Which U.S. stock-market crash followed the first confirmed COVID-19 case in the country?

The U.S. stock-market crash that followed the first confirmed COVID-19 case in the country was the 2020 stock market crash. The global sell-off intensified in February and March 2020 as the coronavirus spread and governments imposed measures that sharply restricted economic activity.

On March 16, 2020, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2,997 points, or 12.9 percent, its largest one-day point decline at the time. U.S. trading was halted several times by circuit breakers during the turmoil. The Federal Reserve cut interest rates, resumed large-scale asset purchases, and introduced emergency lending measures, while governments enacted major fiscal programs.

The crash was unusually rapid and was followed by an unusually strong rebound in major U.S. indexes. It is distinct from the 2008 crisis, which centered on housing finance and banking stress. The pandemic crash affected markets worldwide and included severe disruptions in oil, credit, travel, and employment markets.