The Dow Jones Industrial Average reached its post-1929-crash low closing level of 41.22 on July 8, 1932.
The market’s collapse continued long after the dramatic selling of October 1929. The Dow had peaked at 381.17 on September 3, 1929, then declined through bank failures, falling prices, reduced production, and worsening economic confidence. By July 1932, the index had lost nearly 89% from its peak.
The 1932 low is associated with the broader bear market of the Great Depression rather than with a single trading day. The Dow did not recover its 1929 peak until November 1954, demonstrating how long the damage lasted for investors.
Some accounts cite the intraday low instead of the closing low, which can create different figures. The canonical closing value is 41.22. The Dow’s later history includes other severe declines, but none produced a comparable recovery gap in calendar time.