What was the 1962 U.S. stock-market decline commonly called the Kennedy Slide?

The 1962 U.S. stock-market decline was commonly called the Kennedy Slide of 1962.

The decline ran from late 1961 into June 1962 and was associated with concerns about economic growth, corporate profits, and the market’s high valuations. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell sharply, with the steepest one-day drop occurring on May 28, 1962.

The name refers to President John F. Kennedy’s presidency, not to a single action that directly caused the market fall. The episode is also known as the Flash Crash of 1962, although it was a sustained decline rather than a brief modern electronic-market disruption.

The Kennedy Slide is often discussed alongside the postwar bull market and the later bear market of 1969–1970. It illustrates how valuation concerns and weakening investor confidence can turn a long advance into a rapid correction.