S&P 500 in 1971
The S&P 500 rose 10.8% in 1971, from 92.15 at the end of 1970 to 102.09. Its highest close was 104.77 on Apr 28, and its lowest 90.16 on Nov 23. The biggest one-day fall was −1.5% on Jun 18 and the biggest rise +3.2% on Aug 16. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 7.3%.
S&P 500, daily closes 1971
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 1971
What happened, and how the S&P 500 moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Monday, February 8Nasdaq begins operations as the first electronic stock market. SourceS&P 500: +0.5% that day · +2.6% a month later
- 2
Friday, June 18 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −1.5%.
- 3
Sunday, August 15Nixon closes the gold window, ending dollar convertibility to gold, and announces wage and price controls. SourceS&P 500: +3.2% next trading day (Aug 16) · +3.8% a month later
Biggest days of 1971
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 16 | +3.2% | Jun 18 | −1.5% |
| Nov 3 | +1.9% | Nov 1 | −1.5% |
| Nov 26 | +1.8% | Aug 3 | −1.5% |
| Nov 29 | +1.6% | May 17 | −1.5% |
| Dec 1 | +1.5% | Oct 20 | −1.4% |
Volatility: 10.2% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 95.88 | +4.0% |
| Feb | 96.75 | +0.9% |
| Mar | 100.31 | +3.7% |
| Apr | 103.95 | +3.6% |
| May | 99.63 | −4.2% |
| Jun | 98.70 | −0.9% |
| Jul | 95.58 | −3.2% |
| Aug | 99.03 | +3.6% |
| Sep | 98.34 | −0.7% |
| Oct | 94.23 | −4.2% |
| Nov | 93.99 | −0.3% |
| Dec | 102.09 | +8.6% |
Other Markets in 1971
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | +10.8% | 102.09 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1971 | +6.1% | 890.20 |
| Gold in 1971 | +16.7% | $43.62 |
| Silver in 1971 | −16.0% | $1.37 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 1971 | −0.61 pp | 5.89% |
S&P 500 in 1971: FAQ
How much did the S&P 500 rise in 1971?
The S&P 500 rose 10.8% in 1971, from 92.15 at the end of 1970 to 102.09. Its highest close was 104.77 on Apr 28, and its lowest 90.16 on Nov 23. The biggest one-day fall was −1.5% on Jun 18 and the biggest rise +3.2% on Aug 16. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 7.3%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 1971?
Highest: 104.77 on April 28, 1971. Lowest: 90.16 on November 23, 1971. It closed higher on 137 of 253 trading days.
What happened to the S&P 500 on August 15, 1971?
Nixon closes the gold window, ending dollar convertibility to gold, and announces wage and price controls. The S&P 500 rose 3.2% on the next trading day (August 16, 1971), and was +3.8% 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
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{corgano2026sp500in1971, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {S&P 500 in 1971}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1971}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-31}}