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Nasdaq in 2008

The Nasdaq Composite fell 40.5% in 2008, from 2,652.28 at the end of 2007 to 1,577.03. Its highest close was 2,609.63 on Jan 2, and its lowest 1,316.12 on Nov 20. The biggest one-day fall was −9.1% on Sep 29 and the biggest rise +11.8% on Oct 13. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 40.6%.

Change in 2008
−40.5%
2,652.28 → 1,577.03
High
2,609.63
Jan 2
Low
1,316.12
Nov 20
After inflation
−40.6%
US CPI
Up days
117 of 253
longest run 6 up, 7 down
Below record
-68.8%
at the end of 2008

Nasdaq, daily closes 2008

Numbers mark the events below
1,4381,9632,488JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1Jan 22: Fed makes an emergency inter-meeting cut of 75 basis points to 3.50%.2Feb 6: Enters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 2,859.12 (October 31, 2007).3Mar 16: JPMorgan Chase agrees to acquire Bear Stearns for about $2 a share with Fed financing.4Sep 7: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are placed into federal conservatorship.5Sep 15: Lehman Brothers files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.6Sep 29: Biggest one-day fall of the year: −9.1%.7Oct 3: Emergency Economic Stabilization Act is signed, creating the $700 billion TARP.8Oct 13: Biggest one-day rise of the year: +11.8%.9Nov 20: Bear market low: 1,316.12, 54.0% below the peak.10Dec 16: Fed cuts its federal funds target to a range of 0 to 0.25%.

Key Events in 2008

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

  1. 1
    Tuesday, January 22
    Fed makes an emergency inter-meeting cut of 75 basis points to 3.50%. Source
    Nasdaq: −2.0% that day · −0.6% a month later
  2. 2
    Wednesday, February 6 From the data
    Enters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 2,859.12 (October 31, 2007).
  3. 3
    Sunday, March 16
    JPMorgan Chase agrees to acquire Bear Stearns for about $2 a share with Fed financing. Source
    Nasdaq: −1.6% next trading day (Mar 17) · +3.3% a month later
  4. 4
    Sunday, September 7
    Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are placed into federal conservatorship. Source
    Nasdaq: +0.6% next trading day (Sep 8) · −17.4% a month later
  5. 5
    Monday, September 15
    Lehman Brothers files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Source
    Nasdaq: −3.6% that day · −18.4% a month later
  6. 6
    Monday, September 29 From the data
    Biggest one-day fall of the year: −9.1%.
  7. 7
    Friday, October 3
    Emergency Economic Stabilization Act is signed, creating the $700 billion TARP. Source
    Nasdaq: −1.5% that day · −12.9% a month later
  8. 8
    Monday, October 13 From the data
    Biggest one-day rise of the year: +11.8%.
  9. 9
    Thursday, November 20 From the data
    Bear market low: 1,316.12, 54.0% below the peak.
  10. 10
    Tuesday, December 16
    Fed cuts its federal funds target to a range of 0 to 0.25%. Source
    Nasdaq: +5.4% that day · +0.2% a month later

Biggest days of 2008

Best daysWorst days
Oct 13+11.8%Sep 29−9.1%
Oct 28+9.5%Dec 1−9.0%
Nov 13+6.5%Oct 15−8.5%
Nov 24+6.3%Nov 19−6.5%
Oct 16+5.5%Oct 7−5.8%

Volatility: 41.1% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).

Month by month

MonthCloseChangeHighLow
Jan2,389.86−9.9%2,609.632,292.27
Feb2,271.48−5.0%2,413.362,271.48
Mar2,279.10+0.3%2,341.052,169.34
Apr2,412.80+5.9%2,428.922,275.82
May2,522.66+4.6%2,533.732,438.49
Jun2,292.98−9.1%2,549.942,292.98
Jul2,325.55+1.4%2,329.722,212.87
Aug2,367.52+1.8%2,453.672,285.56
Sep2,091.88−11.6%2,349.241,983.73
Oct1,720.95−17.7%2,069.401,505.90
Nov1,535.57−10.8%1,780.121,316.12
Dec1,577.03+2.7%1,589.891,398.07

Other Markets in 2008

Change over the calendar year.

MarketChangeYear-end
Nasdaq−40.5%1,577.03
Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2008−33.8%8,776.39
S&P 500 in 2008−38.5%903.25
Russell 2000 in 2008−34.8%499.45
Nikkei 225 in 2008−42.1%8,859.56
Gold in 2008+4.3%$869.75
Silver in 2008−26.9%$10.79
WTI crude oil in 2008−53.5%$44.60
Brent crude oil in 2008−61.8%$35.82
US 10-year Treasury yield in 2008−1.79 pp2.25%
2000200120022003200420052006200720082009

Nasdaq in 2008: FAQ

How much did the Nasdaq Composite fall in 2008?

The Nasdaq Composite fell 40.5% in 2008, from 2,652.28 at the end of 2007 to 1,577.03. Its highest close was 2,609.63 on Jan 2, and its lowest 1,316.12 on Nov 20. The biggest one-day fall was −9.1% on Sep 29 and the biggest rise +11.8% on Oct 13. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 40.6%.

What were the highest and lowest closes of the Nasdaq Composite in 2008?

Highest: 2,609.63 on January 2, 2008. Lowest: 1,316.12 on November 20, 2008. It closed higher on 117 of 253 trading days.

What happened to the Nasdaq Composite on December 16, 2008?

Fed cuts its federal funds target to a range of 0 to 0.25%. The Nasdaq Composite rose 5.4% that day, and was +0.2% a month later.

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 2008. Corgano Gold Price. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/2008
MLA 9
“Nasdaq in 2008.” Corgano Gold Price, goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/2008. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.
Chicago
Corgano. “Nasdaq in 2008.” Corgano Gold Price. Accessed November 1, 2026. https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/2008.
BibTeX
@misc{corgano2026nasdaqin2008, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {Nasdaq in 2008}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/2008}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-11-01}}
Link
Nasdaq in 2008 — Corgano Gold Price: https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/2008