S&P 500 in 2011
The S&P 500 fell 0.0% in 2011, from 1,257.64 at the end of 2010 to 1,257.60. Its highest close was 1,363.61 on Apr 29, and its lowest 1,099.23 on Oct 3. The biggest one-day fall was −6.7% on Aug 8 and the biggest rise +4.7% on Aug 9. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 2.9%.
S&P 500, daily closes 2011
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 2011
What happened, and how the S&P 500 moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Friday, March 11Tohoku earthquake and tsunami strike northeastern Japan. SourceS&P 500: +0.7% that day · +2.6% a month later
- 2
Friday, August 5Standard & Poor's downgrades the US long-term credit rating from AAA to AA+. SourceS&P 500: −0.1% that day · −2.2% a month later
- 3
Monday, August 8On the first trading day after the S&P downgrade, the major US stock indexes fall 5% to 7%. SourceS&P 500: −6.7% that day · −2.8% a month later
- 4
Tuesday, August 9 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +4.7%.
- 5
Monday, October 31Futures broker MF Global files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. SourceS&P 500: −2.5% that day · −7.0% a month later
Biggest days of 2011
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 9 | +4.7% | Aug 8 | −6.7% |
| Aug 11 | +4.6% | Aug 4 | −4.8% |
| Nov 30 | +4.3% | Aug 18 | −4.5% |
| Oct 27 | +3.4% | Aug 10 | −4.4% |
| Aug 23 | +3.4% | Nov 9 | −3.7% |
Volatility: 23.3% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1,286.12 | +2.3% |
| Feb | 1,327.22 | +3.2% |
| Mar | 1,325.83 | −0.1% |
| Apr | 1,363.61 | +2.8% |
| May | 1,345.20 | −1.4% |
| Jun | 1,320.64 | −1.8% |
| Jul | 1,292.28 | −2.1% |
| Aug | 1,218.89 | −5.7% |
| Sep | 1,131.42 | −7.2% |
| Oct | 1,253.30 | +10.8% |
| Nov | 1,246.96 | −0.5% |
| Dec | 1,257.60 | +0.9% |
Other Markets in 2011
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | 0.0% | 1,257.60 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2011 | +5.5% | 12,217.56 |
| Nasdaq Composite in 2011 | −1.8% | 2,605.15 |
| Russell 2000 in 2011 | −5.5% | 740.92 |
| Nikkei 225 in 2011 | −17.3% | 8,455.35 |
| Gold in 2011 | +8.9% | $1,531.00 |
| Silver in 2011 | −8.0% | $28.18 |
| WTI crude oil in 2011 | +8.2% | $98.83 |
| Brent crude oil in 2011 | +15.9% | $108.09 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 2011 | −1.41 pp | 1.89% |
S&P 500 in 2011: FAQ
How much did the S&P 500 fall in 2011?
The S&P 500 fell 0.0% in 2011, from 1,257.64 at the end of 2010 to 1,257.60. Its highest close was 1,363.61 on Apr 29, and its lowest 1,099.23 on Oct 3. The biggest one-day fall was −6.7% on Aug 8 and the biggest rise +4.7% on Aug 9. Adjusted for inflation, it lost 2.9%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the S&P 500 in 2011?
Highest: 1,363.61 on April 29, 2011. Lowest: 1,099.23 on October 3, 2011. It closed higher on 138 of 252 trading days.
What happened to the S&P 500 on August 8, 2011?
On the first trading day after the S&P downgrade, the major US stock indexes fall 5% to 7%. The S&P 500 fell 6.7% that day, and was −2.8% 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{corgano2026sp500in2011, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {S&P 500 in 2011}, howpublished = {\url{https://goldprice.corgano.com/market-history/sp-500/2011}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Gold Price, accessed 2026-10-31}}