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S&P 500 in 1987

The S&P 500 rose 2.0% in 1987, from 242.17 at the end of 1986 to 247.08. Its highest close was 336.77 on Aug 25 — a record that stood until July 26, 1989, and its lowest 223.92 on Dec 4. The biggest one-day fall was −20.5% on Oct 19 and the biggest rise +9.1% on Oct 21. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 2.3%.

Change in 1987
+2.0%
242.17 → 247.08
High
336.77
Aug 25
Low
223.92
Dec 4
After inflation
−2.3%
US CPI
Up days
143 of 253
longest run 11 up, 5 down
Record highs
47
closing records

S&P 500, daily closes 1987

Numbers mark the events below
235280326previous recordJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1Jan 7: S&P 500 sets the first of 47 record closing highs this year, at 255.33.2Mar 23: S&P 500 closes above 300 for the first time (301.16).3Aug 25: Dow reaches its pre-crash all-time high of about 2,722.4Oct 19: Black Monday: Dow falls 508 points (22.6%), its largest one-day percentage drop.5Oct 19: Enters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 336.77 (August 25, 1987).6Oct 20: Fed affirms its readiness to serve as a source of liquidity to the financial system.7Oct 21: Biggest one-day rise of the year: +9.1%.8Dec 4: Bear market low: 223.92, 33.5% below the peak.

Key Events in 1987

What happened, and how the S&P 500 moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.

  1. 1
    Wednesday, January 7 From the data
    S&P 500 sets the first of 47 record closing highs this year, at 255.33.
  2. 2
    Monday, March 23 From the data
    S&P 500 closes above 300 for the first time (301.16).
  3. 3
    Tuesday, August 25
    Dow reaches its pre-crash all-time high of about 2,722. Source
    S&P 500: +1.0% that day · −3.6% a month later
  4. 4
    Monday, October 19
    Black Monday: Dow falls 508 points (22.6%), its largest one-day percentage drop. Source
    S&P 500: −20.5% that day · −12.7% a month later
  5. 5
    Monday, October 19 From the data
    Enters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 336.77 (August 25, 1987).
  6. 6
    Tuesday, October 20
    Fed affirms its readiness to serve as a source of liquidity to the financial system. Source
    S&P 500: +5.3% that day · +8.1% a month later
  7. 7
    Wednesday, October 21 From the data
    Biggest one-day rise of the year: +9.1%.
  8. 8
    Friday, December 4 From the data
    Bear market low: 223.92, 33.5% below the peak.

Biggest days of 1987

Best daysWorst days
Oct 21+9.1%Oct 19−20.5%
Oct 20+5.3%Oct 26−8.3%
Oct 29+4.9%Oct 16−5.2%
Dec 14+2.9%Nov 30−4.2%
Sep 22+2.9%Oct 22−3.9%

Volatility: 32.1% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).

Month by month

MonthCloseChangeHighLow
Jan274.08+13.2%275.40246.45
Feb284.20+3.7%285.57275.07
Mar291.70+2.6%301.64283.00
Apr288.36−1.1%301.95279.16
May290.10+0.6%295.47278.21
Jun304.00+4.8%309.65288.46
Jul318.66+4.8%318.66302.94
Aug329.80+3.5%336.77316.23
Sep321.83−2.4%323.40310.54
Oct251.79−21.8%328.08224.84
Nov230.30−8.5%255.75230.30
Dec247.08+7.3%253.16223.92

Other Markets in 1987

Change over the calendar year.

MarketChangeYear-end
S&P 500+2.0%247.08
Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1987+2.3%1,938.83
Nasdaq Composite in 1987−5.2%330.50
Nikkei 225 in 1987+14.6%21,564.00
Gold in 1987+24.5%$484.10
Silver in 1987+26.9%$6.70
WTI crude oil in 1987−6.6%$16.74
US 10-year Treasury yield in 1987+1.60 pp8.83%
1980198119821983198419851986198719881989

S&P 500 in 1987: FAQ

How much did the S&P 500 rise in 1987?

The S&P 500 rose 2.0% in 1987, from 242.17 at the end of 1986 to 247.08. Its highest close was 336.77 on Aug 25 — a record that stood until July 26, 1989, and its lowest 223.92 on Dec 4. The biggest one-day fall was −20.5% on Oct 19 and the biggest rise +9.1% on Oct 21. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 2.3%.

What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 1987?

Highest: 336.77 on August 25, 1987. Lowest: 223.92 on December 4, 1987. It closed higher on 143 of 253 trading days.

What happened to the S&P 500 on October 19, 1987?

Black Monday: Dow falls 508 points (22.6%), its largest one-day percentage drop. The S&P 500 fell 20.5% that day, and was −12.7% a month later.

Did the S&P 500 reach a record high in 1987?

Yes — 47 record closing highs, the last at 336.77 on August 25, 1987.

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 1987. Corgano Gold Price. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1987
MLA 9
“S&P 500 in 1987.” Corgano Gold Price, goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1987. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.
Chicago
Corgano. “S&P 500 in 1987.” Corgano Gold Price. Accessed November 1, 2026. https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1987.
BibTeX
@misc{corgano2026sp500in1987, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {S&P 500 in 1987}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1987}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-11-01}}
Link
S&P 500 in 1987 — Corgano Gold Price: https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1987