What date marked the S&P 500's pandemic-crash low in 2020?

March 23, 2020, marked the S&P 500’s low during the 2020 pandemic stock-market crash.

The index closed at 2,237.40 on that date, after reaching a record closing high of 3,386.15 on February 19. The fall was driven by rapidly spreading COVID-19, lockdowns, collapsing expectations for economic activity, an oil-price shock, and urgent uncertainty about corporate earnings and credit conditions.

From its February high to its March low, the S&P 500 fell about 33.9%, entering a bear market in the fastest such decline from a record high in its history at that time. The Federal Reserve cut interest rates, purchased assets, and introduced emergency lending measures, while governments enacted large fiscal-support programs.

Markets then rebounded sharply as policy support expanded and investors anticipated vaccines and economic reopening. The crash’s low was therefore brief compared with the long aftermath of some earlier crises. The February 19 date was the peak, not the trough, which is a frequent source of confusion.