What was the name of the 1987 global market crash that began on October 19?

The 1987 global market crash that began on October 19 was called Black Monday.

On October 19, 1987, stock markets fell sharply across the world. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 22.6% in the United States, while major markets in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Australia, and elsewhere also suffered severe declines. Because the selling occurred across international time zones, the episode quickly became a global financial event rather than only a Wall Street disturbance.

The crash followed a long rise in share prices and growing concerns about interest rates, currency relationships, and trade deficits. Computer-assisted trading and portfolio insurance were still relatively new, and large automatic sell orders may have accelerated the fall when prices began moving downward.

The name can cause confusion because “Black Monday” is also used for other market disasters, including October 28, 1929, and October 27, 1997. In the context of the major global crash, however, Black Monday conventionally means October 19, 1987.