S&P 500 in 2001
The S&P 500 fell 13.0% in 2001, from 1,320.28 at the end of 2000 to 1,148.08. Its highest close was 1,373.73 on Jan 30, and its lowest 965.80 on Sep 21. The biggest one-day fall was −4.9% on Sep 17 and the biggest rise +5.0% on Jan 3. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 14.4%.
S&P 500, daily closes 2001
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 2001
What happened, and how the S&P 500 moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Wednesday, January 3Fed cuts its federal funds target by 50 basis points to 6.00% in an inter-meeting move. SourceS&P 500: +5.0% that day · +7.0% a month later
- 2
Monday, March 12 From the dataEnters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 1,527.46 (March 24, 2000).
- 3
Tuesday, September 11Terrorist attacks hit New York and Washington; US stock exchanges close. SourceS&P 500: −4.9% next trading day (Sep 17) · −0.2% a month later
- 4
Monday, September 17US stock markets reopen; the Dow falls 684.81 points (7.1%) after a 50 bp Fed rate cut. SourceS&P 500: −4.9% that day · −0.2% a month later
- 5
Friday, September 21 From the dataBear market low: 965.80, 36.8% below the peak.
- 6
Sunday, December 2Enron files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. SourceS&P 500: −0.8% next trading day (Dec 3) · +1.3% a month later
- 7
Tuesday, December 11China becomes a member of the World Trade Organization. SourceS&P 500: −0.3% that day · +1.5% a month later
Biggest days of 2001
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 3 | +5.0% | Sep 17 | −4.9% |
| Apr 5 | +4.4% | Mar 12 | −4.3% |
| Sep 24 | +3.9% | Apr 3 | −3.4% |
| Apr 18 | +3.9% | Sep 20 | −3.1% |
| May 16 | +2.8% | Jan 2 | −2.8% |
Volatility: 21.6% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1,366.01 | +3.5% |
| Feb | 1,239.94 | −9.2% |
| Mar | 1,160.33 | −6.4% |
| Apr | 1,249.46 | +7.7% |
| May | 1,255.82 | +0.5% |
| Jun | 1,224.38 | −2.5% |
| Jul | 1,211.23 | −1.1% |
| Aug | 1,133.58 | −6.4% |
| Sep | 1,040.94 | −8.2% |
| Oct | 1,059.78 | +1.8% |
| Nov | 1,139.45 | +7.5% |
| Dec | 1,148.08 | +0.8% |
Other Markets in 2001
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | −13.0% | 1,148.08 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2001 | −7.1% | 10,021.50 |
| Nasdaq Composite in 2001 | −21.1% | 1,950.40 |
| Russell 2000 in 2001 | +1.0% | 488.50 |
| Nikkei 225 in 2001 | −23.5% | 10,542.62 |
| Gold in 2001 | +0.7% | $276.50 |
| Silver in 2001 | −1.3% | $4.52 |
| WTI crude oil in 2001 | −25.3% | $19.96 |
| Brent crude oil in 2001 | −14.3% | $19.35 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 2001 | −0.05 pp | 5.07% |
S&P 500 in 2001: FAQ
How much did the S&P 500 fall in 2001?
The S&P 500 fell 13.0% in 2001, from 1,320.28 at the end of 2000 to 1,148.08. Its highest close was 1,373.73 on Jan 30, and its lowest 965.80 on Sep 21. The biggest one-day fall was −4.9% on Sep 17 and the biggest rise +5.0% on Jan 3. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 14.4%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 2001?
Highest: 1,373.73 on January 30, 2001. Lowest: 965.80 on September 21, 2001. It closed higher on 119 of 248 trading days.
What happened to the S&P 500 on January 3, 2001?
Fed cuts its federal funds target by 50 basis points to 6.00% in an inter-meeting move. The S&P 500 rose 5.0% that day, and was +7.0% a month later.
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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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{corgano2026sp500in2001, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {S&P 500 in 2001}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/2001}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-31}}