Why Is Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) Up Today, 3/17/2026?

The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF VOO +1.00% ▲ , which tracks the S&P 500 Index (SPX), inched lower by 0.03% in Tuesday’s pre-market trading as oil prices spiked again after cooling slightly yesterday amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions. Fluctuating oil prices and ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions are keeping investors on edge.

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At the time of writing, the price of the global oil benchmark Brent (CM:BZ) was up 2.77% at $102.99 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude (CM:CL) rose 2.97% to $96.28 per barrel.

During Monday’s regular trading, the three major averages closed higher as crude oil prices pulled back from last week’s surge tied to the U.S.-Iran conflict. The S&P 500 climbed 1.01% after Friday’s year-to-date low, while the DJIA gained 0.83% and the Nasdaq rose 1.22%. Tech stocks led the rally, following Nvidia’s NVDA +1.65% ▲ GTC 2026 keynote by CEO Jensen Huang, where new AI chip advancements were announced.

Overall, VOO has lost 0.39% over the past five days but has gained 18% over the past year.

VOO’s Key Holdings with Highest Upside/Downside Potential

According to TipRanks’ unique ETF analyst consensus, determined based on a weighted average of analyst ratings on its holdings, VOO is a Moderate Buy. The Street’s average price target of $760.64 implies an upside of 23.64%.

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Currently, VOO’s five holdings with the highest upside potential are:

• Loews L +0.44% ▲

• ServiceNow Inc. NOW +1.11% ▲

• KKR & Co. KKR +0.20% ▲

• Ares Management ARES -1.23% ▼

• Fair Isaac FICO +2.68% ▲

Meanwhile, its five holdings with the greatest downside potential are:

• Moderna MRNA +1.43% ▲

• Valero Energy VLO +0.86% ▲

• CF Industries Holdings CF -5.59% ▼

• APA Corp. APA +0.20% ▲

• Archer Daniels Midland ADM -1.71% ▼

Revealingly, VOO ETF’s Smart Score is seven, implying that this ETF will likely perform in line with the market.

Does VOO Pay Dividends?

Yes, VOO pays dividends. These payments come from the dividends paid by the companies in the S&P 500, and VOO distributes them to shareholders every quarter. The payout amount can change from quarter to quarter because company dividends vary. Investors can receive the dividend as cash or choose to automatically reinvest it into more shares through a dividend reinvestment program.

VOO’s dividend yield as of today is 1.12%.

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