Which 1962 U.S. market plunge is known by a name referring to President Kennedy?

The 1962 U.S. market plunge known by a name referring to President Kennedy was the Kennedy Slide.

The Kennedy Slide occurred during a sharp decline in U.S. share prices from late 1961 into June 1962. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell substantially from its high, with the most severe selling concentrated in the spring. The decline reflected worries about economic growth, corporate profits, inflation, and the possibility of tighter monetary policy.

The name also reflects the political setting: John F. Kennedy was president, and the administration faced criticism over economic conditions. The market eventually reached a low in June 1962 before recovering. It was a major postwar bear market, but it was not the same event as the 1969–1970 decline or the 1987 crash.

The episode is sometimes described as the “Flash Crash of 1962,” although “Kennedy Slide” is the specific name requested here. It shows that major market declines can arise from changing expectations even without a banking-system collapse.