The sharp 1962 US stock-market decline associated with fears over President Kennedy’s policies was called the Kennedy Slide of 1962.
The decline ran from December 1961 to June 1962 and was especially severe in May and June. Investors worried about slowing economic growth, high valuations, and the administration’s confrontation with US Steel after the company announced a price increase.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell about 26.5 percent from its peak to its June low. The episode was also linked to concerns about corporate earnings and the broader economic outlook, rather than to one single announcement.
The nickname does not mean President John F. Kennedy personally caused the entire decline. It reflects the political atmosphere surrounding the market, especially the administration’s public dispute with the steel industry. The market later recovered.