The 1962 U.S. stock-market crash was known as the Kennedy Slide.
The decline lasted from December 1961 through June 1962 and was especially severe for growth and technology companies. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell about 27% from its peak, while many high-priced shares lost far more. The period followed a strong bull market and rising concern that valuations had become excessive.
The name refers to President John F. Kennedy, although the crash was not caused by a single presidential action. Investors were also reacting to slower economic growth, worries about inflation, and uncertainty involving the steel industry. In April 1962, a dispute between the Kennedy administration and U.S. steel producers intensified market anxiety.
The Kennedy Slide is often grouped with other postwar bear markets, but it is distinct from the 1973–1974 decline and the 1987 global crash. It is also sometimes called the Flash Crash of 1962, though Kennedy Slide is the standard historical name.