COVID-19 caused the 2020 stock-market crash and the fastest U.S. bear-market entry in history.
As the novel coronavirus spread internationally in early 2020, investors feared lockdowns, disrupted supply chains, falling travel, and a severe economic contraction. Global equity markets dropped sharply in February and March, while oil prices also came under pressure after a disagreement among major producers.
The S&P 500 entered a bear market on March 12, 2020, after falling at least 20% from its February record close. Trading was halted several times by market-wide circuit breakers as declines became exceptionally rapid. Massive monetary and fiscal responses, followed by vaccine progress and economic reopening, helped markets recover later in 2020.
The crash is also called the Coronavirus Crash or the COVID-19 Crash. It should not be confused with the separate economic recession caused by the pandemic.