The worldwide stock-market crash associated with the start of the Great Depression occurred in 1929.
The United States market had risen strongly during the 1920s, supported by easy credit, speculative buying, and widespread use of margin. Prices began weakening before the most famous October sessions, and selling intensified on Black Thursday, Black Monday, and Black Tuesday.
The crash spread through international financial and trade connections, although its effects differed by country. Falling asset prices reduced wealth and confidence, while bank failures and contracting credit made the economic damage worse. The Great Depression resulted from several interacting causes rather than from the crash alone.
A common mix-up is to treat October 24 as the only crash date. That day was Black Thursday, while October 29 was Black Tuesday. The Dow’s decline continued for years, reaching its lowest point in 1932 before beginning a longer recovery.