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Dow Jones in 1973

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 16.6% in 1973, from 1,020.02 at the end of 1972 to 850.86. Its highest close was 1,051.70 on Jan 11 — a record that stood until November 3, 1982, and its lowest 788.31 on Dec 5. The biggest one-day fall was −3.4% on Nov 26 and the biggest rise +3.3% on May 24. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 23.3%.

Change in 1973
−16.6%
1,020.02 → 850.86
High
1,051.70
Jan 11
Low
788.31
Dec 5
After inflation
−23.3%
US CPI
Up days
111 of 252
longest run 10 up, 7 down
Record highs
4
closing records

Dow Jones, daily closes 1973

Numbers mark the events below
8139201,027previous recordJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1Jan 3: Dow Jones sets the first of 4 record closing highs this year, at 1,043.80.2Jan 11: Dow peaks, beginning the 1973-74 bear market.3Apr 26: The Chicago Board Options Exchange begins trading.4May 24: Biggest one-day rise of the year: +3.3%.5Oct 6: Egypt and Syria attack Israel, starting the Yom Kippur War.6Oct 17: Arab oil producers announce production cuts, beginning the 1973 oil embargo.7Nov 26: Enters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 1,051.70 (January 11, 1973). Biggest one-day fall of the year: −3.4%.

Key Events in 1973

What happened, and how the Dow Jones moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.

  1. 1
    Wednesday, January 3 From the data
    Dow Jones sets the first of 4 record closing highs this year, at 1,043.80.
  2. 2
    Thursday, January 11
    Dow peaks, beginning the 1973-74 bear market. Source
    Dow Jones: +0.5% that day · −6.4% a month later
  3. 3
    Thursday, April 26
    The Chicago Board Options Exchange begins trading. Source
    Dow Jones: +0.8% that day · −0.7% a month later
  4. 4
    Thursday, May 24 From the data
    Biggest one-day rise of the year: +3.3%.
  5. 5
    Saturday, October 6
    Egypt and Syria attack Israel, starting the Yom Kippur War. Source
    Dow Jones: +0.7% next trading day (Oct 8) · −5.3% a month later
  6. 6
    Wednesday, October 17
    Arab oil producers announce production cuts, beginning the 1973 oil embargo. Source
    Dow Jones: −0.5% that day · −10.1% a month later
  7. 7
    Monday, November 26 From the data
    Enters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 1,051.70 (January 11, 1973). Biggest one-day fall of the year: −3.4%.

Biggest days of 1973

Best daysWorst days
May 24+3.3%Nov 26−3.4%
Dec 6+3.3%Nov 19−3.2%
Dec 7+2.9%Dec 12−2.8%
Dec 26+2.8%Nov 9−2.6%
Nov 28+2.7%Nov 14−2.4%

Volatility: 17.7% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).

Month by month

MonthCloseChangeHighLow
Jan999.02−2.1%1,051.70992.93
Feb955.07−4.4%996.76947.92
Mar951.01−0.4%979.98922.71
Apr921.43−3.1%967.41921.43
May901.41−2.2%956.58886.51
Jun891.71−1.1%927.00869.13
Jul926.40+3.9%936.71870.11
Aug887.57−4.2%912.78851.90
Sep947.10+6.7%953.27880.57
Oct956.58+1.0%987.06948.83
Nov822.25−14.0%948.83817.73
Dec850.86+3.5%851.14788.31

Other Markets in 1973

Change over the calendar year.

MarketChangeYear-end
Dow Jones−16.6%850.86
S&P 500 in 1973−17.4%97.55
Nasdaq Composite in 1973−31.1%92.19
Gold in 1973+73.0%$112.25
Silver in 1973+60.3%$3.26
US 10-year Treasury yield in 1973+0.49 pp6.90%
1970197119721973197419751976197719781979

Dow Jones in 1973: FAQ

How much did the Dow Jones Industrial Average fall in 1973?

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 16.6% in 1973, from 1,020.02 at the end of 1972 to 850.86. Its highest close was 1,051.70 on Jan 11 — a record that stood until November 3, 1982, and its lowest 788.31 on Dec 5. The biggest one-day fall was −3.4% on Nov 26 and the biggest rise +3.3% on May 24. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 23.3%.

What were the highest and lowest closes of the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1973?

Highest: 1,051.70 on January 11, 1973. Lowest: 788.31 on December 5, 1973. It closed higher on 111 of 252 trading days.

What happened to the Dow Jones Industrial Average on April 26, 1973?

The Chicago Board Options Exchange begins trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.8% that day, and was −0.7% a month later.

Did the Dow Jones Industrial Average reach a record high in 1973?

Yes — 4 record closing highs, the last at 1,051.70 on January 11, 1973.

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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APA 7
Corgano. (2026, November 1). Dow Jones in 1973. Corgano Gold Price. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/dow-jones/1973
MLA 9
“Dow Jones in 1973.” Corgano Gold Price, goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/dow-jones/1973. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.
Chicago
Corgano. “Dow Jones in 1973.” Corgano Gold Price. Accessed November 1, 2026. https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/dow-jones/1973.
BibTeX
@misc{corgano2026dowjonesin1973, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {Dow Jones in 1973}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/dow-jones/1973}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-11-01}}
Link
Dow Jones in 1973 — Corgano Gold Price: https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/dow-jones/1973