March 12, 2020, became known as Black Thursday because of a record U.S. index drop during the 2020 stock-market crash.
As the COVID-19 pandemic spread, investors reacted to escalating public-health restrictions, economic shutdowns, and uncertainty about corporate earnings. On March 12, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2,352.60 points, or 9.99%, its largest point decline at the time. Trading halts known as circuit breakers were triggered.
The crash unfolded through several dramatic sessions. March 9, March 12, and March 16 each produced very large declines, while March 23 marked the low for the major U.S. indexes before a powerful rebound began. Emergency central-bank action, government relief programs, and expectations of economic reopening supported that recovery.
Black Thursday should not be confused with Black Monday, March 9, or the later Black Monday, March 16. All three dates were part of the same pandemic-era crash, but March 12 carried the Black Thursday label.