CorganoGold Price
Free widgets Market closed
Gold3,876.73−3.57%Silver49.12−5.79%Platinum1,434.05−3.60%Palladium979.73−2.55%
Gold/Silver78.93
DXY101.96+0.08%
US10Y4.93%−1.20%
WTI104.12+2.08%
S&P 5007,580−1.82%
Dow51,770−1.09%
Bitcoin77,805+0.47%
VIX19.42+12.91%

S&P 500 in 1997

The S&P 500 rose 31.0% in 1997, from 740.74 at the end of 1996 to 970.43. Its highest close was 983.79 on Dec 5 — a record that stood until January 29, 1998, and its lowest 737.01 on Jan 2. The biggest one-day fall was −6.9% on Oct 27 and the biggest rise +5.1% on Oct 28. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 28.8%.

Change in 1997
+31.0%
740.74 → 970.43
High
983.79
Dec 5
Low
737.01
Jan 2
After inflation
+28.8%
US CPI
Up days
140 of 253
longest run 9 up, 5 down
Record highs
45
closing records

S&P 500, daily closes 1997

Numbers mark the events below
760860961previous recordJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1Jan 10: S&P 500 sets the first of 45 record closing highs this year, at 759.50.2Feb 12: S&P 500 closes above 800 for the first time (802.77).3Jul 2: Thailand floats the baht, starting the Asian financial crisis.4Jul 2: S&P 500 closes above 900 for the first time (904.03).5Oct 23: Hong Kong Monetary Authority raises overnight rates to defend the dollar peg as the Hang Seng slumps.6Oct 27: Dow falls 554.26 points (7.18%); NYSE circuit breakers halt and then end trading early.7Oct 28: Biggest one-day rise of the year: +5.1%.8Dec 5: Last record close of the year: 983.79.

Key Events in 1997

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

  1. 1
    Friday, January 10 From the data
    S&P 500 sets the first of 45 record closing highs this year, at 759.50.
  2. 2
    Wednesday, February 12 From the data
    S&P 500 closes above 800 for the first time (802.77).
  3. 3
    Wednesday, July 2
    Thailand floats the baht, starting the Asian financial crisis. Source
    S&P 500: +1.5% that day · +7.1% a month later
  4. 4
    Wednesday, July 2 From the data
    S&P 500 closes above 900 for the first time (904.03).
  5. 5
    Thursday, October 23
    Hong Kong Monetary Authority raises overnight rates to defend the dollar peg as the Hang Seng slumps. Source
    S&P 500: −1.8% that day · −1.0% a month later
  6. 6
    Monday, October 27
    Dow falls 554.26 points (7.18%); NYSE circuit breakers halt and then end trading early. Source
    S&P 500: −6.9% that day · +0.5% a month later
  7. 7
    Tuesday, October 28 From the data
    Biggest one-day rise of the year: +5.1%.
  8. 8
    Friday, December 5 From the data
    Last record close of the year: 983.79.

Biggest days of 1997

Best daysWorst days
Oct 28+5.1%Oct 27−6.9%
Sep 2+3.1%Apr 11−2.7%
Sep 16+2.8%Aug 15−2.6%
Apr 29+2.7%Jun 23−2.2%
Nov 3+2.7%Mar 31−2.2%

Volatility: 18.1% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).

Month by month

MonthCloseChangeHighLow
Jan786.16+6.1%786.23737.01
Feb790.82+0.6%816.29778.28
Mar757.12−4.3%813.65757.12
Apr801.34+5.8%801.34737.65
May848.28+5.9%849.71798.53
Jun885.14+4.3%898.70840.11
Jul954.31+7.8%954.31891.03
Aug899.47−5.7%960.32899.47
Sep947.28+5.3%955.43912.59
Oct914.62−3.4%983.12876.99
Nov955.40+4.5%963.09905.96
Dec970.43+1.6%983.79932.70

Other Markets in 1997

Change over the calendar year.

MarketChangeYear-end
S&P 500+31.0%970.43
Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1997+22.6%7,908.24
Nasdaq Composite in 1997+21.6%1,570.35
Russell 2000 in 1997+20.5%437.02
Nikkei 225 in 1997−21.2%15,259.00
Gold in 1997−21.4%$290.20
Silver in 1997+25.4%$5.98
WTI crude oil in 1997−31.9%$17.65
Brent crude oil in 1997−33.6%$15.86
US 10-year Treasury yield in 1997−0.68 pp5.75%
1990199119921993199419951996199719981999

S&P 500 in 1997: FAQ

How much did the S&P 500 rise in 1997?

The S&P 500 rose 31.0% in 1997, from 740.74 at the end of 1996 to 970.43. Its highest close was 983.79 on Dec 5 — a record that stood until January 29, 1998, and its lowest 737.01 on Jan 2. The biggest one-day fall was −6.9% on Oct 27 and the biggest rise +5.1% on Oct 28. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 28.8%.

What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 1997?

Highest: 983.79 on December 5, 1997. Lowest: 737.01 on January 2, 1997. It closed higher on 140 of 253 trading days.

What happened to the S&P 500 on October 27, 1997?

Dow falls 554.26 points (7.18%); NYSE circuit breakers halt and then end trading early. The S&P 500 fell 6.9% that day, and was +0.5% a month later.

Did the S&P 500 reach a record high in 1997?

Yes — 45 record closing highs, the last at 983.79 on December 5, 1997.

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.

APA 7
Corgano. (2026, November 1). S&P 500 in 1997. Corgano Gold Price. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1997
MLA 9
“S&P 500 in 1997.” Corgano Gold Price, goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1997. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.
Chicago
Corgano. “S&P 500 in 1997.” Corgano Gold Price. Accessed November 1, 2026. https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1997.
BibTeX
@misc{corgano2026sp500in1997, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {S&P 500 in 1997}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1997}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-11-01}}
Link
S&P 500 in 1997 — Corgano Gold Price: https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1997