S&P 500 in 1999
The S&P 500 rose 19.5% in 1999, from 1,229.23 at the end of 1998 to 1,469.25. Its highest close was 1,469.25 on Dec 31 — a record that stood until March 21, 2000, and its lowest 1,212.19 on Jan 14. The biggest one-day fall was −2.8% on Oct 15 and the biggest rise +3.5% on Oct 28. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 16.4%.
S&P 500, daily closes 1999
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 1999
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 5 From the dataS&P 500 sets the first of 35 record closing highs this year, at 1,244.78.
- 2
Friday, October 15 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −2.8%.
- 3
Thursday, October 28 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +3.5%.
- 4
Friday, November 12Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act is signed, repealing Glass-Steagall limits on combining banking and securities. SourceS&P 500: +1.1% that day · +2.4% a month later
- 5
Friday, December 31 From the dataLast record close of the year: 1,469.25.
Biggest days of 1999
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 28 | +3.5% | Oct 15 | −2.8% |
| Sep 3 | +2.9% | Mar 23 | −2.7% |
| Feb 22 | +2.7% | Sep 23 | −2.3% |
| Jan 15 | +2.6% | Apr 19 | −2.2% |
| Feb 11 | +2.5% | Feb 9 | −2.2% |
Volatility: 18.1% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1,279.64 | +4.1% |
| Feb | 1,238.33 | −3.2% |
| Mar | 1,286.37 | +3.9% |
| Apr | 1,335.18 | +3.8% |
| May | 1,301.84 | −2.5% |
| Jun | 1,372.71 | +5.4% |
| Jul | 1,328.72 | −3.2% |
| Aug | 1,320.41 | −0.6% |
| Sep | 1,282.71 | −2.9% |
| Oct | 1,362.93 | +6.3% |
| Nov | 1,388.91 | +1.9% |
| Dec | 1,469.25 | +5.8% |
Other Markets in 1999
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | +19.5% | 1,469.25 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1999 | +25.2% | 11,497.12 |
| Nasdaq Composite in 1999 | +85.6% | 4,069.31 |
| Russell 2000 in 1999 | +19.6% | 504.75 |
| Nikkei 225 in 1999 | +36.8% | 18,934.34 |
| Gold in 1999 | +0.9% | $290.25 |
| Silver in 1999 | +6.4% | $5.33 |
| WTI crude oil in 1999 | +112.2% | $25.76 |
| Brent crude oil in 1999 | +136.5% | $24.93 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 1999 | +1.80 pp | 6.45% |
S&P 500 in 1999: FAQ
How much did the S&P 500 rise in 1999?
The S&P 500 rose 19.5% in 1999, from 1,229.23 at the end of 1998 to 1,469.25. Its highest close was 1,469.25 on Dec 31 — a record that stood until March 21, 2000, and its lowest 1,212.19 on Jan 14. The biggest one-day fall was −2.8% on Oct 15 and the biggest rise +3.5% on Oct 28. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 16.4%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 1999?
Highest: 1,469.25 on December 31, 1999. Lowest: 1,212.19 on January 14, 1999. It closed higher on 129 of 252 trading days.
What happened to the S&P 500 on November 12, 1999?
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act is signed, repealing Glass-Steagall limits on combining banking and securities. The S&P 500 rose 1.1% that day, and was +2.4% a month later.
Did the S&P 500 reach a record high in 1999?
Yes — 35 record closing highs, the last at 1,469.25 on December 31, 1999.
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{corgano2026sp500in1999, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {S&P 500 in 1999}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/1999}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-11-01}}