BSE SENSEX (BSESN)
Benchmark index · India · data since 1997-07-01 · last close 2026-09-08
BSE SENSEX (BSESN) monthly returns (%)
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | -3.5 | -1.2 | -11.5 | 6.9 | -2.8 | 2.3 | 2.1 | -1.5 | -1.8 | · | · | · |
| 2025 | -0.8 | -5.5 | 5.8 | 3.6 | 1.5 | 2.6 | -2.9 | -1.7 | 0.6 | 4.6 | 2.1 | -0.6 |
| 2024 | -0.7 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 1.1 | -0.7 | 6.9 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 2.4 | -5.8 | 0.5 | -2.1 |
| 2023 | -2.1 | -1.0 | 0.1 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 2.8 | -2.5 | 1.5 | -3.0 | 4.9 | 7.8 |
| 2022 | -0.4 | -3.0 | 4.1 | -2.6 | -2.6 | -4.6 | 8.6 | 3.4 | -3.5 | 5.8 | 3.9 | -3.6 |
| 2021 | -3.1 | 6.1 | 0.8 | -1.5 | 6.5 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 9.4 | 2.7 | 0.3 | -3.8 | 2.1 |
| 2020 | -1.3 | -6.0 | -23.1 | 14.4 | -3.8 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 2.7 | -1.4 | 4.1 | 11.4 | 8.2 |
| 2019 | 0.5 | -1.1 | 7.5 | 1.3 | 1.8 | -0.8 | -4.9 | -0.4 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 1.7 | 1.1 |
| 2018 | 5.6 | -5.0 | -3.6 | 6.7 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 6.2 | 2.8 | -6.3 | -4.9 | 5.1 | -0.3 |
| 2017 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 4.1 | -0.7 | 5.2 | -2.4 | -1.4 | 6.2 | -0.2 | 2.7 |
| 2016 | -4.8 | -7.5 | 10.2 | 1.0 | 4.1 | 1.2 | 3.9 | 1.4 | -2.1 | 0.3 | -4.6 | -0.1 |
| 2015 | 6.1 | 0.1 | -4.3 | -3.4 | 3.0 | -0.2 | 1.2 | -6.5 | -0.5 | 1.9 | -1.9 | -0.1 |
| 2014 | -3.1 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 0.1 | 8.0 | 4.9 | 1.9 | 2.9 | -0.0 | 4.6 | 3.0 | -4.2 |
| 2013 | 2.4 | -5.2 | -0.1 | 3.5 | 1.3 | -1.8 | -0.3 | -3.8 | 4.1 | 9.2 | -1.8 | 1.8 |
| 2012 | 11.3 | 3.3 | -2.0 | -0.5 | -6.3 | 7.5 | -1.1 | 0.8 | 8.0 | -1.4 | 4.5 | 0.5 |
| 2011 | -10.6 | -2.8 | 9.1 | -1.6 | -3.3 | 1.9 | -3.4 | -8.4 | -1.3 | 7.6 | -8.9 | -4.2 |
| 2010 | -6.3 | 0.4 | 6.7 | 0.2 | -3.5 | 4.5 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 11.7 | -0.2 | -2.5 | 5.1 |
| 2009 | -2.3 | -5.7 | 9.2 | 17.5 | 28.3 | -0.9 | 8.1 | -0.0 | 9.3 | -7.2 | 6.5 | 3.2 |
| 2008 | -13.0 | -0.4 | -11.0 | 10.5 | -5.0 | -18.0 | 6.6 | 1.4 | -11.7 | -23.9 | -7.1 | 6.1 |
| 2007 | 2.2 | -8.2 | 1.0 | 6.1 | 4.8 | 0.7 | 6.2 | -1.5 | 12.9 | 14.7 | -2.4 | 4.8 |
| 2006 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 8.8 | 5.1 | -12.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 8.9 | 6.5 | 4.1 | 5.7 | 0.7 |
| 2005 | -0.7 | 2.4 | -3.3 | -5.2 | 9.1 | 7.1 | 6.1 | 2.2 | 10.6 | -8.6 | 11.4 | 6.9 |
| 2004 | -2.5 | -0.5 | -1.4 | 1.1 | -15.8 | 0.8 | 7.8 | 0.4 | 7.5 | 1.6 | 9.9 | 5.9 |
| 2003 | -3.8 | 1.0 | -7.2 | -2.9 | 7.5 | 13.4 | 5.1 | 11.9 | 4.9 | 10.2 | 2.8 | 15.7 |
| 2002 | 1.5 | 7.6 | -2.6 | -3.8 | -6.4 | 3.8 | -7.9 | 6.5 | -6.0 | -1.4 | 9.5 | 4.6 |
| 2001 | 8.9 | -1.8 | -15.1 | -2.4 | 3.2 | -4.8 | -3.7 | -2.5 | -13.3 | 6.3 | 10.0 | -0.8 |
