The S&P 500 in 1930
The S&P 500 fell 28.5% in 1930, from 21.45 to 15.34; with dividends reinvested, the total return was −25.1%. That ranks 1930 5th-worst of the 98 complete calendar years since 1928.
- Price return
- −28.5%
- Total return
- −25.1%
- Deepest decline in the year
- −44.3%December 16, 1930
- Year-end close
- 15.34December 31, 1930
- Highest close
- 25.92April 10, 1930
- Lowest close
- 14.44December 16, 1930
- Record closes
- 0
- Trading days
- 251
- Best day
- +5.1%April 1, 1930
- Worst day
- −4.0%October 17, 1930
- Shiller CAPE in January
- 22.3
How 1930 unfolded
The highest close of the year was 25.92 on April 10, 1930; the lowest was 14.44 on December 16, 1930.
The deepest fall from a peak within the year was −44.3%, bottoming on December 16, 1930.
No close set a new all-time high.
The best session was April 1, 1930 (+5.1%); the worst was October 17, 1930 (−4.0%).
The U.S. economy was in an NBER-dated recession in 12 months of 1930: January 1930 to December 1930.
The Shiller CAPE stood at 22.3 in January 1930.
Drawdowns that touched 1930
| Drawdown | Peak → trough | Decline | Back at the record |
|---|---|---|---|
| The 1929 Crash and the Great Depression | September 16, 1929 → June 1, 1932 | −86.2% | September 22, 1954 |
Every decline of 5% or more from a record close that was under way, or still being recovered, during 1930.
What $10,000 at the start of 1930 became
$10,000 invested in the S&P 500 at the start of 1930, with dividends reinvested, grew to $90,813,938 by the end of 2025: 10.0% a year. On price alone, without dividends, it came to $3,191,641.
FAQ
What was the S&P 500 return in 1930?
The S&P 500 fell 28.5% in 1930, from 21.45 to 15.34; with dividends reinvested, the total return was −25.1%.
How far did the S&P 500 fall in 1930?
Its deepest peak-to-trough decline within 1930 was −44.3%, reaching bottom on December 16, 1930.
Was 1930 part of a bear market?
Yes. 1930 falls inside the 1929–1932 bear market (The 1929 Crash and the Great Depression), when the S&P 500 fell 86.2% from its record close on September 16, 1929 to its low on June 1, 1932.
Did the S&P 500 hit a record high in 1930?
No. The index never closed above its previous record in 1930.
Data and sources
Daily closes · Calendar-year price returns · Calendar-year total returns · Intra-year declines · Drawdowns from record closes · Shiller CAPE · NBER recession months (via FRED)
Index levels are daily closes. Price return leaves dividends out; total return reinvests them. A past year's page changes only when a later year completes and the rankings move.