The S&P 500 in 2001
The S&P 500 fell 13.0% in 2001, from 1,320.28 to 1,148.08; with dividends reinvested, the total return was −11.9%. That ranks 2001 14th-worst of the 98 complete calendar years since 1928.
- Price return
- −13.0%
- Total return
- −11.9%
- Deepest decline in the year
- −29.7%September 21, 2001
- Year-end close
- 1,148.08December 31, 2001
- Highest close
- 1,373.73January 30, 2001
- Lowest close
- 965.80September 21, 2001
- Record closes
- 0
- Trading days
- 248
- Best day
- +5.0%January 3, 2001
- Worst day
- −4.9%September 17, 2001
- Shiller CAPE in January
- 37.0
How 2001 unfolded
The highest close of the year was 1,373.73 on January 30, 2001; the lowest was 965.80 on September 21, 2001.
The deepest fall from a peak within the year was −29.7%, bottoming on September 21, 2001.
No close set a new all-time high.
The best session was January 3, 2001 (+5.0%); the worst was September 17, 2001 (−4.9%).
The U.S. economy was in an NBER-dated recession in 8 months of 2001: April 2001 to November 2001.
The Shiller CAPE stood at 37.0 in January 2001.
The VIX averaged 25.7 over the year and closed as high as 43.7 on September 20, 2001.
Drawdowns that touched 2001
| Drawdown | Peak → trough | Decline | Back at the record |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Dot-Com Bust | March 24, 2000 → October 9, 2002 | −49.1% | May 30, 2007 |
Every decline of 5% or more from a record close that was under way, or still being recovered, during 2001.
2001 month by month
| Month | Return |
|---|---|
| January | +3.5% |
| February | −9.2% |
| March | −6.4% |
| April | +7.7% |
| May | +0.5% |
| June | −2.5% |
| July | −1.1% |
| August | −6.4% |
| September | −8.2% |
| October | +1.8% |
| November | +7.5% |
| December | +0.8% |
What $10,000 at the start of 2001 became
$10,000 invested in the S&P 500 at the start of 2001, with dividends reinvested, grew to $82,821 by the end of 2025: 8.8% a year. On price alone, without dividends, it came to $51,844.
FAQ
What was the S&P 500 return in 2001?
The S&P 500 fell 13.0% in 2001, from 1,320.28 to 1,148.08; with dividends reinvested, the total return was −11.9%.
How far did the S&P 500 fall in 2001?
Its deepest peak-to-trough decline within 2001 was −29.7%, reaching bottom on September 21, 2001.
Was 2001 part of a bear market?
Yes. 2001 falls inside the 2000–2002 bear market (The Dot-Com Bust), when the S&P 500 fell 49.1% from its record close on March 24, 2000 to its low on October 9, 2002.
Did the S&P 500 hit a record high in 2001?
No. The index never closed above its previous record in 2001.
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) · Monthly returns · VIX daily closes
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.