit rebound, with this year’s recovery pace notably faster than the median for past years with significant early declines.
Bilello’s LinkedIn profile highlights his role as Chief Market Strategist at Creative Planning. He was formerly CEO of Compound Capital Advisors and Director of Research at Pension Partners and is recognized for his expertise in financial analysis and market strategy.
Creative Planning describes itself as having been founded in 1983 with a mission to provide comprehensive financial planning and investment management. The firm currently manages over $100 billion in assets and is among the largest independent wealth management firms in the United States.
