Which 1962 U.S. stock-market downturn is also known as the Kennedy Slide?

The 1962 U.S. stock-market downturn known as the Kennedy Slide is the Flash Crash of 1962.

The Flash Crash of 1962 occurred between December 1961 and June 1962, during a broad decline in U.S. equities. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell about 26.5% from its December 1961 high to its June 1962 low. The episode was associated with concerns about economic growth, corporate profits, and the market’s earlier speculative rise.

The nickname Kennedy Slide reflects its occurrence during President John F. Kennedy’s administration, not a single order or announcement by Kennedy. The decline ended before the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, which occurred later in October.

This event is sometimes confused with the 2010 Flash Crash. The 1962 episode was a months-long bear-market decline, whereas the 2010 event involved an extraordinary intraday plunge and partial recovery in U.S. equities.