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Nasdaq in 1982

The Nasdaq Composite rose 18.7% in 1982, from 195.84 at the end of 1981 to 232.41. Its highest close was 240.70 on Dec 8 — a record that stood until January 10, 1983, and its lowest 159.14 on Aug 13. The biggest one-day fall was −2.4% on Dec 15 and the biggest rise +2.4% on Nov 3. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 14.3%.

Change in 1982
+18.7%
195.84 → 232.41
High
240.70
Dec 8
Low
159.14
Aug 13
After inflation
+14.3%
US CPI
Up days
130 of 253
longest run 7 up, 9 down
Record highs
12
closing records

Nasdaq, daily closes 1982

Numbers mark the events below
167200233previous recordJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1Apr 21: S&P 500 index futures begin trading on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.2Jul 5: Penn Square Bank in Oklahoma fails.3Aug 12: Dow bottoms at 776.92, the start of the 1980s bull market.4Aug 13: Mexico encounters serious problems servicing its foreign debt, marking the onset of the debt crisis.5Aug 13: Bear market low: 159.14, 28.8% below the peak.6Aug 17: A forecast by Salomon economist Henry Kaufman sparks a large rally in stocks and bonds.7Nov 3: Biggest one-day rise of the year: +2.4%.8Nov 4: Nasdaq sets the first of 12 record closing highs this year, at 225.01. Back above its pre-bear-market peak of 223.47 (May 29, 1981).9Dec 8: Last record close of the year: 240.70.10Dec 15: Biggest one-day fall of the year: −2.4%.

Key Events in 1982

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

  1. 1
    Wednesday, April 21
    S&P 500 index futures begin trading on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Source
    Nasdaq: +0.2% that day · +1.1% a month later
  2. 2
    Monday, July 5
    Penn Square Bank in Oklahoma fails. Source
    Nasdaq: −0.5% next trading day (Jul 6) · −1.2% a month later
  3. 3
    Thursday, August 12
    Dow bottoms at 776.92, the start of the 1980s bull market. Source
    Nasdaq: −0.6% that day · +13.5% a month later
  4. 4
    Friday, August 13
    Mexico encounters serious problems servicing its foreign debt, marking the onset of the debt crisis. Source
    Nasdaq: −0.4% that day · +14.4% a month later
  5. 5
    Friday, August 13 From the data
    Bear market low: 159.14, 28.8% below the peak.
  6. 6
    Tuesday, August 17
    A forecast by Salomon economist Henry Kaufman sparks a large rally in stocks and bonds. Source
    Nasdaq: +1.6% that day · +16.7% a month later
  7. 7
    Wednesday, November 3 From the data
    Biggest one-day rise of the year: +2.4%.
  8. 8
    Thursday, November 4 From the data
    Nasdaq sets the first of 12 record closing highs this year, at 225.01. Back above its pre-bear-market peak of 223.47 (May 29, 1981).
  9. 9
    Wednesday, December 8 From the data
    Last record close of the year: 240.70.
  10. 10
    Wednesday, December 15 From the data
    Biggest one-day fall of the year: −2.4%.

Biggest days of 1982

Best daysWorst days
Nov 3+2.4%Dec 15−2.4%
Oct 7+1.9%Oct 25−2.0%
Aug 26+1.9%Nov 16−1.9%
Aug 23+1.7%Feb 8−1.9%
Oct 11+1.7%Jan 11−1.7%

Volatility: 13.0% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).

Month by month

MonthCloseChangeHighLow
Jan188.39−3.8%195.53183.41
Feb179.43−4.8%188.21177.49
Mar175.65−2.1%180.14167.92
Apr184.70+5.2%185.80177.31
May178.54−3.3%188.22178.37
Jun171.30−4.1%177.82168.00
Jul167.35−2.3%172.11166.80
Aug177.71+6.2%178.17159.14
Sep187.65+5.6%189.04177.30
Oct212.63+13.3%215.29188.02
Nov232.31+9.3%232.61214.52
Dec232.410.0%240.70225.60

Other Markets in 1982

Change over the calendar year.

MarketChangeYear-end
Nasdaq+18.7%232.41
Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1982+19.6%1,046.54
S&P 500 in 1982+14.8%140.64
Gold in 1982+14.9%$456.90
Silver in 1982+33.3%$10.87
US 10-year Treasury yield in 1982−3.62 pp10.36%
1980198119821983198419851986198719881989

Nasdaq in 1982: FAQ

How much did the Nasdaq Composite rise in 1982?

The Nasdaq Composite rose 18.7% in 1982, from 195.84 at the end of 1981 to 232.41. Its highest close was 240.70 on Dec 8 — a record that stood until January 10, 1983, and its lowest 159.14 on Aug 13. The biggest one-day fall was −2.4% on Dec 15 and the biggest rise +2.4% on Nov 3. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 14.3%.

What were the highest and lowest closes of the Nasdaq Composite in 1982?

Highest: 240.70 on December 8, 1982. Lowest: 159.14 on August 13, 1982. It closed higher on 130 of 253 trading days.

What happened to the Nasdaq Composite on August 17, 1982?

A forecast by Salomon economist Henry Kaufman sparks a large rally in stocks and bonds. The Nasdaq Composite rose 1.6% that day, and was +16.7% a month later.

Did the Nasdaq Composite reach a record high in 1982?

Yes — 12 record closing highs, the last at 240.70 on December 8, 1982.

Data: Daily closes since the index began at 100 on 5 Feb 1971. 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). Nasdaq in 1982. Corgano Gold Price. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/1982
MLA 9
“Nasdaq in 1982.” Corgano Gold Price, goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/1982. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.
Chicago
Corgano. “Nasdaq in 1982.” Corgano Gold Price. Accessed November 1, 2026. https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/1982.
BibTeX
@misc{corgano2026nasdaqin1982, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {Nasdaq in 1982}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/1982}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-11-01}}
Link
Nasdaq in 1982 — Corgano Gold Price: https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/1982