The S&P 500 reached its pandemic-crash closing low on 23 March 2020.
The index closed at 2,237.40 that day, after a rapid sell-off caused by the global spread of COVID-19 and the economic shutdowns introduced to slow transmission. The fall followed a record-long U.S. bull market.
The Federal Reserve and other central banks introduced emergency measures, while governments announced fiscal support and programs intended to protect businesses and households. Market conditions improved rapidly after the low, although the broader economic disruption remained severe.
The March 23 date is the closing low for the S&P 500 during the initial crash, not the date of the largest percentage drop. Several sessions in March saw extraordinary volatility, including the 16 March decline of about 12%.