The Dow Jones Industrial Average reached its closing low during the 2008 financial crisis on March 9, 2009.
The Dow closed at 6,547.05 that day, its lowest closing level since April 1997. The low came months after Lehman Brothers failed in September 2008 and after a worldwide recession had spread through credit, housing, manufacturing, and employment markets.
The decline was not the end of the financial crisis's economic effects, but it marked the turning point for U.S. share prices. The Dow and other major indexes then began a long recovery, helped by bank rescues, monetary easing, fiscal stimulus, and improving investor confidence. The market low should not be confused with the intraday low: the Dow's lowest point during the session was 6,469.95.