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SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY)
The oldest and most heavily traded ETF tracking the S&P 500 index. It has an expense ratio of 0.0945%, which is low but not the lowest in its category. SPY distributes dividends quarterly. Like the index it tracks, SPY uses a market-capitalization weighting methodology, where larger companies have a greater impact on the fund's performance. A key differentiating quality of SPY is its exceptional liquidity and tight bid-ask spreads, making it a favorite among institutional investors and traders for its efficiency in executing large orders. SPY holds all 500 stocks in the S&P 500 index, providing broad exposure to large-cap U.S. equities. Its structure as a unit investment trust (UIT) rather than a typical open-end fund is another unique aspect, which can affect its handling of dividends and portfolio management slightly differently from some other S&P 500 ETFs.