The S&P 500 in 2020
The S&P 500 rose 16.3% in 2020, from 3,230.78 to 3,756.07; with dividends reinvested, the total return was +18.4%. That ranks 2020 37th-best of the 98 complete calendar years since 1928.
- Price return
- +16.3%
- Total return
- +18.4%
- Deepest decline in the year
- −33.9%March 23, 2020
- Year-end close
- 3,756.07December 31, 2020
- Highest close
- 3,756.07December 31, 2020
- Lowest close
- 2,237.40March 23, 2020
- Record closes
- 33
- Trading days
- 253
- Best day
- +9.4%March 24, 2020
- Worst day
- −12.0%March 16, 2020
- Shiller CAPE in January
- 31.0
How 2020 unfolded
The highest close of the year was 3,756.07 on December 31, 2020; the lowest was 2,237.40 on March 23, 2020.
The deepest fall from a peak within the year was −33.9%, bottoming on March 23, 2020.
33 closes set new all-time highs, the last on December 31, 2020.
The best session was March 24, 2020 (+9.4%); the worst was March 16, 2020 (−12.0%).
The U.S. economy was in an NBER-dated recession in 2 months of 2020: March 2020 to April 2020.
The Shiller CAPE stood at 31.0 in January 2020.
The VIX averaged 29.3 over the year and closed as high as 82.7 on March 16, 2020.
Drawdowns that touched 2020
| Drawdown | Peak → trough | Decline | Back at the record |
|---|---|---|---|
| The COVID Crash | February 19, 2020 → March 23, 2020 | −33.9% | August 18, 2020 |
| COVID pandemic | September 2, 2020 → September 23, 2020 | −9.6% | November 13, 2020 |
Every decline of 5% or more from a record close that was under way, or still being recovered, during 2020.
2020 month by month
| Month | Return |
|---|---|
| January | −0.2% |
| February | −8.4% |
| March | −12.5% |
| April | +12.7% |
| May | +4.5% |
| June | +1.8% |
| July | +5.5% |
| August | +7.0% |
| September | −3.9% |
| October | −2.8% |
| November | +10.8% |
| December | +3.7% |
S&P 500 index changes in 2020
| Effective | Added | Removed |
|---|---|---|
| January 28, 2020 | PAYC · Paycom | WCG · WellCare |
| March 2, 2020 | IR · Ingersoll Rand | XEC · Cimarex Energy |
| April 1, 2020 | HWM · Howmet Aerospace | ARNC · Arconic |
| April 3, 2020 | OTIS · Otis Worldwide | — |
| April 3, 2020 | CARR · Carrier | — |
| April 6, 2020 | — | M · Macy's |
| April 6, 2020 | — | RTN · Raytheon Company |
| May 12, 2020 | DPZ · Domino's Pizza | CPRI · Capri Holdings |
| May 12, 2020 | DXCM · Dexcom | AGN · Allergan |
| May 22, 2020 | WST · West Pharmaceutical Services | HP · Helmerich & Payne |
| June 22, 2020 | BIO · Bio-Rad Laboratories | ADS · Alliance Data Systems |
| June 22, 2020 | TDY · Teledyne | HOG · Harley-Davidson |
| June 22, 2020 | TYL · Tyler Technologies | JWN · Nordstrom |
| September 21, 2020 | ETSY · Etsy | HRB · H&R Block |
| September 21, 2020 | TER · Teradyne | COTY · Coty |
| September 21, 2020 | CTLT · Catalent | KSS · Kohl's |
| October 7, 2020 | POOL · Pool Corporation | ETFC · E-Trade |
| October 9, 2020 | VNT · Vontier | — |
| October 12, 2020 | — | NBL · Noble Energy |
| December 21, 2020 | TSLA · Tesla | AIV · Apartment Investment & Management |
20 changes took effect in 2020.
What $10,000 at the start of 2020 became
$10,000 invested in the S&P 500 at the start of 2020, with dividends reinvested, grew to $23,226 by the end of 2025: 15.1% a year. On price alone, without dividends, it came to $21,189.
FAQ
What was the S&P 500 return in 2020?
The S&P 500 rose 16.3% in 2020, from 3,230.78 to 3,756.07; with dividends reinvested, the total return was +18.4%.
How far did the S&P 500 fall in 2020?
Its deepest peak-to-trough decline within 2020 was −33.9%, reaching bottom on March 23, 2020.
Was 2020 part of a bear market?
Yes. 2020 falls inside the 2020 bear market (The COVID Crash), when the S&P 500 fell 33.9% from its record close on February 19, 2020 to its low on March 23, 2020.
Did the S&P 500 hit a record high in 2020?
Yes: 33 closes set new all-time highs in 2020, the last on December 31, 2020.
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.