Standard & Poor's
Categories: Bonds, Muni Bonds
S&P is a ratings agency (owned by a publishing company) that has opinions on the creditworthiness of debt and sometimes other instruments. Opinions that it shares, of course. S&P also manages an index fund series called the S&P 500, which tracks the top 500 U.S. companies by market value across nine industries.
Standard & Poor's is typically mentioned nervously at uncomfortable dinner parties in an effort to appear intelligent and world-wise. Too bad the spaghetti stain on your shirt has already spoken for you.