Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Search
Accessibility Menu

Stock Performance in Every Recession Since 1980

Being an investor during a recession is scary -- but there's good news.

By Jack Caporal – Updated Mar 6, 2025 at 2:12PM

Key Points

  • History is on the investors' side. The S&P 500 and NASDAQ have recovered to pre-recession levels following every recession.
  • Since 2000, the S&P 500 has taken an average of 647 trading days to recover after a recession. The NASDAQ takes 330 days on average.
  • Since 2000, the S&P 500 fell an average of 18.58% over the entire course of a recession, while the NASDAQ fell 14.48%.

Our Research

Premium Investing Services

Invest better with The Motley Fool. Get stock recommendations, portfolio guidance, and more from The Motley Fool's premium services.