Russell 2000 in 2020
The Russell 2000 rose 18.4% in 2020, from 1,668.47 at the end of 2019 to 1,974.86. Its highest close was 2,007.10 on Dec 23 — a record that stood until January 6, 2021, and its lowest 991.16 on Mar 18. The biggest one-day fall was −14.3% on Mar 16 and the biggest rise +9.4% on Mar 24. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 16.8%.
Russell 2000, daily closes 2020
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 2020
What happened, and how the Russell 2000 moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Monday, March 9Dow falls 2,013.76 points (7.8%) after Saudi Arabia cuts oil prices following the collapse of OPEC+ talks. SourceRussell 2000: −9.4% that day · −21.4% a month later
- 2
Monday, March 9 From the dataEnters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 1,705.22 (January 16, 2020).
- 3
Wednesday, March 11World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a pandemic. SourceRussell 2000: −6.4% that day · −11.8% a month later
- 4
Monday, March 16Dow falls 2,997.10 points (12.9%), its largest one-day point drop on record; the VIX closes at a record 82.69. SourceRussell 2000: −14.3% that day · +2.2% a month later
- 5
Wednesday, March 18 From the dataBear market low: 991.16, 41.9% below the peak.
- 6
Tuesday, March 24 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +9.4%.
- 7
Friday, March 27President Trump signs the $2.2 trillion CARES Act economic relief bill. SourceRussell 2000: −4.1% that day · +8.6% a month later
- 8
Monday, November 9Pfizer and BioNTech report their COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective; US stock indexes hit record highs. SourceRussell 2000: +3.4% that day · +16.4% a month later
- 9
Tuesday, November 10 From the dataBack above its pre-bear-market peak of 1,705.22 (January 16, 2020).
- 10
Friday, November 13 From the dataRussell 2000 sets the first of 13 record closing highs this year, at 1,744.04. Back above its pre-bear-market peak of 1,740.75 (August 31, 2018).
- 11
Wednesday, December 23 From the dataLast record close of the year: 2,007.10. Russell 2000 closes above 2,000 for the first time (2,007.10).
Biggest days of 2020
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 24 | +9.4% | Mar 16 | −14.3% |
| Apr 6 | +8.2% | Mar 12 | −11.2% |
| Mar 13 | +7.8% | Mar 18 | −10.4% |
| Mar 19 | +6.8% | Mar 9 | −9.4% |
| Mar 17 | +6.7% | Jun 11 | −7.6% |
Volatility: 42.5% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1,614.06 | −3.3% |
| Feb | 1,476.43 | −8.5% |
| Mar | 1,153.10 | −21.9% |
| Apr | 1,310.66 | +13.7% |
| May | 1,394.04 | +6.4% |
| Jun | 1,441.37 | +3.4% |
| Jul | 1,480.43 | +2.7% |
| Aug | 1,561.88 | +5.5% |
| Sep | 1,507.69 | −3.5% |
| Oct | 1,538.48 | +2.0% |
| Nov | 1,819.82 | +18.3% |
| Dec | 1,974.86 | +8.5% |
Other Markets in 2020
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| Russell 2000 | +18.4% | 1,974.86 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2020 | +7.2% | 30,606.48 |
| S&P 500 in 2020 | +16.3% | 3,756.07 |
| Nasdaq Composite in 2020 | +43.6% | 12,888.28 |
| Nikkei 225 in 2020 | +16.0% | 27,444.17 |
| Gold in 2020 | +24.7% | $1,895.10 |
| Silver in 2020 | +47.7% | $26.33 |
| WTI crude oil in 2020 | −20.5% | $48.52 |
| Brent crude oil in 2020 | −21.5% | $51.80 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 2020 | −1.00 pp | 0.92% |
Russell 2000 in 2020: FAQ
How much did the Russell 2000 rise in 2020?
The Russell 2000 rose 18.4% in 2020, from 1,668.47 at the end of 2019 to 1,974.86. Its highest close was 2,007.10 on Dec 23 — a record that stood until January 6, 2021, and its lowest 991.16 on Mar 18. The biggest one-day fall was −14.3% on Mar 16 and the biggest rise +9.4% on Mar 24. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 16.8%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the Russell 2000 in 2020?
Highest: 2,007.10 on December 23, 2020. Lowest: 991.16 on March 18, 2020. It closed higher on 141 of 253 trading days.
What happened to the Russell 2000 on March 16, 2020?
Dow falls 2,997.10 points (12.9%), its largest one-day point drop on record; the VIX closes at a record 82.69. The Russell 2000 fell 14.3% that day, and was +2.2% a month later.
Did the Russell 2000 reach a record high in 2020?
Yes — 13 record closing highs, the last at 2,007.10 on December 23, 2020.
Data: Daily closes since Sep 1987. 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{corgano2026russell2000in2020, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {Russell 2000 in 2020}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/russell-2000/2020}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-31}}