Dow Jones in 1951
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 14.4% in 1951, from 235.41 at the end of 1950 to 269.23. Its highest close was 276.37 on Sep 13, and its lowest 238.99 on Jan 3. The biggest one-day fall was −1.9% on Oct 22 and the biggest rise +1.9% on Jan 2. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 7.9%.
Dow Jones, daily closes 1951
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 1951
What happened, and how the Dow Jones moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Tuesday, January 2 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +1.9%.
- 2
Friday, January 26US imposes a General Ceiling Price Regulation and freezes wages. SourceDow Jones: +0.9% that day · +3.7% a month later
- 3
Sunday, March 4Treasury and Federal Reserve announce the Accord, ending the Fed's bond-price support. SourceDow Jones: −0.6% next trading day (Mar 5) · −2.6% a month later
- 4
Monday, October 22 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −1.9%.
Biggest days of 1951
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2 | +1.9% | Oct 22 | −1.9% |
| Jan 11 | +1.8% | May 18 | −1.8% |
| Jul 5 | +1.8% | Mar 13 | −1.6% |
| Mar 16 | +1.5% | May 15 | −1.6% |
| Jul 24 | +1.3% | Oct 27 | −1.4% |
Volatility: 9.6% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 248.83 | +5.7% |
| Feb | 252.05 | +1.3% |
| Mar | 247.94 | −1.6% |
| Apr | 259.13 | +4.5% |
| May | 249.65 | −3.7% |
| Jun | 242.64 | −2.8% |
| Jul | 257.86 | +6.3% |
| Aug | 270.25 | +4.8% |
| Sep | 271.16 | +0.3% |
| Oct | 262.35 | −3.2% |
| Nov | 261.27 | −0.4% |
| Dec | 269.23 | +3.0% |
Other Markets in 1951
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| Dow Jones | +14.4% | 269.23 |
| S&P 500 in 1951 | +16.3% | 23.77 |
Dow Jones in 1951: FAQ
How much did the Dow Jones Industrial Average rise in 1951?
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 14.4% in 1951, from 235.41 at the end of 1950 to 269.23. Its highest close was 276.37 on Sep 13, and its lowest 238.99 on Jan 3. The biggest one-day fall was −1.9% on Oct 22 and the biggest rise +1.9% on Jan 2. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 7.9%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1951?
Highest: 276.37 on September 13, 1951. Lowest: 238.99 on January 3, 1951. It closed higher on 146 of 283 trading days.
What happened to the Dow Jones Industrial Average on January 26, 1951?
US imposes a General Ceiling Price Regulation and freezes wages. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.9% that day, and was +3.7% 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{corgano2026dowjonesin1951, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {Dow Jones in 1951}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/dow-jones/1951}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-31}}