Which pandemic caused the 2020 stock-market crash?

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the 2020 stock-market crash.

As the virus spread internationally in early 2020, governments introduced travel restrictions, lockdowns, and other measures that sharply reduced economic activity. Investors also reacted to uncertainty about business earnings, supply chains, employment, and public health.

Major stock indexes fell rapidly in February and March. The World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11, 2020, and the S&P 500 entered a bear market later that month. Central banks and governments then announced large monetary and fiscal responses.

The crash was unusual for its speed and its connection to a public-health emergency. Markets recovered strongly after the initial fall, although the economic effects and sector impacts varied widely. The 2020 crash is distinct from the 2008 crisis, which centered on financial and housing markets.