The sharp US stock-market decline from December 1961 to June 1962 was nicknamed the Kennedy Slide.
The downturn occurred during John F. Kennedy’s presidency, which inspired the nickname, although it was not caused by a single presidential action. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell about 26.5% from its high in December 1961 to its low in June 1962.
Investors faced concerns about economic growth, inflation, interest rates, and corporate profits. The market’s decline followed a strong rise in earlier years, making it an example of a major correction after an extended advance.
The Kennedy Slide is sometimes confused with the 1960–1961 recession or with later crashes named after specific trading days. Unlike Black Monday in 1987, it was a prolonged decline rather than a single-day global collapse. The Dow eventually recovered and moved to new highs later in the decade.