On what date did Lehman Brothers file for bankruptcy, intensifying the 2008 global stock-market crash?

Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy on September 15, 2008, intensifying the 2008 global stock-market crash. It was the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history at that time, with Lehman reporting more than $600 billion in debt.

Lehman’s collapse followed years of aggressive growth in mortgage-related securities and real-estate lending. When the U.S. housing market deteriorated, the firm could not raise enough capital or find a buyer to prevent failure. Its bankruptcy sharply increased fear about the solvency of banks and financial institutions worldwide.

The filing was not the sole cause of the 2008 crash. Earlier failures and rescues, including Bear Stearns and the government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, had already exposed deep weaknesses. However, Lehman’s sudden collapse became a defining turning point.

A common mix-up is confusing Lehman’s bankruptcy date with the date of the stock-market low. Major U.S. indexes continued falling for months and reached their crisis-era lows in March 2009.