The S&P 500 in 1949
The S&P 500 rose 10.5% in 1949, from 15.20 to 16.79; with dividends reinvested, the total return was +18.3%. That ranks 1949 47th-worst of the 98 complete calendar years since 1928.
- Price return
- +10.5%
- Total return
- +18.3%
- Deepest decline in the year
- −13.2%June 13, 1949
- Year-end close
- 16.79December 30, 1949
- Highest close
- 16.79December 30, 1949
- Lowest close
- 13.55June 13, 1949
- Record closes
- 0
- Trading days
- 250
- Best day
- +2.2%January 6, 1949
- Worst day
- −2.3%September 20, 1949
- Shiller CAPE in January
- 10.3
How 1949 unfolded
The highest close of the year was 16.79 on December 30, 1949; the lowest was 13.55 on June 13, 1949.
The deepest fall from a peak within the year was −13.2%, bottoming on June 13, 1949.
No close set a new all-time high.
The best session was January 6, 1949 (+2.2%); the worst was September 20, 1949 (−2.3%).
The U.S. economy was in an NBER-dated recession in 10 months of 1949: January 1949 to October 1949.
The Shiller CAPE stood at 10.3 in January 1949.
Drawdowns that touched 1949
| 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 1949.
What $10,000 at the start of 1949 became
$10,000 invested in the S&P 500 at the start of 1949, with dividends reinvested, grew to $52,127,660 by the end of 2025: 11.8% a year. On price alone, without dividends, it came to $4,503,558.
FAQ
What was the S&P 500 return in 1949?
The S&P 500 rose 10.5% in 1949, from 15.20 to 16.79; with dividends reinvested, the total return was +18.3%.
How far did the S&P 500 fall in 1949?
Its deepest peak-to-trough decline within 1949 was −13.2%, reaching bottom on June 13, 1949.
Was 1949 part of a bear market?
No. No decline of 20% or more from a record close was under way in 1949.
Did the S&P 500 hit a record high in 1949?
No. The index never closed above its previous record in 1949.
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.