Last year, the S&P 500, which is a stock index that tracks the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the U.S., declined 19%. This was the index's worst performance since 2008, a period that was characterized by the Great Recession that followed the subprime mortgage bust. 

It's been a different story in 2023, though. Investors seem to be much more optimistic. As of July 14, the S&P 500 is up 17%. This might prompt some to want to ride the momentum in the hopes of generating strong returns in their portfolios. 

But is it safe to invest in the S&P 500 right now? Let's take a closer look. 

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Source Fool.com