Nikkei 225 in 1988

The Nikkei 225 rose 39.9% in 1988, from 21,564 at the end of 1987 to 30,159. Its highest close was 30,159 on Dec 28 — a record that stood until January 4, 1989, and its lowest 21,217 on Jan 4. The biggest one-day fall was −2.2% on Aug 10 and the biggest rise +5.6% on Jan 6.

Change in 1988

+39.9%

21,564 → 30,159

High

30,159

Dec 28

Low

21,217

Jan 4

Up days

146 of 247

longest run 15 up, 4 down

Record highs

closing records

Nikkei 225, daily closes 1988

Numbers mark the events below

Key Events in 1988

What happened, and how the Nikkei 225 moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.

1
Wednesday, January 6 From the data

Biggest one-day rise of the year: +5.6%.
2
Thursday, April 7 From the data

Nikkei 225 sets the first of 32 record closing highs this year, at 26,769. Back above its pre-bear-market peak of 26,646 (October 14, 1987).
3
Wednesday, August 10 From the data

Biggest one-day fall of the year: −2.2%.
4
Saturday, September 3

Trading in TOPIX futures starts on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Source

Nikkei 225: +0.8% next trading day (Sep 5) · +1.1% a month later
5
Tuesday, November 8

George H. W. Bush is elected US president. Source

Nikkei 225: +0.5% that day · +6.5% a month later
6
Wednesday, December 7 From the data

Nikkei 225 closes above 30,000 for the first time (30,051).
7
Wednesday, December 28 From the data

Last record close of the year: 30,159.

Biggest days of 1988

Best days		Worst days
Jan 6	+5.6%	Aug 10	−2.2%
Jan 25	+1.9%	Jul 19	−1.9%
Jan 5	+1.7%	Jan 4	−1.6%
Jul 27	+1.6%	Sep 1	−1.6%
Jul 20	+1.5%	Nov 28	−1.4%

Volatility: 12.1% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).

Month by month

Month	Close	Change	High	Low
Jan	23,622	+9.5%	23,622	21,217
Feb	25,243	+6.9%	25,243	23,595
Mar	26,260	+4.0%	26,320	25,434
Apr	27,434	+4.5%	27,434	26,104
May	27,417	−0.1%	27,820	27,161
Jun	27,769	+1.3%	28,342	27,398
Jul	27,912	+0.5%	28,100	27,149
Aug	27,366	−2.0%	28,423	27,366
Sep	27,924	+2.0%	27,924	26,934
Oct	27,983	+0.2%	27,983	27,142
Nov	29,579	+5.7%	29,579	27,866
Dec	30,159	+2.0%	30,159	29,470

Other Markets in 1988

Change over the calendar year.

Market	Change	Year-end
Nikkei 225	+39.9%	30,159
Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1988	+11.8%	2,168.57
S&P 500 in 1988	+12.4%	277.72
Nasdaq Composite in 1988	+15.4%	381.40
Russell 2000 in 1988	+22.4%	147.37
Gold in 1988	−15.3%	$410.25
Silver in 1988	−9.7%	$6.05
WTI crude oil in 1988	+2.3%	$17.12
Brent crude oil in 1988	−7.8%	$16.23
US 10-year Treasury yield in 1988	+0.31 pp	9.14%

1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

Nikkei 225 in 1988: FAQ

How much did the Nikkei 225 rise in 1988?

What were the highest and lowest closes of the Nikkei 225 in 1988?

Highest: 30,159 on December 28, 1988. Lowest: 21,217 on January 4, 1988. It closed higher on 146 of 247 trading days.

What happened to the Nikkei 225 on September 3, 1988?

Trading in TOPIX futures starts on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The Nikkei 225 rose 0.8% on the next trading day (September 5, 1988), and was +1.1% a month later.

Did the Nikkei 225 reach a record high in 1988?

Yes — 32 record closing highs, the last at 30,159 on December 28, 1988.

Data: Daily closes since Jan 1984 (Tokyo). Price index: dividends are not included. Inflation: US CPI-U. Events marked "From the data" are found automatically from the closing prices; the others are researched, with the source linked. Not investment advice.