The S&P 500 in 1953
The S&P 500 fell 6.6% in 1953, from 26.57 to 24.81; with dividends reinvested, the total return was −1.2%. That ranks 1953 22nd-worst of the 98 complete calendar years since 1928.
- Price return
- −6.6%
- Total return
- −1.2%
- Deepest decline in the year
- −14.8%September 14, 1953
- Year-end close
- 24.81December 31, 1953
- Highest close
- 26.66January 5, 1953
- Lowest close
- 22.71September 14, 1953
- Record closes
- 0
- Trading days
- 251
- Best day
- +1.4%September 22, 1953
- Worst day
- −3.1%February 9, 1953
- Shiller CAPE in January
- 13.0
How 1953 unfolded
The highest close of the year was 26.66 on January 5, 1953; the lowest was 22.71 on September 14, 1953.
The deepest fall from a peak within the year was −14.8%, bottoming on September 14, 1953.
No close set a new all-time high.
The best session was September 22, 1953 (+1.4%); the worst was February 9, 1953 (−3.1%).
The U.S. economy was in an NBER-dated recession in 5 months of 1953: August 1953 to December 1953.
The Shiller CAPE stood at 13.0 in January 1953.
Drawdowns that touched 1953
| 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 1953.
What $10,000 at the start of 1953 became
$10,000 invested in the S&P 500 at the start of 1953, with dividends reinvested, grew to $23,052,039 by the end of 2025: 11.2% a year. On price alone, without dividends, it came to $2,576,327.
FAQ
What was the S&P 500 return in 1953?
The S&P 500 fell 6.6% in 1953, from 26.57 to 24.81; with dividends reinvested, the total return was −1.2%.
How far did the S&P 500 fall in 1953?
Its deepest peak-to-trough decline within 1953 was −14.8%, reaching bottom on September 14, 1953.
Was 1953 part of a bear market?
No. No decline of 20% or more from a record close was under way in 1953.
Did the S&P 500 hit a record high in 1953?
No. The index never closed above its previous record in 1953.
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.