Which day marked the 2020 COVID-19 crash’s S&P 500 closing low?

March 23, 2020, marked the 2020 COVID-19 crash’s S&P 500 closing low.

The S&P 500 closed at 2,237.40 on March 23, after falling rapidly from its record close on February 19. The sell-off reflected uncertainty about the coronavirus pandemic, lockdowns, business closures, unemployment, and the sudden threat to global economic activity. Oil-market tensions added further pressure during the decline.

The index entered bear-market territory in March, meaning it had fallen at least 20 percent from its recent closing high. It recovered unusually quickly after massive fiscal and monetary responses, including central-bank programs, emergency lending, and government relief legislation.

The March 23 low was a closing low, not necessarily the lowest intraday level for every related measure. The crash is also called the Coronavirus Crash or the COVID-19 Crash. Its speed made it one of the sharpest modern market declines, even though the subsequent recovery varied greatly among countries and sectors.