March 16, 2020, marked the largest one-day percentage loss for the Dow Jones Industrial Average during the 2020 stock-market crash.
The Dow fell 12.93% that day as investors reacted to the rapidly expanding COVID-19 pandemic, emergency restrictions, and fears of a severe global economic contraction. The decline followed an earlier 7.79% fall on March 9 and an 9.99% fall on March 12.
The crash affected major markets worldwide and was intensified by uncertainty over business closures, travel restrictions, supply disruptions, and public-health measures. Oil-market tensions also contributed to the first phase of the sell-off.
The Dow entered a bear market in March 2020, meaning a decline of at least 20% from a recent closing high. Massive monetary and fiscal support later helped markets rebound, though the economic effects of the pandemic continued well beyond the initial crash.