S&P 500 in 1986
The S&P 500 rose 14.6% in 1986, from 211.28 at the end of 1985 to 242.17. Its highest close was 254.00 on Dec 2 — a record that stood until January 7, 1987, and its lowest 203.49 on Jan 22. The biggest one-day fall was −4.8% on Sep 11 and the biggest rise +2.3% on Mar 11. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 13.4%.
S&P 500, daily closes 1986
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 1986
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 7 From the dataS&P 500 sets the first of 31 record closing highs this year, at 213.80.
- 2
Tuesday, March 11 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +2.3%.
- 3
Thursday, March 13Microsoft goes public on Nasdaq. SourceS&P 500: +0.3% that day · +1.5% a month later
- 4
Thursday, September 11 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −4.8%.
- 5
Wednesday, October 22Reagan signs the Tax Reform Act of 1986. SourceS&P 500: +0.2% that day · +0.8% a month later
- 6
Monday, October 27London's 'Big Bang' deregulation of the stock exchange takes effect. SourceS&P 500: +0.2% that day · +3.9% a month later
- 7
Tuesday, December 2 From the dataLast record close of the year: 254.00.
Biggest days of 1986
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 11 | +2.3% | Sep 11 | −4.8% |
| Apr 8 | +2.1% | Jul 7 | −3.1% |
| Aug 26 | +2.0% | Jan 8 | −2.7% |
| Dec 2 | +2.0% | Nov 18 | −2.6% |
| May 22 | +2.0% | Jun 9 | −2.3% |
Volatility: 14.7% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 211.78 | +0.2% |
| Feb | 226.92 | +7.1% |
| Mar | 238.90 | +5.3% |
| Apr | 235.52 | −1.4% |
| May | 247.35 | +5.0% |
| Jun | 250.84 | +1.4% |
| Jul | 236.12 | −5.9% |
| Aug | 252.93 | +7.1% |
| Sep | 231.32 | −8.5% |
| Oct | 243.98 | +5.5% |
| Nov | 249.22 | +2.1% |
| Dec | 242.17 | −2.8% |
Other Markets in 1986
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | +14.6% | 242.17 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1986 | +22.6% | 1,895.95 |
| Nasdaq Composite in 1986 | +7.4% | 348.80 |
| Nikkei 225 in 1986 | +43.9% | 18,821.00 |
| Gold in 1986 | +19.0% | $388.75 |
| Silver in 1986 | −8.9% | $5.28 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 1986 | −1.77 pp | 7.23% |
S&P 500 in 1986: FAQ
How much did the S&P 500 rise in 1986?
The S&P 500 rose 14.6% in 1986, from 211.28 at the end of 1985 to 242.17. Its highest close was 254.00 on Dec 2 — a record that stood until January 7, 1987, and its lowest 203.49 on Jan 22. The biggest one-day fall was −4.8% on Sep 11 and the biggest rise +2.3% on Mar 11. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 13.4%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 1986?
Highest: 254.00 on December 2, 1986. Lowest: 203.49 on January 22, 1986. It closed higher on 141 of 253 trading days.
What happened to the S&P 500 on March 13, 1986?
Microsoft goes public on Nasdaq. The S&P 500 rose 0.3% that day, and was +1.5% a month later.
Did the S&P 500 reach a record high in 1986?
Yes — 31 record closing highs, the last at 254.00 on December 2, 1986.
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{corgano2026sp500in1986, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {S&P 500 in 1986}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1986}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-31}}