CorganoGold Price
Free widgets Market closed
Gold3,876.73−3.57%Silver49.12−5.79%Platinum1,434.05−3.60%Palladium979.73−2.55%
Gold/Silver78.93
DXY101.96+0.08%
US10Y4.93%−1.20%
WTI104.12+2.08%
S&P 5007,580−1.82%
Dow51,770−1.09%
Bitcoin77,459+0.33%
VIX19.42+12.91%

Nasdaq in 1991

The Nasdaq Composite rose 56.9% in 1991, from 373.80 at the end of 1990 to 586.34. Its highest close was 586.34 on Dec 31 — a record that stood until January 2, 1992, and its lowest 355.80 on Jan 14. The biggest one-day fall was −4.2% on Nov 15 and the biggest rise +3.2% on Aug 21. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 52.2%.

Change in 1991
+56.9%
373.80 → 586.34
High
586.34
Dec 31
Low
355.80
Jan 14
After inflation
+52.2%
US CPI
Up days
149 of 253
longest run 11 up, 6 down
Record highs
32
closing records

Nasdaq, daily closes 1991

Numbers mark the events below
377471565previous recordJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1Jan 17: US-led coalition begins Operation Desert Storm air campaign against Iraq.2Feb 28: Operation Desert Storm ends after the 100-hour ground campaign.3Apr 2: Nasdaq sets the first of 32 record closing highs this year, at 491.20. Back above its pre-bear-market peak of 485.70 (October 9, 1989).4Apr 12: Nasdaq closes above 500 for the first time (501.62).5Aug 19: Hardliners launch a coup attempt against Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev; it collapses within days.6Aug 21: Biggest one-day rise of the year: +3.2%.7Nov 15: Biggest one-day fall of the year: −4.2%.8Dec 26: The Soviet Union is formally dissolved.9Dec 31: Last record close of the year: 586.34.

Key Events in 1991

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

  1. 1
    Thursday, January 17
    US-led coalition begins Operation Desert Storm air campaign against Iraq. Source
    Nasdaq: +2.9% that day · +21.7% a month later
  2. 2
    Thursday, February 28
    Operation Desert Storm ends after the 100-hour ground campaign. Source
    Nasdaq: +0.5% that day · +7.0% a month later
  3. 3
    Tuesday, April 2 From the data
    Nasdaq sets the first of 32 record closing highs this year, at 491.20. Back above its pre-bear-market peak of 485.70 (October 9, 1989).
  4. 4
    Friday, April 12 From the data
    Nasdaq closes above 500 for the first time (501.62).
  5. 5
    Monday, August 19
    Hardliners launch a coup attempt against Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev; it collapses within days. Source
    Nasdaq: −2.9% that day · +0.5% a month later
  6. 6
    Wednesday, August 21 From the data
    Biggest one-day rise of the year: +3.2%.
  7. 7
    Friday, November 15 From the data
    Biggest one-day fall of the year: −4.2%.
  8. 8
    Thursday, December 26
    The Soviet Union is formally dissolved. Source
    Nasdaq: +1.8% that day · +13.7% a month later
  9. 9
    Tuesday, December 31 From the data
    Last record close of the year: 586.34.

Biggest days of 1991

Best daysWorst days
Aug 21+3.2%Nov 15−4.2%
Jan 17+2.9%Aug 19−2.9%
Mar 5+2.6%May 15−2.2%
Dec 30+2.5%Jun 24−2.2%
Jan 16+2.2%Nov 19−2.1%

Volatility: 14.8% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).

Month by month

MonthCloseChangeHighLow
Jan414.20+10.8%414.20355.80
Feb453.10+9.4%453.10417.70
Mar482.30+6.4%482.37456.70
Apr484.72+0.5%511.31480.86
May506.11+4.4%506.11478.08
Jun475.92−6.0%507.25473.08
Jul502.04+5.5%502.04474.05
Aug525.68+4.7%526.39497.64
Sep526.88+0.2%527.82511.28
Oct542.98+3.1%542.98513.81
Nov523.90−3.5%556.17522.23
Dec586.34+11.9%586.34530.91

Other Markets in 1991

Change over the calendar year.

MarketChangeYear-end
Nasdaq+56.9%586.34
Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1991+20.3%3,168.83
S&P 500 in 1991+26.3%417.09
Russell 2000 in 1991+43.7%189.94
Nikkei 225 in 1991−3.6%22,984.00
Gold in 1991−8.6%$353.15
Silver in 1991−7.9%$3.86
WTI crude oil in 1991−32.8%$19.15
Brent crude oil in 1991−37.4%$17.75
US 10-year Treasury yield in 1991−1.37 pp6.71%
1990199119921993199419951996199719981999

Nasdaq in 1991: FAQ

How much did the Nasdaq Composite rise in 1991?

The Nasdaq Composite rose 56.9% in 1991, from 373.80 at the end of 1990 to 586.34. Its highest close was 586.34 on Dec 31 — a record that stood until January 2, 1992, and its lowest 355.80 on Jan 14. The biggest one-day fall was −4.2% on Nov 15 and the biggest rise +3.2% on Aug 21. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 52.2%.

What were the highest and lowest closes of the Nasdaq Composite in 1991?

Highest: 586.34 on December 31, 1991. Lowest: 355.80 on January 14, 1991. It closed higher on 149 of 253 trading days.

What happened to the Nasdaq Composite on January 17, 1991?

US-led coalition begins Operation Desert Storm air campaign against Iraq. The Nasdaq Composite rose 2.9% that day, and was +21.7% a month later.

Did the Nasdaq Composite reach a record high in 1991?

Yes — 32 record closing highs, the last at 586.34 on December 31, 1991.

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.

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.

APA 7
Corgano. (2026, October 31). Nasdaq in 1991. Corgano Gold Price. Retrieved October 31, 2026, from https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/1991
MLA 9
“Nasdaq in 1991.” Corgano Gold Price, goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/1991. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.
Chicago
Corgano. “Nasdaq in 1991.” Corgano Gold Price. Accessed October 31, 2026. https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/1991.
BibTeX
@misc{corgano2026nasdaqin1991, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {Nasdaq in 1991}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/1991}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-31}}
Link
Nasdaq in 1991 — Corgano Gold Price: https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/1991