Top 10 S&P 500 performers year-to-date as the index nears record high

The S&P 500 (SP500) is closing in on uncharted territory, now just 0.88% shy of its all-time intraday high of 6,147.43 set back on February 19. As of Tuesday, the benchmark index trades at 6,096.01, marking a resilient climb despite a barrage of headwinds in 2025.

From renewed tariff threats and global trade tensions to credit rating downgrades, the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, persistent inflation concerns, and broader macroeconomic uncertainty, Wall Street has faced no shortage of challenges. Yet, the S&P 500 has remained remarkably steadfast—up 3.25% year-to-date, even as the first half of the year nears completion.

Driving that strength are a handful of standout names. Below, Seeking Alpha spotlights the 10 top-performing stocks in the S&P 500 that have delivered the most upside and helped power the broader market toward record levels.

No. 1: Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR), +89.1% YTD.

No. 2: NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG), +69.9% YTD.

No. 3: Howmet Aerospace (NYSE:HWM), +61.5% YTD.

No. 4: Seagate Technology Holdings (NASDAQ:STX), +58.1% YTD.

No. 5: Newmont Corp. (NYSE:NEM), +57% YTD.

No. 6: GE Vernova (NYSE:GEV), +54.5% YTD.

No. 7: Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM), +53.1% YTD.

No. 8: Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER), +51.8% YTD.

No. 9: Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU), +51.5% YTD.

No. 10: CVS Health Corp (NYSE:CVS), +51.4% YTD.

For investors looking to track the overall movement of the S&P 500 (SP500), several index ETFs and mutual funds are also worth considering.

S&P 500 Tracking Funds: (MUTF:FXAIX), (MUTF:VFIAX), (MUTF:VFFSX), (MUTF:SWPPX), (NYSEARCA:SPY), (NYSEARCA:VOO), (NYSEARCA:IVV), (NYSEARCA:RSP), (NYSEARCA:SSO), (NYSEARCA:SH), (NYSEARCA:SDS) and (NYSEARCA:SPXU).