Standard & Poor's (S&P)

Standard & Poor's (S&P) is a financial services company known for providing credit ratings, market indices, and investment research. Its most recognized product is the S&P 500, an index that tracks the stock performance of 500 large U.S. companies, serving as a benchmark for the overall market. S&P’s credit ratings assess the creditworthiness of governments and corporations, helping investors understand the risk of lending money to those entities. Essentially, S&P provides tools and information that help individuals and businesses make informed investment decisions and understand market dynamics.