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Gold/Silver74.35
DXY101.610.00%
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WTI99.96+0.49%
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VIX19.03+14.09%

S&P 500 in 2020

The S&P 500 rose 16.3% in 2020, from 3,230.78 at the end of 2019 to 3,756.07. Its highest close was 3,756.07 on Dec 31 — a record that stood until January 7, 2021, and its lowest 2,237.40 on Mar 23. The biggest one-day fall was −12.0% on Mar 16 and the biggest rise +9.4% on Mar 24. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 14.7%.

Change in 2020
+16.3%
3,230.78 → 3,756.07
High
3,756.07
Dec 31
Low
2,237.40
Mar 23
After inflation
+14.7%
US CPI
Up days
145 of 253
longest run 7 up, 7 down
Record highs
33
closing records

S&P 500, daily closes 2020

Numbers mark the events below
2,3802,9973,613previous recordJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1Jan 2: S&P 500 sets the first of 33 record closing highs this year, at 3,257.85.2Mar 9: Dow falls 2,013.76 points (7.8%) after Saudi Arabia cuts oil prices following the collapse of OPEC+ talks.3Mar 11: World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a pandemic.4Mar 12: Enters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 3,386.15 (February 19, 2020).5Mar 16: Dow falls 2,997.10 points (12.9%), its largest one-day point drop on record; the VIX closes at a record 82.69.6Mar 23: Bear market low: 2,237.40, 33.9% below the peak.7Mar 24: Biggest one-day rise of the year: +9.4%.8Mar 27: President Trump signs the $2.2 trillion CARES Act economic relief bill.9Aug 18: Back above its pre-bear-market peak of 3,386.15 (February 19, 2020).10Nov 9: Pfizer and BioNTech report their COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective; US stock indexes hit record highs.11Dec 31: Last record close of the year: 3,756.07.

Key Events in 2020

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

  1. 1
    Thursday, January 2 From the data
    S&P 500 sets the first of 33 record closing highs this year, at 3,257.85.
  2. 2
    Monday, March 9
    Dow falls 2,013.76 points (7.8%) after Saudi Arabia cuts oil prices following the collapse of OPEC+ talks. Source
    S&P 500: −7.6% that day · −10.4% a month later
  3. 3
    Wednesday, March 11
    World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a pandemic. Source
    S&P 500: −4.9% that day · −4.6% a month later
  4. 4
    Thursday, March 12 From the data
    Enters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 3,386.15 (February 19, 2020).
  5. 5
    Monday, March 16
    Dow falls 2,997.10 points (12.9%), its largest one-day point drop on record; the VIX closes at a record 82.69. Source
    S&P 500: −12.0% that day · +5.0% a month later
  6. 6
    Monday, March 23 From the data
    Bear market low: 2,237.40, 33.9% below the peak.
  7. 7
    Tuesday, March 24 From the data
    Biggest one-day rise of the year: +9.4%.
  8. 8
    Friday, March 27
    President Trump signs the $2.2 trillion CARES Act economic relief bill. Source
    S&P 500: −3.4% that day · +9.4% a month later
  9. 9
    Tuesday, August 18 From the data
    Back above its pre-bear-market peak of 3,386.15 (February 19, 2020).
  10. 10
    Monday, November 9
    Pfizer and BioNTech report their COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective; US stock indexes hit record highs. Source
    S&P 500: +1.2% that day · +5.5% a month later
  11. 11
    Thursday, December 31 From the data
    Last record close of the year: 3,756.07.

Biggest days of 2020

Best daysWorst days
Mar 24+9.4%Mar 16−12.0%
Mar 13+9.3%Mar 12−9.5%
Apr 6+7.0%Mar 9−7.6%
Mar 26+6.2%Jun 11−5.9%
Mar 17+6.0%Mar 18−5.2%

Volatility: 34.4% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).

Month by month

MonthCloseChangeHighLow
Jan3,225.52−0.2%3,329.623,225.52
Feb2,954.22−8.4%3,386.152,954.22
Mar2,584.59−12.5%3,130.122,237.40
Apr2,912.43+12.7%2,939.512,470.50
May3,044.31+4.5%3,044.312,820.00
Jun3,100.29+1.8%3,232.393,002.10
Jul3,271.12+5.5%3,276.023,115.86
Aug3,500.31+7.0%3,508.013,294.61
Sep3,363.00−3.9%3,580.843,236.92
Oct3,269.96−2.8%3,534.223,269.96
Nov3,621.63+10.8%3,638.353,310.24
Dec3,756.07+3.7%3,756.073,647.49

Other Markets in 2020

Change over the calendar year.

MarketChangeYear-end
S&P 500+16.3%3,756.07
Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2020+7.2%30,606.48
Nasdaq Composite in 2020+43.6%12,888.28
Russell 2000 in 2020+18.4%1,974.86
Nikkei 225 in 2020+16.0%27,444.17
Gold in 2020+24.7%$1,895.10
Silver in 2020+47.7%$26.33
WTI crude oil in 2020−20.5%$48.52
Brent crude oil in 2020−21.5%$51.80
US 10-year Treasury yield in 2020−1.00 pp0.92%
2020202120222023202420252026

S&P 500 in 2020: FAQ

How much did the S&P 500 rise in 2020?

The S&P 500 rose 16.3% in 2020, from 3,230.78 at the end of 2019 to 3,756.07. Its highest close was 3,756.07 on Dec 31 — a record that stood until January 7, 2021, and its lowest 2,237.40 on Mar 23. The biggest one-day fall was −12.0% on Mar 16 and the biggest rise +9.4% on Mar 24. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 14.7%.

What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 2020?

Highest: 3,756.07 on December 31, 2020. Lowest: 2,237.40 on March 23, 2020. It closed higher on 145 of 253 trading days.

What happened to the S&P 500 on March 16, 2020?

Dow falls 2,997.10 points (12.9%), its largest one-day point drop on record; the VIX closes at a record 82.69. The S&P 500 fell 12.0% that day, and was +5.0% a month later.

Did the S&P 500 reach a record high in 2020?

Yes — 33 record closing highs, the last at 3,756.07 on December 31, 2020.

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.