Which U.S. trading day in 1987 recorded the largest one-day point fall in the Dow at that time?

October 19, 1987 recorded the largest one-day point fall in the Dow Jones Industrial Average at that time.

The date is Black Monday, when the Dow dropped 508 points. Because the index stood at a much lower level than it does in later decades, the percentage loss—22.6 percent—is especially important for comparing crashes. Point losses alone are not meaningful across eras without considering the index’s starting value.

The decline was part of a worldwide market shock. Hong Kong’s market fell first in the global sequence, and selling then spread through Europe and North America. Concerns about trade deficits, interest rates, valuations, and computerized portfolio strategies all contributed to the atmosphere.

The crash led regulators and exchanges to review market structure. Trading halts, known as circuit breakers, were later designed to give markets time to absorb exceptional selling. October 19 is distinct from October 20, when the Dow rebounded sharply.