Oil Price (WTI) in 1987
The oil price (WTI) fell 6.6% in 1987, from $17.93 at the end of 1986 to $16.74. Its highest close was $22.44 on Jul 16, and its lowest $15.12 on Dec 21. The biggest one-day fall was −4.7% on Dec 16 and the biggest rise +9.8% on Dec 22. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 10.6%.
Oil Price (WTI), daily closes 1987
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 1987
What happened, and how the WTI oil moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Monday, October 19Black Monday: Dow falls 508 points (22.6%), its largest one-day percentage drop. SourceWTI oil: −2.2% that day · −7.6% a month later
- 2
Monday, December 14 From the dataEnters a bear market: 20% below its peak of $22.44 (July 16, 1987).
- 3
Wednesday, December 16 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −4.7%.
- 4
Monday, December 21 From the dataBear market low: $15.12, 32.6% below the peak.
- 5
Tuesday, December 22 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +9.8%.
Biggest days of 1987
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 22 | +9.8% | Dec 16 | −4.7% |
| Mar 3 | +5.9% | Dec 14 | −4.6% |
| Jul 28 | +4.1% | Dec 15 | −4.1% |
| Aug 3 | +3.6% | Feb 23 | −3.8% |
| Mar 5 | +3.4% | Aug 17 | −3.3% |
Volatility: 24.3% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | $18.73 | +4.5% |
| Feb | $16.45 | −12.2% |
| Mar | $18.82 | +14.4% |
| Apr | $18.76 | −0.3% |
| May | $19.36 | +3.2% |
| Jun | $20.22 | +4.4% |
| Jul | $21.43 | +6.0% |
| Aug | $19.76 | −7.8% |
| Sep | $19.62 | −0.7% |
| Oct | $19.96 | +1.7% |
| Nov | $18.52 | −7.2% |
| Dec | $16.74 | −9.6% |
Other Markets in 1987
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| Oil Price (WTI) | −6.6% | $16.74 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1987 | +2.3% | 1,938.83 |
| S&P 500 in 1987 | +2.0% | 247.08 |
| Nasdaq Composite in 1987 | −5.2% | 330.50 |
| Nikkei 225 in 1987 | +14.6% | 21,564.00 |
| Gold in 1987 | +24.5% | $484.10 |
| Silver in 1987 | +26.9% | $6.70 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 1987 | +1.60 pp | 8.83% |
Oil Price (WTI) in 1987: FAQ
How much did the oil price (WTI) fall in 1987?
The oil price (WTI) fell 6.6% in 1987, from $17.93 at the end of 1986 to $16.74. Its highest close was $22.44 on Jul 16, and its lowest $15.12 on Dec 21. The biggest one-day fall was −4.7% on Dec 16 and the biggest rise +9.8% on Dec 22. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 10.6%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the oil price (WTI) in 1987?
Highest: $22.44 on July 16, 1987. Lowest: $15.12 on December 21, 1987. It closed higher on 122 of 252 trading days.
What happened to the oil price (WTI) on October 19, 1987?
Black Monday: Dow falls 508 points (22.6%), its largest one-day percentage drop. The oil price (WTI) fell 2.2% that day, and was −7.6% a month later.
Data: WTI Cushing spot price (EIA via FRED) from 1986, NYMEX front-month 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{corgano2026oilpricewtiin, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {Oil Price (WTI) in 1987}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/oil-wti/1987}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-31}}