If You Invested $1,000 In SPY Stock The Day Russia Invaded Ukraine, Here's How Much You'd Have Now

One year has passed since one of the largest international conflicts of the last decade escalated between Russia and Ukraine. Here’s a look at what happened and how the S&P 500 has performed since the start of the war.

What Happened: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine on Feb. 23, 2022. The move came after weeks of speculation and escalating tension in the region.

Putin said tension between Ukraine and Russia would likely lead to clashes, using the word “inevitable” and saying it was only a “question of time.”

The Russian president addressed the country on the evening of Feb. 23 as reports began to state that blasts were being heard and seen in several cities in Ukraine, including the capital Kyiv.

Putin called out NATO and said the use of the Ukrainian territory was unacceptable.

The Russian president stated the special military operation was being done to “protect people” and Russia had to take action.

The stock market was under pressure prior to the official invasion due to the ongoing threat and likelihood of a military action. Here’s a look at how the market has performed since.

Related Link: 5 Things You Might Not Know About Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Of Ukraine 

Investing In SPY Stock: The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY, which tracks the S&P 500, was down 1.77% to $421.95 on Feb. 23, 2022. By the time the invasion began, the stock market was closed for the day.

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust opened for trading at $411.02 on Feb. 24, 2022.

A $1,000 investment in SPY stock could have purchased 2.43 shares of the popular ETF. The investment would be worth $957.47 today, down 4.3% in the one-year period.

While the negative return may seem bad at first glance, it comes as the market has rebounded to start the 2023 year. The S&P 500 posted its worst performance since 2008 in 2022 with a decline of 19.2%.

Benzinga recently shared how investors would have done purchasing the Russian ruble after it hit lows from the invasion of Ukraine.

Investors could have done better buying oil stocks and defense stocks after the invasion began instead of investing in the S&P 500 ETF.

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene bought shares of Chevron Corp CVX and Lockheed Martin LMT a day before the war began. Find out how much she has made from the investments here.

Photo via Shutterstock.