S&P 500 in 2002
The S&P 500 fell 23.4% in 2002, from 1,148.08 at the end of 2001 to 879.82. Its highest close was 1,172.51 on Jan 4, and its lowest 776.76 on Oct 9. The biggest one-day fall was −4.2% on Sep 3 and the biggest rise +5.7% on Jul 24. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 25.1%.
S&P 500, daily closes 2002
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 2002
What happened, and how the S&P 500 moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Wednesday, July 10 From the dataEnters a bear market: 20% below its peak of 1,172.51 (January 4, 2002).
- 2
Sunday, July 21WorldCom files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after disclosing an accounting fraud. SourceS&P 500: −3.3% next trading day (Jul 22) · +12.1% a month later
- 3
Tuesday, July 23 From the dataBear market low: 797.70, 32.0% below the peak.
- 4
Wednesday, July 24 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +5.7%.
- 5
Tuesday, July 30President Bush signs the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on corporate accounting and governance. SourceS&P 500: +0.4% that day · +4.0% a month later
- 6
Tuesday, September 3 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −4.2%.
Biggest days of 2002
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 24 | +5.7% | Sep 3 | −4.2% |
| Jul 29 | +5.4% | Jul 19 | −3.8% |
| Oct 15 | +4.7% | Aug 5 | −3.4% |
| Aug 14 | +4.0% | Jul 10 | −3.4% |
| Oct 1 | +4.0% | Jul 22 | −3.3% |
Volatility: 26.0% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1,130.20 | −1.6% |
| Feb | 1,106.73 | −2.1% |
| Mar | 1,147.39 | +3.7% |
| Apr | 1,076.92 | −6.1% |
| May | 1,067.14 | −0.9% |
| Jun | 989.82 | −7.2% |
| Jul | 911.62 | −7.9% |
| Aug | 916.07 | +0.5% |
| Sep | 815.28 | −11.0% |
| Oct | 885.76 | +8.6% |
| Nov | 936.31 | +5.7% |
| Dec | 879.82 | −6.0% |
Other Markets in 2002
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | −23.4% | 879.82 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2002 | −16.8% | 8,341.63 |
| Nasdaq Composite in 2002 | −31.5% | 1,335.51 |
| Russell 2000 in 2002 | −21.6% | 383.09 |
| Nikkei 225 in 2002 | −18.6% | 8,578.95 |
| Gold in 2002 | +25.6% | $347.20 |
| Silver in 2002 | +3.3% | $4.67 |
| WTI crude oil in 2002 | +56.4% | $31.21 |
| Brent crude oil in 2002 | +55.7% | $30.12 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 2002 | −1.24 pp | 3.83% |
S&P 500 in 2002: FAQ
How much did the S&P 500 fall in 2002?
The S&P 500 fell 23.4% in 2002, from 1,148.08 at the end of 2001 to 879.82. Its highest close was 1,172.51 on Jan 4, and its lowest 776.76 on Oct 9. The biggest one-day fall was −4.2% on Sep 3 and the biggest rise +5.7% on Jul 24. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 25.1%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 2002?
Highest: 1,172.51 on January 4, 2002. Lowest: 776.76 on October 9, 2002. It closed higher on 112 of 252 trading days.
What happened to the S&P 500 on July 21, 2002?
WorldCom files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after disclosing an accounting fraud. The S&P 500 fell 3.3% on the next trading day (July 22, 2002), and was +12.1% 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.
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{corgano2026sp500in2002, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {S&P 500 in 2002}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/2002}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-31}}