The global stock-market crash caused by the COVID-19 pandemic reached its fastest bear market in 2020.
Markets plunged in February and March 2020 as governments introduced travel restrictions, business closures, and other measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Investors feared a severe interruption to economic activity, supply chains, employment, and corporate earnings.
The S&P 500 entered a bear market on March 12, 2020, and reached its pandemic-era low on March 23. The decline from its February record to the March low occurred in only a few weeks, making it one of the fastest bear-market episodes on record. Central banks and governments then announced major support measures.
The 2020 crash is sometimes treated as a single event, but markets moved through several stages: the initial global sell-off, emergency intervention, and a powerful rebound. Different countries’ indexes reached their peaks and troughs on different dates.