| 2000 | 4.0 | 4.7 | -8.2 | -6.9 | -4.8 | 7.1 | -9.9 | 4.6 | -8.6 | -9.3 | 7.7 | -0.7 |
| 1999 | 8.5 | -2.5 | 15.7 | -11.1 | 19.3 | 4.4 | 9.7 | 7.8 | -2.7 | -6.7 | 4.0 | 8.3 |
| 1998 | -11.9 | 12.3 | 7.5 | 2.9 | -8.0 | -11.8 | -1.2 | -8.6 | 5.7 | -9.3 | -0.1 | 8.7 |
| 1997 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 0.1 | -10.0 | 0.7 | -2.5 | -6.4 | 2.8 |
| Avg | -0.4 | -0.2 | 0.1 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 2.8 |
Values in %. Current and first-listed months are partial (greyed).
returnsview.com
BSESN seasonality — average by calendar month
BSE SENSEX has monthly history back to 1997. Its strongest month by median is November — positive in 18 of 29 years, median +2.8%, and higher in 7 of the last 9. January is the soft spot, down in 17 of 29 with a median of -0.7%. Across its full record it has closed 58% of months higher, swings ±6.3% in an average month and has fallen 60.9% peak to trough.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg | -0.4% | -0.2% | +0.1% | +1.6% | +1.0% | +1.4% | +2.0% | +0.6% | +1.2% | +0.0% | +2.2% | +2.8% |
| Win rate | 41%/29 | 45%/29 | 55%/29 | 62%/29 | 55%/29 | 69%/29 | 70%/30 | 57%/30 | 55%/29 | 55%/29 | 62%/29 | 66%/29 |
Win rate = share of positive months / sample size.
BSESN risk & extremes
BSESN drawdown & rolling returns
Percent below the all-time high at each month-end — how far underwater the asset was.
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Frequently asked questions
What was BSE SENSEX's best month?+
BSE SENSEX's strongest completed month on record is May 2009, at +28.26%.
What was BSE SENSEX's worst month?+
Its weakest completed month on record is October 2008, at -23.89%.
Is BSE SENSEX up this year?+
BSE SENSEX is down 11.32% year to date, measured from its last close before 1 January.
What is BSE SENSEX's 1-year return?+
-6.45% over the past twelve months, comparing the latest close with the most recent close on or before the same date a year earlier.
What is BSE SENSEX's biggest drawdown?+
The deepest peak-to-trough fall on record is 60.9%, measured on month-end closes since 1997.
Which calendar month is historically best for BSE SENSEX?+
December has the highest average return across every completed December since 1997. An average is not a forecast.
About BSE SENSEX
BSE SENSEX isn't a company — it's the scoreboard: India's benchmark index, tracked here like any other asset, no CEO, no earnings calls, just the crowd's verdict in one number — with price history on this site back to 1997. And the long game: $100 at its first close here (1997) would be about $1,789 today.
Did you know?
- Its best month on record was May 2009 at +28.26%; its worst, October 2008 at -23.89%.
- It has closed July in the green 21 out of 30 times — calendar astrology, but the fun kind.
Trivia for entertainment — the numbers come from our price data; the jokes don't.