Dow Jones in 1931
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 52.7% in 1931, from 164.58 at the end of 1930 to 77.90. Its highest close was 194.36 on Feb 24, and its lowest 73.79 on Dec 17. The biggest one-day fall was −7.1% on Sep 24 and the biggest rise +14.9% on Oct 6. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 47.8%.
Dow Jones, daily closes 1931
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 1931
What happened, and how the Dow Jones moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Saturday, April 25 From the dataEnters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 194.36 (February 24, 1931).
- 2
Monday, May 11Austria's Creditanstalt says it cannot publish its 1930 accounts, triggering a European banking crisis. SourceDow Jones: +0.2% that day · −11.0% a month later
- 3
Tuesday, June 2 From the dataBear market low: 121.70, 37.4% below the peak.
- 4
Saturday, June 20President Hoover proposes a one-year moratorium on war reparations and inter-government debt payments. SourceDow Jones: +6.6% that day · +5.8% a month later
- 5
Saturday, September 12 From the dataEnters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 156.93 (June 27, 1931).
- 6
Monday, September 21Great Britain leaves the gold standard. SourceDow Jones: −0.8% that day · −11.7% a month later
- 7
Thursday, September 24 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −7.1%.
- 8
Monday, October 5 From the dataBear market low: 86.48, 44.9% below the peak.
- 9
Tuesday, October 6 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +14.9%.
- 10
Friday, November 27 From the dataEnters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 116.79 (November 9, 1931).
Biggest days of 1931
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 6 | +14.9% | Sep 24 | −7.1% |
| Dec 18 | +9.4% | Oct 5 | −6.8% |
| Oct 8 | +8.7% | Sep 18 | −5.5% |
| Jun 3 | +7.1% | Oct 13 | −5.1% |
| Jun 20 | +6.6% | Nov 25 | −4.5% |
Volatility: 39.7% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 167.55 | +1.8% |
| Feb | 189.66 | +13.2% |
| Mar | 172.36 | −9.1% |
| Apr | 151.19 | −12.3% |
| May | 128.46 | −15.0% |
| Jun | 150.18 | +16.9% |
| Jul | 135.39 | −9.8% |
| Aug | 139.41 | +3.0% |
| Sep | 96.61 | −30.7% |
| Oct | 105.43 | +9.1% |
| Nov | 93.87 | −11.0% |
| Dec | 77.90 | −17.0% |
Dow Jones in 1931: FAQ
How much did the Dow Jones Industrial Average fall in 1931?
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 52.7% in 1931, from 164.58 at the end of 1930 to 77.90. Its highest close was 194.36 on Feb 24, and its lowest 73.79 on Dec 17. The biggest one-day fall was −7.1% on Sep 24 and the biggest rise +14.9% on Oct 6. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 47.8%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1931?
Highest: 194.36 on February 24, 1931. Lowest: 73.79 on December 17, 1931. It closed higher on 124 of 300 trading days.
What happened to the Dow Jones Industrial Average on June 20, 1931?
President Hoover proposes a one-year moratorium on war reparations and inter-government debt payments. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 6.6% that day, and was +5.8% a month later.
Data: Daily closes since 26 May 1896. Saturday sessions were held until 1952. The NYSE was closed from 31 Jul to 11 Dec 1914. 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.
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@misc{corgano2026dowjonesin1931, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {Dow Jones in 1931}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/dow-jones/1931}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-11-01}}