what percentage is the stock market down today — guide

What this page answers

what percentage is the stock market down today is a common, time‑sensitive query from traders, investors and crypto users who need a quick headline: the short‑term percent decline of a major equity index or a 24‑hour percent move for crypto. This guide explains the question in both US‑stocks and cryptocurrency contexts, shows how percent changes are calculated, lists primary indices and data sources, points out intraday vs close vs futures differences, and gives practical steps and API options for getting up‑to‑the‑minute answers. If you need an actual live percent‑down number, follow the practical check list near the end to consult a live market feed or an exchange API.

Common interpretations of the question

When someone asks "what percentage is the stock market down today" they usually mean one of two things:

• The percent change of a major equity benchmark (for example, the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, or NASDAQ Composite) measured from the previous official close to the current price or intraday print. This is the most common interpretation in traditional finance and media.

• In a crypto context, the 24‑hour percent change of a particular token (e.g., Bitcoin) or of an aggregated crypto market cap measure. Crypto platforms typically report 24‑hour windows rather than session‑based changes.

Both interpretations give a short‑term snapshot, but they are calculated and presented differently (session vs rolling 24‑hour), so knowing which the user expects is important.

Primary indices and metrics reported

Market headlines typically cite a handful of headline indices and related metrics. When checking "what percentage is the stock market down today" look first at these:

• S&P 500 (broad large‑cap US market benchmark; market‑cap weighted)
• Dow Jones Industrial Average (30 large US companies; price‑weighted)
• NASDAQ Composite (tech‑ and growth‑oriented; market‑cap weighted)
• Russell 2000 (small‑cap benchmark)

Related metrics often cited alongside percent change:

• Points change (absolute change in index points)
• Futures (e.g., S&P 500 futures) — used to gauge pre‑market/overnight sentiment
• VIX (CBOE Volatility Index) — a proxy for expected near‑term volatility

When a headline asks "what percentage is the stock market down today" the usual answer will quote percent change for one or more of these indices and sometimes futures.

Crypto equivalent metrics

Crypto platforms report short‑term moves differently:

• 24‑hour percent change for individual tokens (e.g., Bitcoin down X% in the last 24 hours)
• Aggregated total crypto market capitalization change over 24 hours

These are rolling windows (the 24‑hours up to the moment of the query) rather than session/previous‑close comparisons used in traditional equity markets.

How percentage change is calculated

The standard formula used by financial sites is:

percentage change = (current_value − previous_close) / previous_close × 100

Example (equities):

• If the S&P 500 previous close = 6,930 and the current intraday price = 6,905, then percent change = (6,905 − 6,930) / 6,930 × 100 = −0.36%.

Example (crypto, 24‑hour):

• If Bitcoin 24‑hours ago = $95,000 and current price = $89,000, then 24‑hour change = (89,000 − 95,000) / 95,000 × 100 = −6.32%.

These simple formulas are what news tickers and quote pages use to display "down X% today." Note that the denominator differs if a provider uses a slightly different baseline (previous close vs time‑stamped 24‑hour ago price).

Intraday, close, pre‑market and after‑hours distinctions

• Intraday percent change: calculated from the previous official close to the current live price during regular trading hours. This is what most tickers show while markets are open.

• Official close percent change: the percent difference between today’s official close and yesterday’s official close — the number quoted at the market close.

• Pre‑market / after‑hours / extended trading: prices outside regular session hours can move materially and many sites show extended‑hours percent moves separately; these moves may not be included in the headline "today" number until exchanges consolidate data at open.

• Futures markets: S&P and Nasdaq futures trade nearly 24/7 and often show a percent move for the index outside US session hours. Futures can be used to estimate how the headline indices will open but are not the official index close.

• Real‑time vs delayed data: many free quote pages show data delayed by 15 minutes (or more) unless they explicitly advertise real‑time exchange feeds or you have a paid data subscription.

Data sources and their characteristics

Below are commonly used data sources for answering "what percentage is the stock market down today," with brief notes on each:

• Reuters (U.S. Markets): offers index quotes, percent change and timely news. Note: Reuters aggregates exchange data and often notes LSEG/Refinitiv policies on real‑time vs delayed feeds.

• CNBC: live market updates, intraday percent moves and market headlines; good for context and breaking news.

• CNN Business (Markets): market dashboards, daily summaries and crypto coverage; useful for a quick snapshot.

• Yahoo Finance: index and security quote pages with intraday charts and percent change; widely used by retail investors for quick checks.

• TradingEconomics: index values, daily/monthly/yearly percent changes and historical context; useful for time‑series comparisons.

• Investing.com: intraday charts, percent moves and commentary across equities and crypto.

