Nasdaq in 2021
The Nasdaq Composite rose 21.4% in 2021, from 12,888 at the end of 2020 to 15,645. Its highest close was 16,057 on Nov 19 — a record that stood until February 29, 2024, and its lowest 12,609 on Mar 8. The biggest one-day fall was −3.5% on Feb 25 and the biggest rise +3.7% on Mar 9. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 13.4%.
Nasdaq, daily closes 2021
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 2021
What happened, and how the Nasdaq moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Thursday, January 7 From the dataNasdaq sets the first of 46 record closing highs this year, at 13,067.
- 2
Thursday, January 28Robinhood halts purchases of GameStop and other heavily traded stocks during the short squeeze. SourceNasdaq: +0.5% that day · −0.6% a month later
- 3
Thursday, February 25 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −3.5%.
- 4
Tuesday, March 9 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +3.7%.
- 5
Thursday, March 11President Biden signs the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act. SourceNasdaq: +2.5% that day · +6.4% a month later
- 6
Wednesday, April 14Coinbase goes public through a direct listing on Nasdaq. SourceNasdaq: −1.0% that day · −6.9% a month later
- 7
Friday, November 19 From the dataLast record close of the year: 16,057.
Biggest days of 2021
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 9 | +3.7% | Feb 25 | −3.5% |
| Dec 7 | +3.0% | Mar 18 | −3.0% |
| Mar 1 | +3.0% | Sep 28 | −2.8% |
| Jan 7 | +2.6% | Mar 3 | −2.7% |
| Feb 1 | +2.5% | May 12 | −2.7% |
Volatility: 18.0% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13,071 | +1.4% |
| Feb | 13,192 | +0.9% |
| Mar | 13,247 | +0.4% |
| Apr | 13,963 | +5.4% |
| May | 13,749 | −1.5% |
| Jun | 14,504 | +5.5% |
| Jul | 14,673 | +1.2% |
| Aug | 15,259 | +4.0% |
| Sep | 14,449 | −5.3% |
| Oct | 15,498 | +7.3% |
| Nov | 15,538 | +0.3% |
| Dec | 15,645 | +0.7% |
Other Markets in 2021
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| Nasdaq | +21.4% | 15,645 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2021 | +18.7% | 36,338.30 |
| S&P 500 in 2021 | +26.9% | 4,766.18 |
| Russell 2000 in 2021 | +13.7% | 2,245.31 |
| Nikkei 225 in 2021 | +4.9% | 28,791.71 |
| Gold in 2021 | −3.5% | $1,828.60 |
| Silver in 2021 | −11.4% | $23.33 |
| WTI crude oil in 2021 | +55.0% | $75.21 |
| Brent crude oil in 2021 | +50.2% | $77.78 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 2021 | +0.60 pp | 1.51% |
Nasdaq in 2021: FAQ
How much did the Nasdaq Composite rise in 2021?
The Nasdaq Composite rose 21.4% in 2021, from 12,888 at the end of 2020 to 15,645. Its highest close was 16,057 on Nov 19 — a record that stood until February 29, 2024, and its lowest 12,609 on Mar 8. The biggest one-day fall was −3.5% on Feb 25 and the biggest rise +3.7% on Mar 9. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 13.4%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the Nasdaq Composite in 2021?
Highest: 16,057 on November 19, 2021. Lowest: 12,609 on March 8, 2021. It closed higher on 141 of 252 trading days.
What happened to the Nasdaq Composite on March 11, 2021?
President Biden signs the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act. The Nasdaq Composite rose 2.5% that day, and was +6.4% a month later.
Did the Nasdaq Composite reach a record high in 2021?
Yes — 46 record closing highs, the last at 16,057 on November 19, 2021.
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.
@misc{corgano2026nasdaqin2021, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {Nasdaq in 2021}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/nasdaq/2021}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-11-01}}