Statista

Like last year's rally, the S&P 500's strong showing in 2024 was largely fueled by the excitement surrounding artificial intelligence, as chipmaker NVIDIA, which quite literally powers the transition to an AI-centric future, saw its share price surge 171 percent through the year. Due to the fact that the S&P 500 is a market-cap-weighted index, the performance of mega cap companies such as Nvidia, Apple and Microsoft, all valued at more than $3 trillion, is particularly important to its overall performance, which also explains why Apple was the second largest contributor to the index's total return in 2024, despite the company's share price increasing by a more modest 31 percent - at least by Apple's standards. According to Howard Silverblatt, Senior Index Analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices, Nvidia's 171-percent return in 2024, contributed more than 22 percent to the S&P 500's overall return, putting it miles ahead of Apple, Amazon and Meta, who accounted for 7.4, 5.9 and 5.5 percent of the index' full-year return, respectively. At the other end of the scale, Intel, which was the largest negative contributor to the index's performance, followed by Adobe, Boeing, CVS Health and Nike. All of these companies saw their share prices drop by 25 (Adobe) to 60 percent (Intel), but due to their limited weight in the index, their performance only accounted for minus 4.2 percent of the index's overall performance, dragging its full-year return down 0.83 percentage points on aggregate.

Exercising more is again one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions in the United States. Past data shows that January tends to see a higher number of gym sign ups than other months as people act on such aspirations, but also that the goal falls by the wayside for many soon after. According to data from a Statista Consumer Insights survey, just over one in ten respondents in the U.S. said they had paid for a gym membership in the 12 months prior to the survey. How many have actually used the service regularly within the last year is another question. French respondents were even less enthusiastic about the gym, with only six percent of survey participants saying they have invested in a gym membership. By comparison, going to the gym was far more popular in India and Brazil, with 27 percent and 24 percent, respectively, saying that they had paid for a fitness subscription in the 12 months prior to the survey. In the United Kingdom (20 percent) and China (18 percent), around one in five respondents had paid for membership to a studio.

Despite a late-year dip that saw the S&P 500 fall 3.4% from its early December high, 2024 was another strong year for U.S. stocks. The S&P 500 gained 23.3% for the year, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose nearly 30%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a more modest 13% increase. Remarkably, 2023 and 2024 marked the first back-to-back years of 20+% gains for the S&P 500 in 25 years. Such impressive returns shouldn’t be taken for granted, as history shows that prolonged rallies can end abruptly, as seen during the dot-com bubble burst in 2000. Thankfully, consecutive down years for the S&P 500 are rare, occurring only three times since 1957. Out of 18 years with negative returns since then, the index rebounded the following year 15 times, underscoring its resilience.

Veganuary is an international campaign that encourages individuals to adopt a vegan diet throughout January. The initiative aims to raise awareness about the environmental, health, and ethical benefits of a plant-based lifestyle. By participating, people can explore vegan food options, reduce their environmental impact, and make more conscious dietary choices. Veganuary has gained global popularity, with millions joining each year to experience the positive effects of a vegan lifestyle.

In the first place are Asia's worst cities for traffic. In Bengaluru, drivers spend an average of 28 minutes and 10 seconds per 10 km in traffic, totaling about 132 extra hours in rush hour annually, according to the TomTom Traffic Index 2023. Pune, Manila, and Taichung also rank among the slowest city centers in Asia, while London tops the global list with the longest travel times.

With the end of the year in sight, millions of people around the world are preparing for the New Year. Exciting data and infographics about New Year's Eve reveal interesting insights.

In second place are the countries with the best english speakers. English proficiency is crucial for job seekers, business success, and tourism, with EF's English Proficiency Index revealing high proficiency in Western and Northern European countries, led by the Netherlands, and surprising results from other regions. While Singapore and some Asian nations like Hong Kong excel, countries like China and Thailand show lower proficiency, affecting their global engagement and tourism sectors.

In third place is our infographic about how couples met. Today’s daters are increasingly turning to online platforms to find partners, with the share of heterosexual couples meeting online rising from 2% in 1995 to 39% in 2017, according to Stanford research. The study highlights the appeal of a larger pool of choices, particularly for those seeking something uncommon, and notes a parallel rise in couples meeting in bars or restaurants.

Number 4 shows how false information is the biggest threat in different regions of the globe. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Global Risk Report, false information is one of the major threats facing the world, with misinformation and disinformation rated as top risks in many countries. India ranks highest for these risks, with experts identifying them as the most significant threat, surpassing concerns like infectious diseases and inequality.

Number 5 reflects on Amazon's accomplishments over the past 30 years. Founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, Amazon started as an online bookstore and grew into a multitrillion-dollar giant, dominating retail, cloud computing, and digital media. Bezos' long-term growth strategy transformed Amazon into a global powerhouse, with $30.4 billion in profit on $574.8 billion in sales last year.