The 1962 U.S. stock-market decline was commonly called the Kennedy Slide because it occurred during John F. Kennedy’s presidency.
The sharp fall took place between late 1961 and June 1962, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing about 27% from its December 1961 high to its June low. The episode followed a strong market advance and reflected concerns about economic growth, corporate profits, and valuation.
The name is a historical label, not a claim that President Kennedy personally caused the crash. The period also included the administration’s confrontation with the steel industry, which contributed to market uncertainty but does not by itself explain the entire decline.
The Kennedy Slide is less famous internationally than the crashes of 1929, 1987, or 2008. It is nevertheless a useful example of a major U.S. correction occurring without a worldwide banking collapse or a prolonged depression.