• MarketWatch: market snapshots, indices percent moves and market breadth data.

Typical data delay policies: many free portals present exchange data delayed by 15 minutes unless they state they offer real‑time feeds. Professional terminals and direct exchange feeds are used for true real‑time access.

Interpreting “market down” beyond the headline percent

A single percent figure (e.g., "the market is down 1.2%") is a headline — useful, but incomplete. Context that matters:

• Breadth: whether most stocks are declining (broad selling) or a few large names are driving the move.

• Sector performance: some sectors may be much weaker (energy, financials) while others hold up (utilities, consumer staples).

• Weighting: S&P 500 is market‑cap weighted while the Dow is price‑weighted; a few megacaps moving can swing the S&P significantly.

• Volatility: a rising VIX suggests fear and a risk‑off attitude even if the headline percent is small.

• Futures and pre‑market: overnight moves in futures can preview open moves.

A nuanced answer to "what percentage is the stock market down today" will mention whether the decline is broad‑based and which measures (S&P vs Dow vs Nasdaq) are being used.

Market breadth and percent‑of‑stocks measures

Useful breadth indicators include:

• Advance/decline line: cumulative difference between advancing and declining issues.
• Percent of stocks down/up: the percentage of the index constituents that are lower/higher on the day.
• New highs vs new lows: gauges market internals for leadership or deterioration.

These measures show whether the headline percent change reflects marketwide selling or a narrowing move concentrated in a few stocks.

How to check the current percent decline — practical steps

If someone asks "what percentage is the stock market down today" and you want the live number, follow these steps:

1. Decide which measure you need (S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq, Russell 2000 or crypto 24‑hour change).
2. Open a reliable market page (examples: Yahoo Finance index pages, Reuters U.S. Markets pages, CNBC or MarketWatch markets overview). These show percent change in large type.
3. For pre‑market/after‑hours context check S&P/Nasdaq futures on the same pages.
4. For crypto, use a token quote on CoinGecko or CoinMarketCap or a reputable exchange ticker. (When using a wallet, prefer Bitget Wallet for on‑chain checks and Bitget exchange tickers if trading.)
5. If you need programmatic access, use an API (see the next section). Note data delay and licensing.
6. Cross‑check with at least one other provider if precise timing matters.

If you need the answer quickly for the headline indices, a single quick check on Yahoo Finance or Reuters will usually answer "what percentage is the stock market down today" within seconds.

APIs and programmatic sources for real‑time percent changes

Common programmatic sources and considerations:

• Exchange APIs: direct exchange feeds (equities exchanges require licensing; crypto exchanges often provide REST/WebSocket market tickers). For Bitget users, Bitget’s REST and WebSocket APIs provide live token prices and 24‑hour change.

• Market data vendors: LSEG/Refinitiv, Bloomberg, FactSet — these are paid and provide high‑quality real‑time data with licensing.

• TradingEconomics API: indexes, macro data and historical percent changes (commercial plans for real‑time data may apply).

• Yahoo Finance endpoints: unofficial or scraped endpoints are used by some developers but can be rate‑limited or unsupported.

• CoinMarketCap / CoinGecko APIs: commonly used for crypto 24‑hour percent changes and market cap data.

Important notes: free sources often have a delay; for trading or execution decisions use licensed, real‑time feeds and check the vendor’s terms of use.

Limitations, caveats and common pitfalls

When answering "what percentage is the stock market down today," be mindful of these pitfalls:

• Data delays: many free pages show a 15‑minute delay unless they explicitly say otherwise.

• Different baselines: some platforms use previous close, others use a rolling 24‑hour baseline (crypto). Make sure the baseline matches the user’s intent.

• Index methodology: price‑weighted indexes (Dow) move differently from market‑cap weighted indices (S&P). Small number of mega‑caps can dominate cap‑weighted moves.

• Time zones: US markets close at local exchange times; international users must be clear which session is referenced.

• Aggregation vs exchange specifics: crypto aggregated market cap can hide exchange spreads and liquidity differences across venues.

Avoid giving a single number without stating which index, baseline and timestamp it refers to.

Example calculations and sample queries

Worked example using a real index snapshot (dated context provided below):

As of Dec. 23, 2025, according to market coverage in the provided excerpt, the S&P 500 showed a day change of −0.35% and a current price near 6,905.74. Using the standard formula:

• Suppose previous_close = 6,930.0 and current_price = 6,905.74
• Percent change = (6,905.74 − 6,930.0) / 6,930.0 × 100 = −0.35% (rounded)

Crypto example:

• If Bitcoin 24‑hour ago = $95,000 and current price = $88,940 (numbers used for illustration), 24‑hour percent change = (88,940 − 95,000) / 95,000 × 100 = −6.36%.

