IBB’s worst drop since 2001 was 63%
iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) fell 63% from Jun 2001 to Jul 2002. It took 9.9 years from that peak to close at a new high, in Apr 2011. Over the same years the S&P 500 fell as much as 55%.
That drop ranks 52nd deepest among the 203 ETFs PortfolioAutopsy tracks.
Drawdown from the last high, 2001 to now
How IBB held up in each crash
| Crash | Years | IBB | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dot-com bust | 2000–02 | not trading yet | −47.5% |
| Financial crisis | 2007–09 | −34.6% | −55.2% |
| COVID crash | 2020 | −23.6% | −33.7% |
| 2022 rate shock | 2022 | −30.4% | −24.5% |
Each number is the deepest fall from a high inside that window, using daily prices with dividends reinvested.
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What was IBB’s maximum drawdown?
IBB’s deepest fall since 2001 was 62.9%, from its high on June 5, 2001 to its low on July 10, 2002. The figure uses daily prices with dividends reinvested.
How long did IBB take to recover?
9.9 years. IBB first closed above its Jun 2001 high again on April 27, 2011.
Was IBB riskier than the S&P 500?
Over the same years, IBB’s worst drop was 62.9% against 55.2% for the S&P 500 (SPY), and its worst 12 months were −59.3% against −47.4%.
Compare with
Daily adjusted closes from Yahoo Finance, February 13, 2001 through October 13, 2026, dividends reinvested. Historical facts, not a forecast and not investment advice.