$1,000 in Russell 2000 Index in 2004 → $5,446 today
If you'd invested $1,000 in Russell 2000 Index (^RUT) on January 1, 2004 — at the December 2003 month-end close of $557 — and held to the latest close (2026-08-), you'd have $5,446. That's a +444.6% total return — trailing the S&P 500, where the same $1,000 became $6,932.
Nearby years: 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 all years →
FAQ
How much is $1,000 invested in ^RUT in 2004 worth today?
$1,000 invested in Russell 2000 Index (^RUT) at the month-end close of 2003-12- would be worth $5,446 at the latest month-end close (2026-08-), a total return of +444.6% with dividends reinvested.
Did $1,000 in ^RUT in 2004 beat the market?
Over the same span, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $6,932 — so Russell 2000 Index (^RUT) trailed the index by +21.4%.
What does "month-end close" mean for this calculation?
The scenario invests at the December 2003 month-end close (the price entering 2004) and values the position at the most recent month-end close (2026-08-). Intra-month extremes are shown on the ^RUT calculator page.
Is the 2004–2026 return in ^RUT typical?
No single year is typical. ^RUT's best calendar-year return since 1987 was about +45.4%, and its worst was -34.8%.
Methodology
Russell 2000 Index (^RUT) total-return data from January 2004 through the latest month-end close (2026-08-).
The entry price is the 2003 December month-end close and the exit is the latest available month-end close, both from adjusted (split and dividend) Yahoo Finance historical data.
Month-end resolution, no taxes or fees, and history never guarantees the future. For exact-date precision (including buying at a panic low), use the ^RUT calculator page.
Compute your own ^RUT scenario
Data: Yahoo Finance. As of 2026-08-. Not financial advice.