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Dow Jones in 1987

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.3% in 1987, from 1,895.95 at the end of 1986 to 1,938.83. Its highest close was 2,722.42 on Aug 25 — a record that stood until August 24, 1989, and its lowest 1,738.74 on Oct 19. The biggest one-day fall was −22.6% on Oct 19 and the biggest rise +10.1% on Oct 21. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 2.1%.

Change in 1987
+2.3%
1,895.95 → 1,938.83
High
2,722.42
Aug 25
Low
1,738.74
Oct 19
After inflation
−2.1%
US CPI
Up days
143 of 253
longest run 13 up, 5 down
Record highs
55
closing records

Dow Jones, daily closes 1987

Numbers mark the events below
1,8312,2312,630previous recordJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1Jan 5: Dow Jones sets the first of 55 record closing highs this year, at 1,971.32.2Jan 8: Dow Jones closes above 2,000 for the first time (2,002.25).3Aug 25: Dow reaches its pre-crash all-time high of about 2,722.4Oct 19: Black Monday: Dow falls 508 points (22.6%), its largest one-day percentage drop.5Oct 19: Enters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 2,722.42 (August 25, 1987). Bear market low: 1,738.74, 36.1% below the peak.6Oct 20: Fed affirms its readiness to serve as a source of liquidity to the financial system.7Oct 21: Biggest one-day rise of the year: +10.1%.

Key Events in 1987

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

  1. 1
    Monday, January 5 From the data
    Dow Jones sets the first of 55 record closing highs this year, at 1,971.32.
  2. 2
    Thursday, January 8 From the data
    Dow Jones closes above 2,000 for the first time (2,002.25).
  3. 3
    Tuesday, August 25
    Dow reaches its pre-crash all-time high of about 2,722. Source
    Dow Jones: +0.9% that day · −4.1% a month later
  4. 4
    Monday, October 19
    Black Monday: Dow falls 508 points (22.6%), its largest one-day percentage drop. Source
    Dow Jones: −22.6% that day · −13.2% a month later
  5. 5
    Monday, October 19 From the data
    Enters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 2,722.42 (August 25, 1987). Bear market low: 1,738.74, 36.1% below the peak.
  6. 6
    Tuesday, October 20
    Fed affirms its readiness to serve as a source of liquidity to the financial system. Source
    Dow Jones: +5.9% that day · +10.6% a month later
  7. 7
    Wednesday, October 21 From the data
    Biggest one-day rise of the year: +10.1%.

Biggest days of 1987

Best daysWorst days
Oct 21+10.1%Oct 19−22.6%
Oct 20+5.9%Oct 26−8.0%
Oct 29+5.0%Oct 16−4.6%
Dec 14+3.5%Nov 30−4.0%
Nov 12+3.2%Dec 3−3.9%

Volatility: 34.5% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).

Month by month

MonthCloseChangeHighLow
Jan2,158.04+13.8%2,163.391,927.31
Feb2,223.99+3.1%2,244.092,158.04
Mar2,304.69+3.6%2,372.592,220.47
Apr2,286.36−0.8%2,405.542,230.54
May2,291.57+0.2%2,342.192,215.87
Jun2,418.53+5.5%2,451.052,278.22
Jul2,572.07+6.3%2,572.072,409.76
Aug2,662.95+3.5%2,722.422,546.72
Sep2,596.28−2.5%2,613.042,492.82
Oct1,993.53−23.2%2,640.991,738.74
Nov1,833.55−8.0%2,014.091,833.55
Dec1,938.83+5.7%2,005.641,766.74

Other Markets in 1987

Change over the calendar year.

MarketChangeYear-end
Dow Jones+2.3%1,938.83
S&P 500 in 1987+2.0%247.08
Nasdaq Composite in 1987−5.2%330.50
Nikkei 225 in 1987+14.6%21,564.00
Gold in 1987+24.5%$484.10
Silver in 1987+26.9%$6.70
WTI crude oil in 1987−6.6%$16.74
US 10-year Treasury yield in 1987+1.60 pp8.83%
1980198119821983198419851986198719881989

Dow Jones in 1987: FAQ

How much did the Dow Jones Industrial Average rise in 1987?

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.3% in 1987, from 1,895.95 at the end of 1986 to 1,938.83. Its highest close was 2,722.42 on Aug 25 — a record that stood until August 24, 1989, and its lowest 1,738.74 on Oct 19. The biggest one-day fall was −22.6% on Oct 19 and the biggest rise +10.1% on Oct 21. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 2.1%.

What were the highest and lowest closes of the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1987?

Highest: 2,722.42 on August 25, 1987. Lowest: 1,738.74 on October 19, 1987. It closed higher on 143 of 253 trading days.

What happened to the Dow Jones Industrial Average on October 19, 1987?

Black Monday: Dow falls 508 points (22.6%), its largest one-day percentage drop. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 22.6% that day, and was −13.2% a month later.

Did the Dow Jones Industrial Average reach a record high in 1987?

Yes — 55 record closing highs, the last at 2,722.42 on August 25, 1987.

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 1987. Corgano Gold Price. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/dow-jones/1987
MLA 9
“Dow Jones in 1987.” Corgano Gold Price, goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/dow-jones/1987. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.
Chicago
Corgano. “Dow Jones in 1987.” Corgano Gold Price. Accessed November 1, 2026. https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/dow-jones/1987.
BibTeX
@misc{corgano2026dowjonesin1987, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {Dow Jones in 1987}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/dow-jones/1987}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-11-01}}
Link
Dow Jones in 1987 — Corgano Gold Price: https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/dow-jones/1987