S&P 500 in 1979
The S&P 500 rose 12.3% in 1979, from 96.11 at the end of 1978 to 107.94. Its highest close was 111.27 on Oct 5, and its lowest 96.13 on Feb 27. The biggest one-day fall was −3.0% on Oct 9 and the biggest rise +2.1% on Sep 20. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 0.9%.
S&P 500, daily closes 1979
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 1979
What happened, and how the S&P 500 moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Tuesday, January 16The Shah leaves Iran during the Iranian Revolution. SourceS&P 500: −1.2% that day · −1.7% a month later
- 2
Monday, August 6Paul Volcker takes office as Federal Reserve chairman. SourceS&P 500: +0.2% that day · +3.3% a month later
- 3
Thursday, September 20 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +2.1%.
- 4
Saturday, October 6Volcker announces the Fed will target bank reserves instead of the federal funds rate. SourceS&P 500: −1.2% next trading day (Oct 8) · −8.5% a month later
- 5
Tuesday, October 9 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −3.0%.
- 6
Sunday, November 4Students seize the US Embassy in Tehran, starting the Iran hostage crisis. SourceS&P 500: −0.7% next trading day (Nov 5) · +4.2% a month later
- 7
Tuesday, December 25Soviet forces begin the invasion of Afghanistan. SourceS&P 500: +0.1% next trading day (Dec 26) · +5.6% a month later
Biggest days of 1979
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 20 | +2.1% | Oct 9 | −3.0% |
| Nov 26 | +2.0% | Oct 19 | −1.9% |
| Nov 12 | +2.0% | Sep 4 | −1.7% |
| Oct 30 | +1.9% | May 7 | −1.7% |
| May 17 | +1.5% | Feb 27 | −1.6% |
Volatility: 10.8% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 99.93 | +4.0% |
| Feb | 96.28 | −3.7% |
| Mar | 101.59 | +5.5% |
| Apr | 101.76 | +0.2% |
| May | 99.08 | −2.6% |
| Jun | 102.91 | +3.9% |
| Jul | 103.81 | +0.9% |
| Aug | 109.32 | +5.3% |
| Sep | 109.32 | 0.0% |
| Oct | 101.82 | −6.9% |
| Nov | 106.16 | +4.3% |
| Dec | 107.94 | +1.7% |
Other Markets in 1979
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | +12.3% | 107.94 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1979 | +4.2% | 838.74 |
| Nasdaq Composite in 1979 | +28.1% | 151.14 |
| Gold in 1979 | +126.5% | $512.00 |
| Silver in 1979 | +434.8% | $32.20 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 1979 | +1.18 pp | 10.33% |
S&P 500 in 1979: FAQ
How much did the S&P 500 rise in 1979?
The S&P 500 rose 12.3% in 1979, from 96.11 at the end of 1978 to 107.94. Its highest close was 111.27 on Oct 5, and its lowest 96.13 on Feb 27. The biggest one-day fall was −3.0% on Oct 9 and the biggest rise +2.1% on Sep 20. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 0.9%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 1979?
Highest: 111.27 on October 5, 1979. Lowest: 96.13 on February 27, 1979. It closed higher on 140 of 253 trading days.
What happened to the S&P 500 on October 6, 1979?
Volcker announces the Fed will target bank reserves instead of the federal funds rate. The S&P 500 fell 1.2% on the next trading day (October 8, 1979), and was −8.5% 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{corgano2026sp500in1979, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {S&P 500 in 1979}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1979}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-31}}