The S&P 500 in 2018
The S&P 500 fell 6.2% in 2018, from 2,673.61 to 2,506.85; with dividends reinvested, the total return was −4.4%. That ranks 2018 24th-worst of the 98 complete calendar years since 1928.
- Price return
- −6.2%
- Total return
- −4.4%
- Deepest decline in the year
- −19.8%December 24, 2018
- Year-end close
- 2,506.85December 31, 2018
- Highest close
- 2,930.75September 20, 2018
- Lowest close
- 2,351.10December 24, 2018
- Record closes
- 19
- Trading days
- 251
- Best day
- +5.0%December 26, 2018
- Worst day
- −4.1%February 5, 2018
- Shiller CAPE in January
- 33.3
How 2018 unfolded
The highest close of the year was 2,930.75 on September 20, 2018; the lowest was 2,351.10 on December 24, 2018.
The deepest fall from a peak within the year was −19.8%, bottoming on December 24, 2018.
19 closes set new all-time highs, the last on September 20, 2018.
The best session was December 26, 2018 (+5.0%); the worst was February 5, 2018 (−4.1%).
No month of 2018 falls inside an NBER-dated recession.
The Shiller CAPE stood at 33.3 in January 2018.
The VIX averaged 16.6 over the year and closed as high as 37.3 on February 5, 2018.
Drawdowns that touched 2018
| Drawdown | Peak → trough | Decline | Back at the record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rate fears | January 26, 2018 → February 8, 2018 | −10.2% | August 24, 2018 |
| Rising rates | September 20, 2018 → December 24, 2018 | −19.8% | April 23, 2019 |
Every decline of 5% or more from a record close that was under way, or still being recovered, during 2018.
2018 month by month
| Month | Return |
|---|---|
| January | +5.6% |
| February | −3.9% |
| March | −2.7% |
| April | +0.3% |
| May | +2.2% |
| June | +0.5% |
| July | +3.6% |
| August | +3.0% |
| September | +0.4% |
| October | −6.9% |
| November | +1.8% |
| December | −9.2% |
S&P 500 index changes in 2018
| Effective | Added | Removed |
|---|---|---|
| January 3, 2018 | HII · Huntington Ingalls Industries | BCR · CR Bard |
| March 7, 2018 | IPGP · IPG Photonics | SNI · Scripps Networks Interactive |
| March 19, 2018 | TTWO · Take-Two Interactive | SIG · Signet Jewelers |
| March 19, 2018 | SIVB · SVB Financial Group | PDCO · Patterson Companies |
| March 19, 2018 | NKTR · Nektar Therapeutics | CHK · Chesapeake Energy |
| April 4, 2018 | MSCI · MSCI | CSRA · CSRA |
| May 31, 2018 | ABMD · Abiomed | WYN · Wyndham Worldwide |
| June 5, 2018 | EVRG · Evergy | NAVI · Navient |
| June 7, 2018 | TWTR · Twitter | MON · Monsanto |
| June 18, 2018 | BR · Broadridge Financial Solutions | RRC · Range Resources |
| June 18, 2018 | HFC · HollyFrontier | AYI · Acuity Brands |
| June 20, 2018 | FLT · FleetCor Technologies | TWX · Time Warner |
| July 2, 2018 | CPRT · Copart | DPS · Dr Pepper Snapple Group |
| August 28, 2018 | ANET · Arista Networks | GGP · GGP |
| September 14, 2018 | WCG · WellCare | XL · XL Group |
| October 1, 2018 | ROL · Rollins | ANDV · Andeavor |
| October 11, 2018 | FTNT · Fortinet | EVHC · Envision Healthcare |
| November 6, 2018 | KEYS · Keysight | CA · CA Technologies |
| November 13, 2018 | JKHY · Jack Henry & Associates | EQT · EQT Corporation |
| December 3, 2018 | LW · Lamb Weston | COL · Rockwell Collins |
| December 3, 2018 | MXIM · Maxim Integrated | AET · Aetna |
| December 3, 2018 | FANG · Diamondback Energy | SRCL · Stericycle |
| December 24, 2018 | CE · Celanese | ESRX · Express Scripts |
23 changes took effect in 2018.
What $10,000 at the start of 2018 became
$10,000 invested in the S&P 500 at the start of 2018, with dividends reinvested, grew to $29,203 by the end of 2025: 14.3% a year. On price alone, without dividends, it came to $25,605.
FAQ
What was the S&P 500 return in 2018?
The S&P 500 fell 6.2% in 2018, from 2,673.61 to 2,506.85; with dividends reinvested, the total return was −4.4%.
How far did the S&P 500 fall in 2018?
Its deepest peak-to-trough decline within 2018 was −19.8%, reaching bottom on December 24, 2018.
Was 2018 part of a bear market?
No. No decline of 20% or more from a record close was under way in 2018.
Did the S&P 500 hit a record high in 2018?
Yes: 19 closes set new all-time highs in 2018, the last on September 20, 2018.
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.