What was the name of the 1987 worldwide stock-market crash?

The 1987 worldwide stock-market crash was called Black Monday.

The name refers specifically to Monday, October 19, 1987, when markets around the world plunged. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 508 points, equal to 22.6% of its value, while the S&P 500 dropped about 20%. The selling was unusually synchronized because global financial markets had become more closely connected.

Several pressures had built before the crash. Stock valuations were high, interest rates had risen, and investors were worried about the United States trade deficit and currency movements. Computerized trading systems, including portfolio-insurance programs, added selling pressure as prices declined.

“Black Monday” can create confusion because the term has also been used for other market disasters, including Black Monday in 1929 and the 2020 market plunge. In standard financial-history usage, however, the phrase without another date most often identifies the 1987 event.