The S&P 500 in 1933
The S&P 500 rose 44.1% in 1933, from 6.92 to 9.97; with dividends reinvested, the total return was +50.0%. That ranks 1933 2nd-best of the 98 complete calendar years since 1928.
- Price return
- +44.1%
- Total return
- +50.0%
- Deepest decline in the year
- −29.4%October 19, 1933
- Year-end close
- 9.97December 29, 1933
- Highest close
- 12.20July 18, 1933
- Lowest close
- 5.53February 27, 1933
- Record closes
- 0
- Trading days
- 242
- Best day
- +9.5%April 20, 1933
- Worst day
- −8.9%July 20, 1933
- Shiller CAPE in January
- 8.7
How 1933 unfolded
The highest close of the year was 12.20 on July 18, 1933; the lowest was 5.53 on February 27, 1933.
The deepest fall from a peak within the year was −29.4%, bottoming on October 19, 1933.
No close set a new all-time high.
The best session was April 20, 1933 (+9.5%); the worst was July 20, 1933 (−8.9%).
The U.S. economy was in an NBER-dated recession in 3 months of 1933: January 1933 to March 1933.
The Shiller CAPE stood at 8.7 in January 1933.
Drawdowns that touched 1933
| 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 1933.
What $10,000 at the start of 1933 became
$10,000 invested in the S&P 500 at the start of 1933, with dividends reinvested, grew to $236,376,056 by the end of 2025: 11.4% a year. On price alone, without dividends, it came to $9,893,344.
FAQ
What was the S&P 500 return in 1933?
The S&P 500 rose 44.1% in 1933, from 6.92 to 9.97; with dividends reinvested, the total return was +50.0%.
How far did the S&P 500 fall in 1933?
Its deepest peak-to-trough decline within 1933 was −29.4%, reaching bottom on October 19, 1933.
Was 1933 part of a bear market?
No. No decline of 20% or more from a record close was under way in 1933.
Did the S&P 500 hit a record high in 1933?
No. The index never closed above its previous record in 1933.
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.