S&P 500 in 1956

The S&P 500 rose 2.6% in 1956, from 45.48 at the end of 1955 to 46.67. Its highest close was 49.64 on Aug 2 — a record that stood until September 24, 1958, and its lowest 43.11 on Jan 23. The biggest one-day fall was −2.0% on Sep 13 and the biggest rise +2.4% on Sep 14. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 0.4%.

Change in 1956

+2.6%

45.48 → 46.67

High

49.64

Aug 2

Low

43.11

Jan 23

After inflation

−0.4%

US CPI

Up days

116 of 251

longest run 6 up, 8 down

Record highs

closing records

S&P 500, daily closes 1956

Numbers mark the events below

Key Events in 1956

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

1
Friday, March 9 From the data

S&P 500 sets the first of 15 record closing highs this year, at 46.70.
2
Wednesday, May 9

President Eisenhower signs the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956. Source

S&P 500: −0.2% that day · −4.2% a month later
3
Thursday, July 26

Egyptian President Nasser nationalizes the Suez Canal. Source

S&P 500: +0.1% that day · −2.9% a month later
4
Thursday, August 2 From the data

Last record close of the year: 49.64.
5
Thursday, September 13 From the data

Biggest one-day fall of the year: −2.0%.
6
Friday, September 14 From the data

Biggest one-day rise of the year: +2.4%.
7
Monday, October 29

Israel invades the Sinai, starting the Suez Crisis. Source

S&P 500: +0.3% that day · −4.0% a month later
8
Wednesday, October 31

British and French air attacks on Egypt begin. Source

S&P 500: −1.7% that day · −2.8% a month later

Biggest days of 1956

Best days		Worst days
Sep 14	+2.4%	Sep 13	−2.0%
May 29	+2.3%	Jun 8	−1.8%
Aug 15	+2.1%	Oct 31	−1.7%
Nov 1	+2.1%	May 10	−1.6%
Dec 3	+2.0%	May 22	−1.6%

Volatility: 12.4% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).

Month by month

Month	Close	Change	High	Low
Jan	43.82	−3.6%	45.16	43.11
Feb	45.34	+3.5%	45.43	43.42
Mar	48.48	+6.9%	48.87	45.54
Apr	48.38	−0.2%	48.85	47.09
May	45.20	−6.6%	48.51	44.10
Jun	46.97	+3.9%	47.13	45.14
Jul	49.39	+5.2%	49.48	46.93
Aug	47.51	−3.8%	49.64	46.94
Sep	45.35	−4.5%	48.10	45.35
Oct	45.58	+0.5%	47.00	44.70
Nov	45.08	−1.1%	47.60	44.38
Dec	46.67	+3.5%	47.04	45.84

Other Markets in 1956

Change over the calendar year.

Market	Change	Year-end
S&P 500	+2.6%	46.67
Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1956	+2.3%	499.47

1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959

S&P 500 in 1956: FAQ

How much did the S&P 500 rise in 1956?

What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 1956?

Highest: 49.64 on August 2, 1956. Lowest: 43.11 on January 23, 1956. It closed higher on 116 of 251 trading days.

What happened to the S&P 500 on October 31, 1956?

British and French air attacks on Egypt begin. The S&P 500 fell 1.7% that day, and was −2.8% a month later.

Did the S&P 500 reach a record high in 1956?

Yes — 15 record closing highs, the last at 49.64 on August 2, 1956.

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.

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APA 7

Corgano. (2026, October 31). S&P 500 in 1956. Corgano Gold Price. Retrieved October 31, 2026, from https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1956

MLA 9

“S&P 500 in 1956.” Corgano Gold Price, goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1956. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Corgano. “S&P 500 in 1956.” Corgano Gold Price. Accessed October 31, 2026. https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1956.

BibTeX

@misc{corgano2026sp500in1956, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {S&P 500 in 1956}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1956}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-31}}

Link

S&P 500 in 1956 — Corgano Gold Price: https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1956