The Dow Jones Industrial Average suffered its largest point loss during the 2020 COVID-19 market crash on March 16, 2020.
The Dow fell 2,997.10 points, or nearly 12.9%, as investors reacted to the rapidly spreading coronavirus, restrictions on economic activity, and emergency measures by governments and central banks. The decline was the largest point drop in the Dow’s history at that time, although percentage comparisons are more meaningful across different eras.
The 2020 crash included several extraordinary sessions. Trading halts called circuit breakers were triggered on March 9, March 12, March 16, and March 18 as major U.S. indexes fell sharply. The Dow’s closing low for the episode came on March 23, after which markets rebounded as fiscal support, monetary easing, and progress toward vaccines changed expectations. The crash was unusually rapid compared with many earlier bear markets.