The Long Depression was, by a large margin, the longest-lasting recession in U.S. history. It began in the U.S. with the Panic of 1873, and lasted for over five years. This depression was the largest in a series of recessions at the turn of the 20th century, which proved to be a period of overall stagnation as the U.S. financial markets failed to keep pace with industrialization and changes in monetary policy. Great Depression The Great Depression, however, is widely considered to have been the most severe recession in U.S. history. Following the Wall Street Crash in 1929, the country's economy collapsed, wages fell and a quarter of the workforce was unemployed. It would take almost four years for recovery to begin. Additionally, U.S. expansion and integration in international markets allowed the depression to become a global event, which became a major catalyst in the build up to the Second World War. Decreasing severity When comparing recessions before and after the Great Depression, they have generally become shorter and less frequent over time. Only three recessions in the latter period have lasted more than one year. Additionally, while there were 12 recessions between 1880 and 1920, there were only six recessions between 1980 and 2020. The most severe recession in recent years was the financial crisis of 2007 (known as the Great Recession), where irresponsible lending policies and lack of government regulation allowed for a property bubble to develop and become detached from the economy over time, this eventually became untenable and the bubble burst. Although the causes of both the Great Depression and Great Recession were similar in many aspects, economists have been able to use historical evidence to try and predict, prevent, or limit the impact of future recessions.

The value of the DJIA index amounted to 43,191.24 at the end of March 2025, up from 21,917.16 at the end of March 2020. Global panic about the coronavirus epidemic caused the drop in March 2020, which was the worst drop since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008. Dow Jones Industrial Average index – additional information The Dow Jones Industrial Average index is a price-weighted average of 30 of the largest American publicly traded companies on New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ, and includes companies like Goldman Sachs, IBM and Walt Disney. This index is considered to be a barometer of the state of the American economy. DJIA index was created in 1986 by Charles Dow. Along with the NASDAQ 100 and S&P 500 indices, it is amongst the most well-known and used stock indexes in the world. The year that the 2018 financial crisis unfolded was one of the worst years of the Dow. It was also in 2008 that some of the largest ever recorded losses of the Dow Jones Index based on single-day points were registered. On September 29th of 2008, for instance, the Dow had a loss of 106.85 points, one of the largest single-day losses of all times. The best years in the history of the index still are 1915, when the index value increased by 81.66 percent in one year, and 1933, year when the index registered a growth of 63.74 percent.

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27 February 2008

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Video summary of the ALDE workshop "The International Financial Crisis: Its causes and what to do about it?"

Event date: 27/02/08 14:00 to 18:00
Location: Room ASP 5G2, European Parliament, Brussels
This workshop will bring together Members of the European Parliament, economists, academics and journalists as well as representatives of the European Commission to discuss the lessons that have to be drawn from the recent financial crisis caused by the US sub-prime mortgage market.

With the view of the informal ECOFIN meeting in April which will look at the financial sector supervision and crisis management mechanisms, this workshop aims at debating a wide range of topics including:
- how to improve the existing supervisory framework,
- how to combat the opacity of financial markets and improve transparency requirements,
- how to address the rating agencies' performance and conflict of interest,
- what regulatory lessons are to be learnt in order to avoid a repetition of the sub-prime and the resulting credit crunch.

PROGRAMME

14:00 - 14:10 Opening remarks: Graham Watson, leader of the of the ALDE Group
14:10 - 14:25 Keynote speech by Charlie McCreevy, Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services, European Commission
14:25 - 14:40 Presentation by Daniel Daianu, MEP (ALDE) of his background paper
14:40 - 15:30 Panel I: Current features of the financial systems and the main causes of the current international crisis.

-John Purvis, MEP EPP
-Eric De Keuleneer, Solvay Business School, Free University of Brussels
-Nigel Phipps, Head of European Regulatory Affairs Moody's
-Wolfgang Munchau, journalist Financial Times
-Robert Priester, European Banking Federation (EBF), Head of Department Banking Supervision and Financial Markets
-Ray Kinsella, Director of the Centre for Insurance Studies University College Dublin
-Servaas Deroose, Director ECFIN.C, Macroeconomy of the euro area and the EU, European Commission
-Leke Van den Burg, MEP PSE
-David Smith, Visiting Professor at Derby Business School

View data of the S&P 500, an index of the stocks of 500 leading companies in the US economy, which provides a gauge of the U.S. equity market.

Abstract

Finance and Insurance survey covered PMA, Commercial and Islamic Banks, Credit Institutions, Holding Companies, PEX, and Money Brokers, Insurance Corporations, Financial leasing companies and Money Exchangers. There was full coverage of all enterprises engaged in the relevant activities (except money exchangers), and for money exchangers a sample was selected.

Finance and Insurance survey 2018 aims to provide the following indicators: 1. Number of active enterprises by economic activity. 2. Number of employed persons (waged and non-waged) and compensations of waged employees by economic activity. 3. Value of output from main and secondary economic activities by economic activity. 4. Intermediate consumption by economic activity. 5. Value added and its main components by economic activity. 6. Transfers and other payments by economic activity. 7. Fixed assets and GFCF by economic activity.

These indicators will be used: 1. In compiling National Accounts according to SNA 2008. 2. In economic research and analysis. 3. By decision makers, planners and other interested parties.

