Oil Price (WTI) in 2009
The oil price (WTI) rose 78.0% in 2009, from $44.60 at the end of 2008 to $79.39. Its highest close was $81.03 on Oct 21, and its lowest $34.03 on Feb 12. The biggest one-day fall was −12.0% on Jan 7 and the biggest rise +14.2% on Feb 19. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 73.3%.
Oil Price (WTI), daily closes 2009
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 2009
What happened, and how the WTI oil moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Wednesday, January 7 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −12.0%.
- 2
Monday, January 12 From the dataEnters a bear market: 20% below its peak of $48.61 (January 5, 2009).
- 3
Friday, January 16 From the dataBear market low: $35.38, 27.2% below the peak.
- 4
Wednesday, February 11 From the dataEnters a bear market: 20% below its peak of $46.50 (January 26, 2009).
- 5
Thursday, February 12 From the dataBear market low: $34.03, 26.8% below the peak.
- 6
Tuesday, February 17President Obama signs the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. SourceWTI oil: −7.1% that day · +30.1% a month later
- 7
Thursday, February 19 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +14.2%.
- 8
Monday, March 9 From the dataBack above its pre-bear-market peak of $46.50 (January 26, 2009).
- 9
Tuesday, March 17 From the dataBack above its pre-bear-market peak of $48.61 (January 5, 2009).
Biggest days of 2009
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 19 | +14.2% | Jan 7 | −12.0% |
| Feb 13 | +10.6% | Jan 27 | −10.4% |
| Mar 12 | +10.5% | Mar 2 | −9.2% |
| Jan 21 | +10.3% | Apr 20 | −9.0% |
| Jan 20 | +9.0% | Mar 30 | −7.5% |
Volatility: 53.6% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | $41.73 | −6.4% |
| Feb | $44.15 | +5.8% |
| Mar | $49.64 | +12.4% |
| Apr | $50.35 | +1.4% |
| May | $66.31 | +31.7% |
| Jun | $69.82 | +5.3% |
| Jul | $69.26 | −0.8% |
| Aug | $69.97 | +1.0% |
| Sep | $70.46 | +0.7% |
| Oct | $77.04 | +9.3% |
| Nov | $77.19 | +0.2% |
| Dec | $79.39 | +2.9% |
Other Markets in 2009
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| Oil Price (WTI) | +78.0% | $79.39 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2009 | +18.8% | 10,428.05 |
| S&P 500 in 2009 | +23.5% | 1,115.10 |
| Nasdaq Composite in 2009 | +43.9% | 2,269.15 |
| Russell 2000 in 2009 | +25.2% | 625.39 |
| Nikkei 225 in 2009 | +19.0% | 10,546.44 |
| Gold in 2009 | +25.0% | $1,087.50 |
| Silver in 2009 | +57.5% | $16.99 |
| Brent crude oil in 2009 | +117.5% | $77.91 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 2009 | +1.60 pp | 3.85% |
Oil Price (WTI) in 2009: FAQ
How much did the oil price (WTI) rise in 2009?
The oil price (WTI) rose 78.0% in 2009, from $44.60 at the end of 2008 to $79.39. Its highest close was $81.03 on Oct 21, and its lowest $34.03 on Feb 12. The biggest one-day fall was −12.0% on Jan 7 and the biggest rise +14.2% on Feb 19. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 73.3%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the oil price (WTI) in 2009?
Highest: $81.03 on October 21, 2009. Lowest: $34.03 on February 12, 2009. It closed higher on 131 of 252 trading days.
What happened to the oil price (WTI) on February 17, 2009?
President Obama signs the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The oil price (WTI) fell 7.1% that day, and was +30.1% 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 2009}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/oil-wti/2009}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-11-01}}