S&P 500 in 1971

The S&P 500 rose 10.8% in 1971, from 92.15 at the end of 1970 to 102.09. Its highest close was 104.77 on Apr 28, and its lowest 90.16 on Nov 23. The biggest one-day fall was −1.5% on Jun 18 and the biggest rise +3.2% on Aug 16. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 7.3%.

Change in 1971

+10.8%

92.15 → 102.09

High

104.77

Apr 28

Low

90.16

Nov 23

After inflation

+7.3%

US CPI

Up days

137 of 253

longest run 14 up, 11 down

Below record

-5.8%

at the end of 1971

S&P 500, daily closes 1971

Numbers mark the events below

Key Events in 1971

What happened, and how the S&P 500 moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.

1
Monday, February 8

Nasdaq begins operations as the first electronic stock market. Source

S&P 500: +0.5% that day · +2.6% a month later
2
Friday, June 18 From the data

Biggest one-day fall of the year: −1.5%.
3
Sunday, August 15

Nixon closes the gold window, ending dollar convertibility to gold, and announces wage and price controls. Source

S&P 500: +3.2% next trading day (Aug 16) · +3.8% a month later

Biggest days of 1971

Best days		Worst days
Aug 16	+3.2%	Jun 18	−1.5%
Nov 3	+1.9%	Nov 1	−1.5%
Nov 26	+1.8%	Aug 3	−1.5%
Nov 29	+1.6%	May 17	−1.5%
Dec 1	+1.5%	Oct 20	−1.4%

Volatility: 10.2% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).

Month by month

Month	Close	Change	High	Low
Jan	95.88	+4.0%	95.88	91.15
Feb	96.75	+0.9%	98.66	95.72
Mar	100.31	+3.7%	101.21	96.95
Apr	103.95	+3.6%	104.77	100.39
May	99.63	−4.2%	103.79	99.40
Jun	98.70	−0.9%	101.30	97.59
Jul	95.58	−3.2%	100.82	95.58
Aug	99.03	+3.6%	100.48	93.53
Sep	98.34	−0.7%	101.34	97.62
Oct	94.23	−4.2%	100.02	93.79
Nov	93.99	−0.3%	94.91	90.16
Dec	102.09	+8.6%	102.21	95.44

Other Markets in 1971

Change over the calendar year.

Market	Change	Year-end
S&P 500	+10.8%	102.09
Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1971	+6.1%	890.20
Gold in 1971	+16.7%	$43.62
Silver in 1971	−16.0%	$1.37
US 10-year Treasury yield in 1971	−0.61 pp	5.89%

1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

S&P 500 in 1971: FAQ

How much did the S&P 500 rise in 1971?

What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 1971?

Highest: 104.77 on April 28, 1971. Lowest: 90.16 on November 23, 1971. It closed higher on 137 of 253 trading days.

What happened to the S&P 500 on August 15, 1971?

Nixon closes the gold window, ending dollar convertibility to gold, and announces wage and price controls. The S&P 500 rose 3.2% on the next trading day (August 16, 1971), and was +3.8% a month later.

Data: Daily closes since 1950 (price index, excluding dividends). 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.