On what date did the 1929 Wall Street Crash's worst single-day percentage loss occur?
Answer
October 28, 1929
The worst single-day percentage loss of the 1929 Wall Street Crash occurred on October 28, 1929.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 12.82% that day, which became known as Black Monday. Selling intensified again on October 29, known as Black Tuesday, when the Dow lost another 11.73%.
The crash followed a long period of rising share prices, heavy speculation, and widespread use of borrowed money to buy stocks. The collapse did not by itself cause the entire Great Depression, but it severely damaged confidence and helped deepen the economic downturn.
A common mix-up is to identify October 29 as the crash's worst percentage day. October 29 had the largest trading volume at the time, but October 28 produced the larger percentage fall.