Sample user queries and how to answer them succinctly:

• "How much is the S&P 500 down today?" — Quote the S&P 500 percent change and timestamp the data.

• "what percentage is the stock market down today for crypto?" — Clarify whether they mean Bitcoin, Ethereum, or the whole crypto market (24‑hour rolling percent).

• "Is the market down because of earnings or macro data?" — Provide headlines from Reuters/CNBC/MarketWatch; do not infer causation without sources.

News context and a dated example (reporting date)

• As of Dec. 23, 2025, according to the market excerpt provided, the S&P 500 had gained roughly 17% in 2025 but was showing a day change of −0.35% on Dec. 23, 2025. The excerpt referenced FactSet, YCharts and other reporting for valuation metrics such as a forward P/E of 21.8 and a Shiller CAPE near 40.7.

• These dated numbers provide useful context when you ask "what percentage is the stock market down today" because a single intraday decline sits inside a broader calendar‑year performance picture.

(Report date and sources: As of Dec. 23, 2025, per the market coverage excerpt provided and data cited from FactSet, YCharts and related reporting.)

News vs raw percent data: what to read together

A percent headline answers "how much" but not "why." For explanatory context, pair the percent figure with news and commentary from sources like Reuters, CNBC, Investing.com or MarketWatch.

For example, a day‑end headline "S&P 500 down 0.35%" should be read alongside news about earnings, Fed commentary, tariff developments or sector‑specific headlines to understand drivers.

Remember: this article intentionally avoids offering investment advice or forecasts. Use news and verified data to form your own view.

Related terms and concepts (brief)

• Stock market index — a statistical measure of the performance of a group of stocks.
• Market capitalization — price × shares outstanding; used for weighting in indices like the S&P 500.
• Percentage change — the computed short‑term change in percent terms.
• Pre‑market / after‑hours trading — trading outside official session hours.
• Volatility index (VIX) — expectation of 30‑day forward volatility derived from S&P 500 option prices.
• Market breadth — internal measures like advance/decline that show participation.

How Bitget can help (brand note)

If you check crypto prices or need a combined view of spot and derivatives on a single platform, Bitget provides exchange tickers and APIs for live token prices and 24‑hour percent changes. For on‑chain wallet checks, Bitget Wallet supports token balances and recent transaction history. Use Bitget’s official API or mobile app if you prefer an integrated environment for crypto price monitoring.

Practical checklist: quick actions to answer "what percentage is the stock market down today"

1. Identify the market you care about (S&P 500 vs Nasdaq vs Bitcoin).
2. Open a reliable quote page (Reuters/CNBC/Yahoo Finance/MarketWatch) and read the indexed percent change and timestamp.
3. For crypto, open Bitget exchange ticker or CoinGecko/CoinMarketCap for 24‑hour percent changes.
4. If you need programmatic access, call the relevant API and compute percent change using the formula above.
5. Cross‑check with one more provider if the exact timing matters.

Frequently asked short points

• Q: Which index should I quote for "the market"?
  A: Many outlets use the S&P 500 as the primary US market gauge; specify the index when answering.

• Q: Are crypto numbers reported the same way?
  A: No — crypto platforms usually report rolling 24‑hour percent changes, not session vs previous close.

• Q: Do percent moves include pre‑market?
  A: Not in the headline session percent; pre‑market moves are typically shown separately (or via futures).

See also

• S&P 500 (index)
• Dow Jones Industrial Average
• NASDAQ Composite
• Russell 2000
• VIX (volatility index)
• CoinMarketCap
• CoinGecko

References

• Reuters — U.S. Markets reporting and index tables (news and delayed/real‑time data notes)

• CNBC — live market updates and intraday percent moves

• CNN Business — market dashboards and summaries

• Yahoo Finance — index quote pages and intraday charts

• TradingEconomics — U.S. stock market index values and historical percent changes

• Investing.com — intraday charts and market commentary

• MarketWatch — market snapshots and breadth data

• Market snapshot excerpt used for examples and dated context: As of Dec. 23, 2025, market coverage in the provided excerpt reporting S&P 500 daily change (−0.35%), forward P/E (21.8 per FactSet) and CAPE (40.7 per YCharts/summary). (Reporting date: Dec. 23, 2025.)

If you want a live answer to "what percentage is the stock market down today" right now, open a market index page (S&P 500 / Dow / Nasdaq) on a trusted provider or query a real‑time API. For crypto 24‑hour moves, check the Bitget app or Bitget Wallet or reputable market aggregators. Explore Bitget’s tools to track live token percent moves and set alerts for changes you care about.