The S&P 500 in 1964
The S&P 500 rose 13.0% in 1964, from 75.02 to 84.75; with dividends reinvested, the total return was +16.4%. That ranks 1964 44th-best of the 98 complete calendar years since 1928.
- Price return
- +13.0%
- Total return
- +16.4%
- Deepest decline in the year
- −3.5%December 15, 1964
- Year-end close
- 84.75December 31, 1964
- Highest close
- 86.28November 20, 1964
- Lowest close
- 75.43January 2, 1964
- Record closes
- 62
- Trading days
- 253
- Best day
- +0.9%May 1, 1964
- Worst day
- −1.3%August 4, 1964
- Shiller CAPE in January
- 21.6
How 1964 unfolded
The highest close of the year was 86.28 on November 20, 1964; the lowest was 75.43 on January 2, 1964.
The deepest fall from a peak within the year was −3.5%, bottoming on December 15, 1964.
62 closes set new all-time highs, the last on November 20, 1964.
The best session was May 1, 1964 (+0.9%); the worst was August 4, 1964 (−1.3%).
No month of 1964 falls inside an NBER-dated recession.
The Shiller CAPE stood at 21.6 in January 1964.
Drawdowns that touched 1964
No decline of 5% or more from a record close touched 1964.
What $10,000 at the start of 1964 became
$10,000 invested in the S&P 500 at the start of 1964, with dividends reinvested, grew to $5,240,143 by the end of 2025: 10.6% a year. On price alone, without dividends, it came to $912,343.
FAQ
What was the S&P 500 return in 1964?
The S&P 500 rose 13.0% in 1964, from 75.02 to 84.75; with dividends reinvested, the total return was +16.4%.
How far did the S&P 500 fall in 1964?
Its deepest peak-to-trough decline within 1964 was −3.5%, reaching bottom on December 15, 1964.
Was 1964 part of a bear market?
No. No decline of 20% or more from a record close was under way in 1964.
Did the S&P 500 hit a record high in 1964?
Yes: 62 closes set new all-time highs in 1964, the last on November 20, 1964.
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.