Dow Jones in 1946
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 8.1% in 1946, from 192.91 at the end of 1945 to 177.20. Its highest close was 212.50 on May 29, and its lowest 163.12 on Oct 9. The biggest one-day fall was −5.6% on Sep 3 and the biggest rise +3.6% on Oct 15. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 22.2%.
Dow Jones, daily closes 1946
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 1946
What happened, and how the Dow Jones moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Monday, January 21Federal Reserve raises the margin requirement on stocks to 100%. SourceDow Jones: −1.8% that day · −0.2% a month later
- 2
Tuesday, September 3 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −5.6%.
- 3
Tuesday, September 10 From the dataEnters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 212.50 (May 29, 1946).
- 4
Monday, October 14President Truman ends price controls on meat. SourceDow Jones: +1.1% that day · +1.0% a month later
- 5
Tuesday, October 15 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +3.6%.
Biggest days of 1946
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15 | +3.6% | Sep 3 | −5.6% |
| Oct 31 | +3.0% | Sep 9 | −4.4% |
| Sep 11 | +2.9% | Feb 25 | −4.3% |
| Dec 9 | +2.8% | Nov 6 | −3.2% |
| Sep 5 | +2.5% | Aug 27 | −3.0% |
Volatility: 17.4% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 204.67 | +6.1% |
| Feb | 190.09 | −7.1% |
| Mar | 199.75 | +5.1% |
| Apr | 206.77 | +3.5% |
| May | 212.28 | +2.7% |
| Jun | 205.62 | −3.1% |
| Jul | 201.56 | −2.0% |
| Aug | 189.19 | −6.1% |
| Sep | 172.42 | −8.9% |
| Oct | 169.15 | −1.9% |
| Nov | 169.80 | +0.4% |
| Dec | 177.20 | +4.4% |
Dow Jones in 1946: FAQ
How much did the Dow Jones Industrial Average fall in 1946?
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 8.1% in 1946, from 192.91 at the end of 1945 to 177.20. Its highest close was 212.50 on May 29, and its lowest 163.12 on Oct 9. The biggest one-day fall was −5.6% on Sep 3 and the biggest rise +3.6% on Oct 15. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 22.2%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1946?
Highest: 212.50 on May 29, 1946. Lowest: 163.12 on October 9, 1946. It closed higher on 136 of 281 trading days.
What happened to the Dow Jones Industrial Average on January 21, 1946?
Federal Reserve raises the margin requirement on stocks to 100%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.8% that day, and was −0.2% 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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For essays, articles and research. Prices on this page update daily, so the citations include today's date as the date you accessed it.
@misc{corgano2026dowjonesin1946, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {Dow Jones in 1946}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/dow-jones/1946}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-11-01}}