What nickname was given to the sharp U.S. stock-market decline of May–June 1962?

The sharp U.S. stock-market decline of May–June 1962 was nicknamed the Kennedy Slide.

The episode began after the market had risen strongly during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell substantially between December 1961 and June 1962, with especially heavy selling in May and June. The decline reflected concerns about economic growth, corporate earnings, and valuations.

The name links the episode to President John F. Kennedy's administration, but it does not mean Kennedy personally caused the fall. The market was influenced by broader economic and investment conditions, including recession fears and uncertainty over profits.

The Kennedy Slide is less famous internationally than Black Monday or the 1929 crash. It is nevertheless an important example of a major postwar U.S. market decline. The Dow eventually recovered, and the episode did not produce the prolonged economic collapse associated with the Great Depression.