During the 2020 stock-market crash, the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s largest one-day percentage loss was 12.93%.
The decline occurred on March 16, 2020, as markets reacted to the rapidly spreading COVID-19 pandemic, worsening economic forecasts, and emergency measures restricting business and travel. The Dow fell 2,997 points, making the session its largest point loss at the time.
The percentage drop was the Dow’s third-largest single-day percentage decline in its history, behind the losses recorded on October 19, 1987, and October 28, 1929. Those earlier crashes are commonly associated with Black Monday and the Wall Street Crash, respectively.
The March 16 plunge was one of several extreme sessions during the 2020 crash. U.S. markets also experienced temporary circuit-breaker halts in March, reflecting rules created after earlier market crises. The 12.93% figure refers specifically to the Dow’s percentage decline, not the S&P 500 or Nasdaq Composite.