S&P 500 in 1982

The S&P 500 rose 14.8% in 1982, from 122.55 at the end of 1981 to 140.64. Its highest close was 143.02 on Nov 9 — a record that stood until January 6, 1983, and its lowest 102.42 on Aug 12. The biggest one-day fall was −4.0% on Oct 25 and the biggest rise +4.8% on Aug 17. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 10.5%.

Change in 1982

+14.8%

122.55 → 140.64

High

143.02

Nov 9

Low

102.42

Aug 12

After inflation

+10.5%

US CPI

Up days

114 of 253

longest run 6 up, 8 down

Record highs

closing records

S&P 500, daily closes 1982

Numbers mark the events below

Key Events in 1982

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 22 From the data

Enters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 140.52 (November 28, 1980).
2
Wednesday, April 21

S&P 500 index futures begin trading on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Source

S&P 500: +0.2% that day · −0.5% a month later
3
Monday, July 5

Penn Square Bank in Oklahoma fails. Source

S&P 500: −0.3% next trading day (Jul 6) · +0.2% a month later
4
Thursday, August 12

Dow bottoms at 776.92, the start of the 1980s bull market. Source

S&P 500: −0.2% that day · +17.9% a month later
5
Thursday, August 12 From the data

Bear market low: 102.42, 27.1% below the peak.
6
Friday, August 13

Mexico encounters serious problems servicing its foreign debt, marking the onset of the debt crisis. Source

S&P 500: +1.4% that day · +19.4% a month later
7
Tuesday, August 17

A forecast by Salomon economist Henry Kaufman sparks a large rally in stocks and bonds. Source

S&P 500: +4.8% that day · +19.4% a month later
8
Monday, October 25 From the data

Biggest one-day fall of the year: −4.0%.
9
Wednesday, November 3 From the data

S&P 500 sets the first of 2 record closing highs this year, at 142.87. Back above its pre-bear-market peak of 140.52 (November 28, 1980).
10
Tuesday, November 9 From the data

Last record close of the year: 143.02.

Biggest days of 1982

Best days		Worst days
Aug 17	+4.8%	Oct 25	−4.0%
Nov 3	+3.9%	Jan 11	−2.3%
Aug 20	+3.5%	Feb 8	−2.2%
Oct 6	+3.3%	Jan 5	−2.2%
Nov 30	+3.2%	Feb 1	−2.2%

Volatility: 18.3% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).

Month by month

Month	Close	Change	High	Low
Jan	120.40	−1.8%	122.74	114.88
Feb	113.11	−6.1%	118.01	111.51
Mar	111.96	−1.0%	113.55	107.34
Apr	116.44	+4.0%	119.26	113.79
May	111.88	−3.9%	119.47	111.88
Jun	109.61	−2.0%	112.04	107.20
Jul	107.09	−2.3%	111.54	107.09
Aug	119.51	+11.6%	119.51	102.42
Sep	120.42	+0.8%	124.88	118.25
Oct	133.72	+11.0%	139.23	121.51
Nov	138.53	+3.6%	143.02	132.93
Dec	140.64	+1.5%	142.72	135.24

Other Markets in 1982

Change over the calendar year.

Market	Change	Year-end
S&P 500	+14.8%	140.64
Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1982	+19.6%	1,046.54
Nasdaq Composite in 1982	+18.7%	232.41
Gold in 1982	+14.9%	$456.90
Silver in 1982	+33.3%	$10.87
US 10-year Treasury yield in 1982	−3.62 pp	10.36%

1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

S&P 500 in 1982: FAQ

How much did the S&P 500 rise in 1982?

What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 1982?

Highest: 143.02 on November 9, 1982. Lowest: 102.42 on August 12, 1982. It closed higher on 114 of 253 trading days.

What happened to the S&P 500 on August 17, 1982?

A forecast by Salomon economist Henry Kaufman sparks a large rally in stocks and bonds. The S&P 500 rose 4.8% that day, and was +19.4% a month later.

Did the S&P 500 reach a record high in 1982?

Yes — 2 record closing highs, the last at 143.02 on November 9, 1982.

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, November 1). S&P 500 in 1982. Corgano Gold Price. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1982

MLA 9

“S&P 500 in 1982.” Corgano Gold Price, goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1982. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Chicago

Corgano. “S&P 500 in 1982.” Corgano Gold Price. Accessed November 1, 2026. https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1982.

BibTeX

@misc{corgano2026sp500in1982, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {S&P 500 in 1982}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1982}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-11-01}}

Link

S&P 500 in 1982 — Corgano Gold Price: https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1982