Brent Oil Price in 1996
The brent oil price rose 28.2% in 1996, from $18.65 at the end of 1995 to $23.90. Its highest close was $25.40 on Oct 22, and its lowest $16.23 on Jan 29. The biggest one-day fall was −6.5% on Apr 16 and the biggest rise +7.7% on Apr 23. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 24.0%.
Brent Oil Price, daily closes 1996
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 1996
What happened, and how the Brent oil moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Friday, January 5 From the dataBack above its pre-bear-market peak of $19.38 (May 1, 1995).
- 2
Tuesday, March 26 From the dataBack above its pre-bear-market peak of $21.55 (June 24, 1992).
- 3
Thursday, April 11 From the dataBack above its pre-bear-market peak of $23.00 (October 18, 1991).
- 4
Tuesday, April 16 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −6.5%.
- 5
Tuesday, April 23 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +7.7%.
- 6
Wednesday, May 1 From the dataEnters a bear market: 20% below its peak of $23.90 (April 11, 1996).
- 7
Friday, June 14 From the dataBear market low: $17.83, 25.4% below the peak.
- 8
Monday, September 30 From the dataBack above its pre-bear-market peak of $23.90 (April 11, 1996).
Biggest days of 1996
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 23 | +7.7% | Apr 16 | −6.5% |
| Mar 18 | +6.2% | Apr 17 | −6.2% |
| Sep 2 | +6.0% | Sep 16 | −5.2% |
| Apr 11 | +5.6% | Mar 28 | −5.1% |
| Apr 10 | +5.6% | Apr 12 | −4.9% |
Volatility: 34.9% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | $16.63 | −10.8% |
| Feb | $18.80 | +13.0% |
| Mar | $20.33 | +8.1% |
| Apr | $19.50 | −4.1% |
| May | $18.10 | −7.2% |
| Jun | $19.28 | +6.5% |
| Jul | $19.00 | −1.5% |
| Aug | $20.98 | +10.4% |
| Sep | $24.15 | +15.1% |
| Oct | $22.80 | −5.6% |
| Nov | $23.17 | +1.6% |
| Dec | $23.90 | +3.2% |
Other Markets in 1996
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| Brent Oil Price | +28.2% | $23.90 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1996 | +26.0% | 6,448.26 |
| S&P 500 in 1996 | +20.3% | 740.74 |
| Nasdaq Composite in 1996 | +22.7% | 1,291.03 |
| Russell 2000 in 1996 | +14.8% | 362.61 |
| Nikkei 225 in 1996 | −2.6% | 19,361.00 |
| Gold in 1996 | −4.6% | $369.25 |
| Silver in 1996 | −7.0% | $4.77 |
| WTI crude oil in 1996 | +32.5% | $25.90 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 1996 | +0.85 pp | 6.43% |
Brent Oil Price in 1996: FAQ
How much did the brent oil price rise in 1996?
The brent oil price rose 28.2% in 1996, from $18.65 at the end of 1995 to $23.90. Its highest close was $25.40 on Oct 22, and its lowest $16.23 on Jan 29. The biggest one-day fall was −6.5% on Apr 16 and the biggest rise +7.7% on Apr 23. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 24.0%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the brent oil price in 1996?
Highest: $25.40 on October 22, 1996. Lowest: $16.23 on January 29, 1996. It closed higher on 128 of 254 trading days.
Data: Europe Brent spot price (EIA) from 1987, ICE Brent futures closes after that. 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{corgano2026brentoilpricein, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {Brent Oil Price in 1996}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/oil-brent/1996}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-11-01}}