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What’s the biggest stock market crash ever?

The Spectator
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EXPLORE THE ISSUE 12 April 2025
issue 12 April 2025

Crash comparison

What’s the biggest stock market crash ever? 

– There are different ways to measure a crash. The biggest percentage fall in the Dow Jones Index in a single day occurred on 19 October 1987 (or ‘Black Monday’) when the Dow fell by 22.6%

– The biggest fall in percentage terms over a longer period was in the Nasdaq – covering tech shares – which fell by 80% between January 2000 and October 2002.

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