On what date did the S&P 500 reach its pre-pandemic peak before the COVID-19 market crash?

The S&P 500 reached its pre-pandemic peak on February 19, 2020, before the COVID-19 market crash. The index closed that day at 3,386.15.

As the coronavirus spread and governments introduced restrictions, investors rapidly reassessed economic activity, corporate earnings, and financial risk. The S&P 500 then fell sharply, reaching a bear-market low on March 23, 2020.

The decline was unusually fast by historical standards. Massive fiscal and monetary support, along with optimism about vaccines and economic reopening, helped markets recover. The market crash and the later recession were related but not identical: stock prices respond to expectations, while recession measures track economic output and employment.