The rise & fall of Sensex: Journey so far

As buying in blue chips gathered momentum after a steady start, the Sensex sailed past the
psychological 18,000-mark for the first time since April 7, 2010. However, the mood has turned a
bit cautious following the release of some disappointing industrial production data for May 2010.

Here’s a look at the milestones that the Sensex crossed, right from the day it touched the four-
digit mark in 1990, till date.

The Sensex scales 21000:

• 1000, July 25, 1990: Touches four-digit figure for the first time and closes at 1,001.
• 2000, January 15, 1992: In the wake of liberalization process ushered in by then
Congress government, the index crosses 2,000-mark and closes at 2,020
• 3000, February 29, 1992: Surges past the 3000-mark.
• 4000, March 30, 1992: Crosses the 4,000-mark but was soon hit by the Harshad Mehta
scam.
• 5000, October 11, 1999: BJP led coalition wins 13th Lok Sabha polls. Sensex crosses
the 5,000-mark.
• 6000, February 11, 2000: Crosses the 6,000-mark
• 7000, June 21, 2005: Sensex crosses 7,000 points for the first time as Ambani
brothers begin settlement talk.
• 8000, September 8, 2005: Crosses the 8000 level
• 9000, December 9, 2005: Crosses 9000 as FIIs make a beeline for Indian markets.
• 10,000, February 7, 2006: Touches 10,003 points during mid-session. The Sensex finally
closes above the 10,000-mark on February 7, 2006.
• 11,000, March 27, 2006: Crosses 11,000 and touches a peak of 11,001 points during
mid-session at the Bombay Stock Exchange for the first time. However, it is only on
March 27, 2006 that the Sensex first closes at over 11,000 points.
• 12,000, April 20, 2006: Crosses 12,000
• 13,000, October 30, 2006: Crosses 13,000 for the first time.
• 14000, December 5, 2006: Crosses 14,000.
• 15,000, July 6, 2007: Crosses 15,000 mark.
• 16,000, September 19, 2007: Crosses the 16,000 mark.
17,000, September 26, 2007: Crosses the 17,000 mark for the first time.
• 18,000, October 9, 2007: Crosses the 18,000 mark for the first time.
• 19,000, October 15, 2007: Crosses the 19,000 mark for the first time.
 • 20,000, October 29, 2007: Crosses the 20,000 mark for the first time.
• 21,000, Jan 08, 2008: Touches an all time peak of 21078 before closing at 20873.

However, this upsurge was arrested by the slowdown in global economy with most countries
witnessing severe recession.

The journey back from 21000 to 8000:

• Jan 21, 2008: The Sensex saw its highest ever loss of 1,408 points at the end of the
session on Monday. The Sensex recovered to close at 17,605.40 after it tumbled to the
day's low of 16,963.96
• Jan 22, 2008: The Sensex saw its biggest intra-day fall on Tuesday when it hit a low of
15,332, down 2,273 points. However, it recovered losses and closed at a loss of 875
points at 16,730
• Jan 16, 2008: Below 20000
• Jan 18, 2008: Below 19000
• Jan 21, 2008: Below 18000 and quickly below 17000 on the same day
• Jan 22, 2008: Below 16000
• March 17, 2008: Below 15000
• June 24, 2008: Below 14000
• July 1, 2008: Below 13000
• October 6, 2008: Below 12000
• October 8, 2008: Below 11000
• October 17, 2008: Below 10000
• October 24, 2008: Below 9000

But strong domestic growth and tight monetary policy adopted by the Reserve Bank of India
helped the Indian economy come out of the recession relatively unscathed compared to its
peers and reinstated India’s position as a strong emerging market.

The Sensex’s trek back to 18000:

• November 26, 2008: Crosses 9000

• March 26, 2009: Crosses 10000
• April 15, 2009: Crosses 11000
• May 4, 2009: Crosses 12000
• May 19, 2009: Crosses 13000 as Sensex salutes Manmohan’s Singh return to power.
Soon it also surpasses 14000-mark
• June 9, 2009: Crosses 15000
• November 5, 2009: Crosses 16000
• June 3, 2010: Crosses 17000
• July 12, 2010: Crosses 18000