How many days did the 2020 COVID-19 bear market take for the S&P 500 to fall at least 30%?

The 2020 COVID-19 bear market took 22 trading days for the S&P 500 to fall at least 30%.

The decline began after investors reacted to the spread of COVID-19, interruptions to global economic activity, and the collapse of an oil-price agreement between major producers. From its record close on February 19, 2020, the S&P 500 plunged into bear-market territory and reached a low on March 23.

The fall was exceptionally rapid by historical standards. Trading was halted several times through market-wide circuit breakers as prices moved sharply. Governments and central banks then introduced enormous fiscal and monetary responses, including emergency lending, interest-rate cuts, and stimulus programs.

The crash was followed by a powerful rebound, though the economic damage was severe and uneven. Millions of workers lost jobs, many businesses closed temporarily, and the pandemic caused a global recession. The episode is distinct from the 2008 crisis because its initial shock came from a public-health emergency rather than a banking-system collapse.