The Dow Jones Industrial Average’s largest one-day percentage fall during the 2020 crash occurred on March 16, 2020.
The Dow fell 2,997 points that day, a decline of about 12.9%. The collapse occurred as the COVID-19 pandemic spread internationally, governments restricted travel and business activity, and investors reassessed corporate earnings and economic growth.
The 2020 crash included several historic daily moves and repeated trading halts. On March 9, March 12, March 16, and March 18, U.S. exchanges triggered circuit breakers designed to pause trading after severe falls. The Federal Reserve and other central banks introduced large emergency measures, while governments announced fiscal support.
The March 16 percentage loss was larger than the Dow’s one-day fall during the 1987 crash, though the two events had different causes and market structures. The Dow subsequently rebounded rapidly from its March 2020 low.