S&P 500 in 1950

The S&P 500 rose 21.7% in 1950, from 16.79 at the end of 1949 to 20.43. Its highest close was 20.43 on Dec 29, and its lowest 16.66 on Jan 3. The biggest one-day fall was −5.4% on Jun 26 and the biggest rise +2.7% on Dec 18. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 14.9%.

Change in 1950

+21.7%

16.79 → 20.43

High

20.43

Dec 29

Low

16.66

Jan 3

After inflation

+14.9%

US CPI

Up days

140 of 249

longest run 6 up, 5 down

Below record

-35.9%

at the end of 1950

S&P 500, daily closes 1950

Numbers mark the events below

Key Events in 1950

What happened, and how the S&P 500 moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.

1
Monday, January 9 From the data

Back above its pre-bear-market peak of 17.06 (June 15, 1948).
2
Friday, June 9 From the data

Back above its pre-bear-market peak of 19.25 (May 29, 1946).
3
Sunday, June 25

North Korean forces cross the 38th parallel, beginning the Korean War. Source

S&P 500: −5.4% next trading day (Jun 26) · −10.0% a month later
4
Friday, September 8

Defense Production Act is enacted. Source

S&P 500: +0.9% that day · +8.2% a month later
5
Saturday, December 16

President Truman proclaims a national emergency (Proclamation 2914). Source

S&P 500: +2.7% next trading day (Dec 18) · +11.5% a month later

Biggest days of 1950

Best days		Worst days
Dec 18	+2.7%	Jun 26	−5.4%
Jul 18	+2.3%	Jun 29	−3.7%
Dec 27	+1.9%	Dec 4	−3.4%
Jul 19	+1.8%	Nov 28	−3.1%
Oct 4	+1.7%	Jul 12	−2.6%

Volatility: 14.9% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).

Month by month

Month	Close	Change	High	Low
Jan	17.05	+1.5%	17.09	16.66
Feb	17.22	+1.0%	17.32	16.99
Mar	17.29	+0.4%	17.56	17.07
Apr	17.96	+3.9%	18.05	17.53
May	18.78	+4.6%	18.78	18.11
Jun	17.69	−5.8%	19.40	17.44
Jul	17.84	+0.8%	17.91	16.68
Aug	18.42	+3.3%	18.82	17.95
Sep	19.45	+5.6%	19.45	18.54
Oct	19.53	+0.4%	20.12	19.53
Nov	19.51	−0.1%	20.32	19.36
Dec	20.43	+4.7%	20.43	19.00

Other Markets in 1950

Change over the calendar year.

Market	Change	Year-end
S&P 500	+21.7%	20.43
Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1950	+17.6%	235.41

1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959

S&P 500 in 1950: FAQ

How much did the S&P 500 rise in 1950?

What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 1950?

Highest: 20.43 on December 29, 1950. Lowest: 16.66 on January 3, 1950. It closed higher on 140 of 249 trading days.

What happened to the S&P 500 on June 25, 1950?

North Korean forces cross the 38th parallel, beginning the Korean War. The S&P 500 fell 5.4% on the next trading day (June 26, 1950), and was −10.0% a month later.

Data: Daily closes since 1950 (price index, excluding dividends). 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

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APA 7

Corgano. (2026, October 31). S&P 500 in 1950. Corgano Gold Price. Retrieved October 31, 2026, from https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1950

MLA 9

“S&P 500 in 1950.” Corgano Gold Price, goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1950. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Corgano. “S&P 500 in 1950.” Corgano Gold Price. Accessed October 31, 2026. https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1950.

BibTeX

@misc{corgano2026sp500in1950, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {S&P 500 in 1950}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1950}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-31}}

Link

S&P 500 in 1950 — Corgano Gold Price: https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1950