Dow Jones in 1978
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 3.1% in 1978, from 831.17 at the end of 1977 to 805.01. Its highest close was 907.74 on Sep 8, and its lowest 742.12 on Feb 28. The biggest one-day fall was −2.4% on Oct 16 and the biggest rise +4.5% on Nov 1. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 11.2%.
Dow Jones, daily closes 1978
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 1978
What happened, and how the Dow Jones moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Tuesday, February 28 From the dataBear market low: 742.12, 26.9% below the peak.
- 2
Monday, October 16 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −2.4%.
- 3
Wednesday, November 1 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +4.5%.
Biggest days of 1978
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1 | +4.5% | Oct 16 | −2.4% |
| Aug 2 | +2.6% | Oct 31 | −2.4% |
| Apr 14 | +2.6% | Dec 18 | −2.2% |
| Jun 5 | +1.9% | Nov 13 | −1.9% |
| Apr 17 | +1.9% | Oct 27 | −1.8% |
Volatility: 14.3% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 769.92 | −7.4% |
| Feb | 742.12 | −3.6% |
| Mar | 757.36 | +2.1% |
| Apr | 837.32 | +10.6% |
| May | 840.61 | +0.4% |
| Jun | 818.95 | −2.6% |
| Jul | 862.27 | +5.3% |
| Aug | 876.82 | +1.7% |
| Sep | 865.82 | −1.3% |
| Oct | 792.45 | −8.5% |
| Nov | 799.03 | +0.8% |
| Dec | 805.01 | +0.7% |
Other Markets in 1978
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| Dow Jones | −3.1% | 805.01 |
| S&P 500 in 1978 | +1.1% | 96.11 |
| Nasdaq Composite in 1978 | +12.3% | 117.98 |
| Gold in 1978 | +37.0% | $226.00 |
| Silver in 1978 | +26.6% | $6.02 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 1978 | +1.37 pp | 9.15% |
Dow Jones in 1978: FAQ
How much did the Dow Jones Industrial Average fall in 1978?
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 3.1% in 1978, from 831.17 at the end of 1977 to 805.01. Its highest close was 907.74 on Sep 8, and its lowest 742.12 on Feb 28. The biggest one-day fall was −2.4% on Oct 16 and the biggest rise +4.5% on Nov 1. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 11.2%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1978?
Highest: 907.74 on September 8, 1978. Lowest: 742.12 on February 28, 1978. It closed higher on 126 of 252 trading days.
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.
Cite this page
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{corgano2026dowjonesin1978, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {Dow Jones in 1978}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/dow-jones/1978}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-11-01}}