The S&P 500 in 2016
The S&P 500 rose 9.5% in 2016, from 2,043.94 to 2,238.83; with dividends reinvested, the total return was +12.0%. That ranks 2016 46th-worst of the 98 complete calendar years since 1928.
- Price return
- +9.5%
- Total return
- +12.0%
- Deepest decline in the year
- −9.3%February 11, 2016
- Year-end close
- 2,238.83December 30, 2016
- Highest close
- 2,271.72December 13, 2016
- Lowest close
- 1,829.08February 11, 2016
- Record closes
- 18
- Trading days
- 252
- Best day
- +2.5%January 29, 2016
- Worst day
- −3.6%June 24, 2016
- Shiller CAPE in January
- 24.2
How 2016 unfolded
The highest close of the year was 2,271.72 on December 13, 2016; the lowest was 1,829.08 on February 11, 2016.
The deepest fall from a peak within the year was −9.3%, bottoming on February 11, 2016.
18 closes set new all-time highs, the last on December 13, 2016.
The best session was January 29, 2016 (+2.5%); the worst was June 24, 2016 (−3.6%).
No month of 2016 falls inside an NBER-dated recession.
The Shiller CAPE stood at 24.2 in January 2016.
The VIX averaged 15.8 over the year and closed as high as 28.1 on February 11, 2016.
Drawdowns that touched 2016
| Drawdown | Peak → trough | Decline | Back at the record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greek default | May 21, 2015 → February 11, 2016 | −14.2% | July 11, 2016 |
Every decline of 5% or more from a record close that was under way, or still being recovered, during 2016.
2016 month by month
| Month | Return |
|---|---|
| January | −5.1% |
| February | −0.4% |
| March | +6.6% |
| April | +0.3% |
| May | +1.5% |
| June | +0.1% |
| July | +3.6% |
| August | −0.1% |
| September | −0.1% |
| October | −1.9% |
| November | +3.4% |
| December | +1.8% |
S&P 500 index changes in 2016
| Effective | Added | Removed |
|---|---|---|
| January 5, 2016 | WLTW · Willis Towers Watson | FOSL · Fossil Group |
| January 19, 2016 | EXR · Extra Space Storage | ACE · Chubb |
| February 1, 2016 | CFG · Citizens | PCP · Precision Castparts Corporation |
| February 1, 2016 | FRT · Federal Realty Investment Trust | BRCM · Broadcom Corporation |
| February 22, 2016 | CXO · Concho Resources | PCL · Plum Creek Timber |
| March 4, 2016 | AWK · American Water Works | CNX · Consol Energy |
| March 7, 2016 | UDR · UDR | GMCR · Keurig Green Mountain |
| March 30, 2016 | HOLX · Hologic | POM · Pepco Holdings |
| March 30, 2016 | CNC · Centene Corporation | ESV · Ensco |
| April 4, 2016 | FL · Foot Locker | CAM · Cameron International |
| April 8, 2016 | UA · Under Armour(Class C) | — |
| April 18, 2016 | ULTA · Ulta Beauty | THC · Tenet Healthcare |
| April 25, 2016 | GPN · Global Payments | GME · GameStop |
| May 3, 2016 | AYI · Acuity Brands | ADT · ADT |
| May 13, 2016 | ALK · Alaska Air Group | SNDK · SanDisk |
| May 18, 2016 | DLR · Digital Realty | TWC · Time Warner Cable |
| May 23, 2016 | LKQ · LKQ Corporation | ARG · Airgas |
| May 31, 2016 | AJG · Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. | CCE · Coca-Cola Enterprises |
| June 3, 2016 | TDG · TransDigm Group | BXLT · Baxalta |
| June 22, 2016 | FBHS · Fortune Brands Home & Security | CVC · Cablevision Systems |
| July 1, 2016 | LNT · Alliant Energy Corp | GAS · AGL Resources |
| July 1, 2016 | ALB · Albemarle Corporation | TE · TECO Energy |
| July 5, 2016 | FTV · Fortive Corp | CPGX · Columbia Pipeline Group |
| September 6, 2016 | MTD · Mettler Toledo | TYC · Tyco International |
| September 8, 2016 | CHTR · Charter Communications | EMC · EMC Corporation |
| September 22, 2016 | COO · The Cooper Companies | HOT · Starwood |
| September 30, 2016 | COTY · Coty | DO · Diamond Offshore Drilling |
| November 1, 2016 | ARNC · Arconic | AA · Alcoa |
| December 2, 2016 | MAA · Mid-America Apartments | OI · Owens-Illinois |
| December 2, 2016 | EVHC · Envision Healthcare | LM · Legg Mason |
30 changes took effect in 2016.
What $10,000 at the start of 2016 became
$10,000 invested in the S&P 500 at the start of 2016, with dividends reinvested, grew to $39,833 by the end of 2025: 14.8% a year. On price alone, without dividends, it came to $33,494.
FAQ
What was the S&P 500 return in 2016?
The S&P 500 rose 9.5% in 2016, from 2,043.94 to 2,238.83; with dividends reinvested, the total return was +12.0%.
How far did the S&P 500 fall in 2016?
Its deepest peak-to-trough decline within 2016 was −9.3%, reaching bottom on February 11, 2016.
Was 2016 part of a bear market?
No. No decline of 20% or more from a record close was under way in 2016.
Did the S&P 500 hit a record high in 2016?
Yes: 18 closes set new all-time highs in 2016, the last on December 13, 2016.
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 · Index changes · 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.