S&P 500 in 1972
The S&P 500 rose 15.6% in 1972, from 102.09 at the end of 1971 to 118.05. Its highest close was 119.12 on Dec 11 — a record that stood until January 3, 1973, and its lowest 101.67 on Jan 3. The biggest one-day fall was −1.3% on May 9 and the biggest rise +1.4% on Sep 27. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 11.8%.
S&P 500, daily closes 1972
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 1972
What happened, and how the S&P 500 moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Monday, March 6 From the dataS&P 500 sets the first of 32 record closing highs this year, at 108.77. Back above its pre-bear-market peak of 108.37 (November 29, 1968).
- 2
Tuesday, May 9 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −1.3%.
- 3
Wednesday, September 27 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +1.4%.
- 4
Tuesday, November 7Richard Nixon is re-elected US president. SourceS&P 500: −0.6% next trading day (Nov 8) · +4.1% a month later
- 5
Monday, December 11 From the dataLast record close of the year: 119.12.
Biggest days of 1972
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27 | +1.4% | May 9 | −1.3% |
| Jul 24 | +1.2% | Dec 18 | −1.2% |
| Oct 20 | +1.1% | Aug 24 | −1.1% |
| Oct 23 | +1.0% | Oct 5 | −1.1% |
| May 18 | +1.0% | Oct 16 | −1.1% |
Volatility: 8.0% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 103.94 | +1.8% |
| Feb | 106.57 | +2.5% |
| Mar | 107.20 | +0.6% |
| Apr | 107.67 | +0.4% |
| May | 109.53 | +1.7% |
| Jun | 107.14 | −2.2% |
| Jul | 107.39 | +0.2% |
| Aug | 111.09 | +3.4% |
| Sep | 110.55 | −0.5% |
| Oct | 111.58 | +0.9% |
| Nov | 116.67 | +4.6% |
| Dec | 118.05 | +1.2% |
Other Markets in 1972
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | +15.6% | 118.05 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1972 | +14.6% | 1,020.02 |
| Nasdaq Composite in 1972 | +17.2% | 133.73 |
| Gold in 1972 | +48.8% | $64.90 |
| Silver in 1972 | +48.1% | $2.03 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 1972 | +0.52 pp | 6.41% |
S&P 500 in 1972: FAQ
How much did the S&P 500 rise in 1972?
The S&P 500 rose 15.6% in 1972, from 102.09 at the end of 1971 to 118.05. Its highest close was 119.12 on Dec 11 — a record that stood until January 3, 1973, and its lowest 101.67 on Jan 3. The biggest one-day fall was −1.3% on May 9 and the biggest rise +1.4% on Sep 27. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 11.8%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 1972?
Highest: 119.12 on December 11, 1972. Lowest: 101.67 on January 3, 1972. It closed higher on 138 of 251 trading days.
What happened to the S&P 500 on November 7, 1972?
Richard Nixon is re-elected US president. The S&P 500 fell 0.6% on the next trading day (November 8, 1972), and was +4.1% a month later.
Did the S&P 500 reach a record high in 1972?
Yes — 32 record closing highs, the last at 119.12 on December 11, 1972.
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{corgano2026sp500in1972, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {S&P 500 in 1972}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1972}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-31}}