Which stock exchange saw the first major trading halt during the 1987 Black Monday crash?

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange saw the first major trading halt during the 1987 Black Monday crash. Hong Kong’s market closed for four days after suffering a sharp fall, as officials and exchange members tried to contain disorderly trading.

The crisis then moved westward through international financial markets. European exchanges fell heavily, and the New York Stock Exchange experienced its historic 19 October plunge. Because markets operated in different time zones, the sequence made the crash appear to travel around the globe during successive trading sessions.

The episode exposed weaknesses in market infrastructure, including limited coordination, overloaded systems, and the effects of computerized trading strategies. It also encouraged reforms such as circuit breakers and cross-market communication. The New York Stock Exchange is the most famous venue associated with Black Monday, but Hong Kong’s earlier halt is an important detail in the event’s international chronology.