What was the nickname of the 1987 global stock-market crash’s first trading day?

The first trading day of the 1987 global stock-market crash was nicknamed Black Monday.

Black Monday was October 19, 1987, when stock markets around the world suffered exceptionally steep falls. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 22.6%, while other major markets also recorded extraordinary losses. The name follows the tradition of labeling major market panics by the weekday on which they become most memorable.

The crash was international rather than limited to New York. The Hong Kong market fell sharply before the panic reached Europe and the United States. Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada also recorded severe declines, demonstrating how increasingly connected financial markets had become.

It is easy to confuse this event with Black Monday dates associated with other crises, especially October 28, 1929. In market-history writing, “Black Monday” without a year most commonly refers to October 19, 1987. The 1987 crash prompted reforms intended to slow disorderly selling.