The S&P 500 in 1957
The S&P 500 fell 14.3% in 1957, from 46.67 to 39.99; with dividends reinvested, the total return was −10.5%. That ranks 1957 12th-worst of the 98 complete calendar years since 1928.
- Price return
- −14.3%
- Total return
- −10.5%
- Deepest decline in the year
- −20.7%October 22, 1957
- Year-end close
- 39.99December 31, 1957
- Highest close
- 49.13July 15, 1957
- Lowest close
- 38.98October 22, 1957
- Record closes
- 0
- Trading days
- 252
- Best day
- +4.5%October 23, 1957
- Worst day
- −2.9%October 21, 1957
- Shiller CAPE in January
- 16.7
How 1957 unfolded
The highest close of the year was 49.13 on July 15, 1957; the lowest was 38.98 on October 22, 1957.
The deepest fall from a peak within the year was −20.7%, bottoming on October 22, 1957.
No close set a new all-time high.
The best session was October 23, 1957 (+4.5%); the worst was October 21, 1957 (−2.9%).
The U.S. economy was in an NBER-dated recession in 4 months of 1957: September 1957 to December 1957.
The Shiller CAPE stood at 16.7 in January 1957.
Drawdowns that touched 1957
| Drawdown | Peak → trough | Decline | Back at the record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suez and the 1957 Recession | August 3, 1956 → October 22, 1957 | −21.5% | September 24, 1958 |
Every decline of 5% or more from a record close that was under way, or still being recovered, during 1957.
What $10,000 at the start of 1957 became
$10,000 invested in the S&P 500 at the start of 1957, with dividends reinvested, grew to $10,736,090 by the end of 2025: 10.6% a year. On price alone, without dividends, it came to $1,466,696.
FAQ
What was the S&P 500 return in 1957?
The S&P 500 fell 14.3% in 1957, from 46.67 to 39.99; with dividends reinvested, the total return was −10.5%.
How far did the S&P 500 fall in 1957?
Its deepest peak-to-trough decline within 1957 was −20.7%, reaching bottom on October 22, 1957.
Was 1957 part of a bear market?
Yes. 1957 falls inside the 1956–1957 bear market (Suez and the 1957 Recession), when the S&P 500 fell 21.5% from its record close on August 3, 1956 to its low on October 22, 1957.
Did the S&P 500 hit a record high in 1957?
No. The index never closed above its previous record in 1957.
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.