What nickname was used for the severe global market fall on March 16, 2020?

The severe global market fall on March 16, 2020, was nicknamed “Black Monday II.” It was the third major shock in the month’s rapid COVID-19-era sell-off, following Black Monday I on March 9 and Black Thursday on March 12.

U.S. markets fell sharply that day after the Federal Reserve cut its target interest rate to 0–0.25% and announced a $700 billion quantitative-easing program. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2,997.10 points, or 12.93%, its largest one-day point loss at the time. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also fell about 12%.

The “II” distinguishes March 16 from the earlier Black Monday labels. Black Thursday refers specifically to March 12, when the Dow lost 2,352 points. “Flash Crash” is a different term, generally associated with sudden computerized market disruptions rather than this broad pandemic-driven collapse.

The 2020 crash began on February 20 and intensified as investors reacted to coronavirus shutdowns, collapsing oil demand, and emergency policy measures. Trading curbs, or circuit breakers, were triggered repeatedly during the turmoil.