Brent Oil Price in 2003
The brent oil price rose 0.6% in 2003, from $30.12 at the end of 2002 to $30.30. Its highest close was $34.94 on Mar 10, and its lowest $23.23 on Apr 29. The biggest one-day fall was −8.6% on Mar 21 and the biggest rise +5.7% on Dec 8. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 1.3%.
Brent Oil Price, daily closes 2003
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 2003
What happened, and how the Brent oil moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Tuesday, March 4 From the dataBack above its pre-bear-market peak of $34.23 (November 20, 2000).
- 2
Thursday, March 20US-led coalition invades Iraq. SourceBrent oil: −1.4% that day · −10.7% a month later
- 3
Friday, March 21 From the dataEnters a bear market: 20% below its peak of $34.94 (March 10, 2003). Biggest one-day fall of the year: −8.6%.
- 4
Tuesday, April 29 From the dataBear market low: $23.23, 33.5% below the peak.
- 5
Monday, December 8 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +5.7%.
Biggest days of 2003
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 8 | +5.7% | Mar 21 | −8.6% |
| Jun 30 | +5.2% | Mar 14 | −7.4% |
| Mar 27 | +5.0% | Dec 22 | −7.3% |
| May 9 | +4.4% | Nov 24 | −6.0% |
| Oct 9 | +4.3% | Mar 18 | −5.9% |
Volatility: 35.1% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | $31.57 | +4.8% |
| Feb | $34.00 | +7.7% |
| Mar | $28.05 | −17.5% |
| Apr | $23.60 | −15.9% |
| May | $26.58 | +12.6% |
| Jun | $28.88 | +8.7% |
| Jul | $28.68 | −0.7% |
| Aug | $30.38 | +5.9% |
| Sep | $28.09 | −7.5% |
| Oct | $27.88 | −0.7% |
| Nov | $28.95 | +3.8% |
| Dec | $30.30 | +4.7% |
Other Markets in 2003
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| Brent Oil Price | +0.6% | $30.30 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2003 | +25.3% | 10,453.92 |
| S&P 500 in 2003 | +26.4% | 1,111.92 |
| Nasdaq Composite in 2003 | +50.0% | 2,003.37 |
| Russell 2000 in 2003 | +45.4% | 556.91 |
| Nikkei 225 in 2003 | +24.5% | 10,676.64 |
| Gold in 2003 | +19.9% | $416.25 |
| Silver in 2003 | +27.8% | $5.97 |
| WTI crude oil in 2003 | +4.2% | $32.51 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 2003 | +0.44 pp | 4.27% |
Brent Oil Price in 2003: FAQ
How much did the brent oil price rise in 2003?
The brent oil price rose 0.6% in 2003, from $30.12 at the end of 2002 to $30.30. Its highest close was $34.94 on Mar 10, and its lowest $23.23 on Apr 29. The biggest one-day fall was −8.6% on Mar 21 and the biggest rise +5.7% on Dec 8. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 1.3%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the brent oil price in 2003?
Highest: $34.94 on March 10, 2003. Lowest: $23.23 on April 29, 2003. It closed higher on 134 of 258 trading days.
What happened to the brent oil price on March 20, 2003?
US-led coalition invades Iraq. The brent oil price fell 1.4% that day, and was −10.7% a month later.
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 2003}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/oil-brent/2003}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-31}}