Geographic coverage

Remaining West Bank and Gaza Strip

Analysis unit

Enterprise

Universe

Finance and Insurance survey covered all enterprises engaged in the activities classified under the tabulation category K according to ISIC-4, which includes PMA, Commercial and Islamic Banks, Credit Institutions, PEX, Stock market Institutions, Holding Companies, Financial Leasing companies (for the first time) and Insurance Corporations.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Finance and Insurance survey covered PMA, banks, credit institutions, holding companies, financial leasing companies (for the first time), insurance institutions, PEX, money brokers, and money exchangers. There was full coverage of all enterprises engaged in the relevant activities (except money exchangers), and for money exchangers a sample was selected.

The number of financial intermediation enterprises and insurance enterprises was 51 enterprises in 2018, while the sample size of money exchangers was 120 enterprises.

The sample of money exchanger's survey is a one-stage stratified systematic random sample in which enterprises were divided into two groups: the first group is all the enterprises with an employment size of 8 employees and more, the second group includes enterprises that are chosen in a systematic random way and employs (1-7) employees.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The questionnaire used in this survey has much in common with other Economic Survey Series questionnaires. The questionnaire design took into account the major economic variables related to insurance and financial activities to meet the requirements used in compiling Palestinian National Accounts and the updates in the latest international manuals (SNA-2008 and BPM-6).

The questionnaire included the following variables: 1. Number of employed persons and the value of their compensations. 2. Value of output from main and secondary activities. 3. Value of financial investments. 4. Production inputs of goods and services. 5. Transfers and Property income. 6. Taxes on production. 7. Assets and net additions to these assets and the depreciation of these assets during 2018.

Cleaning operations

To ensure the quality and consistency of data, a number of procedures were implemented: - A set of validation rules were applied to data entry program to check the consistency and accuracy of data. - The program was tested by entering a number of questionnaires that include incorrect data. The data entry program was checked prior to data collection to ensure that it can be used correctly. - Well-trained data entry personnel were selected and trained for data entry process. - Data files received by project management were checked for accuracy and consistency using a prepared Syntax on SPSS.
- After the process of data entry and data editing, primary tables were prepared. The consistency and accuracy of these tables were checked several times.

Response rate

Response Rates

Response rates for banking sector activity (PMA. banks and other credit institutions), stock market brokers activity, holding companies activity, financial leasing activity, and insurance activity: - Response rate = 84.8% - Non- response rate = 15.2% - Over-coverage rate = 1.5%

Response rates for money exchangers activity: - Non-Response Rate = 9.3% - Response Rate = 90.7%

Sampling error estimates

Sampling Errors

For financial intermediation and insurance activities (except money exchangers) the findings of the survey are not affected by sampling errors because it is a comprehensive survey. On the other hand, for money exchanger's activity the findings of the survey may be affected by sampling errors due to use of a sample. This will increase the chance of variances from the actual values obtained from comprehensive enumeration. The variances of the key indicators in the survey were computed and disseminated on Palestine as a whole for reasons related to sample design and the computation of the variances of the main indicators (number of employed persons, intermediate consumption, output, gross value added, and compensations of employees).

Non-sampling Errors These types of errors could appear in one or in all of the survey stages. They are related to respondents, field workers, and data entry personnel. To avoid this type of errors and reduce its impact, a number of procedures were used to enhance the accuracy of data collection and data processing.

Graph and download economic data for Money Market Funds; Total Financial Assets, Level (MMMFFAQ027S) from Q4 1945 to Q4 2024 about MMMF, IMA, financial, assets, and USA.

Algeria DZ: Market Capitalization: Listed Domestic Companies as % of GDP data was reported at 0.206 % in 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.211 % for 2017. Algeria DZ: Market Capitalization: Listed Domestic Companies as % of GDP data is updated yearly, averaging 0.118 % from Dec 1999 (Median) to 2018, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.569 % in 1999 and a record low of 0.053 % in 2008. Algeria DZ: Market Capitalization: Listed Domestic Companies as % of GDP data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Algeria – Table DZ.World Bank.WDI: Financial Sector. Market capitalization (also known as market value) is the share price times the number of shares outstanding (including their several classes) for listed domestic companies. Investment funds, unit trusts, and companies whose only business goal is to hold shares of other listed companies are excluded. Data are end of year values.; ; World Federation of Exchanges database.; Weighted average; Stock market data were previously sourced from Standard & Poor's until they discontinued their 'Global Stock Markets Factbook' and database in April 2013. Time series have been replaced in December 2015 with data from the World Federation of Exchanges and may differ from the previous S&P definitions and methodology.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) index dropped around 8,000 points in the four weeks from February 12 to March 11, 2020, but has since recovered and peaked at 44,910.65 points as of November 24, 2024. In February 2020 - just prior to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the DJIA index stood at a little over 29,000 points. U.S. markets suffer as virus spreads The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a turbulent period for stock markets – the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also recorded dramatic drops. At the start of February, some analysts remained optimistic that the outbreak would ease. However, the increased spread of the virus started to hit investor confidence, prompting a record plunge in the stock markets. The Dow dropped by more than 3,500 points in the week from February 21 to February 28, which was a fall of 12.4 percent – its worst percentage loss in a week since October 2008. Stock markets offer valuable economic insights The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a stock market index that monitors the share prices of the 30 largest companies in the United States. By studying the performance of the listed companies, analysts can gauge the strength of the domestic economy. If investors are confident in a company’s future, they will buy its stocks. The uncertainty of the coronavirus sparked fears of an economic crisis, and many traders decided that investment during the pandemic was too risky.

Graph and download economic data for Dates of U.S. recessions as inferred by GDP-based recession indicator (JHDUSRGDPBR) from Q4 1967 to Q3 2024 about recession indicators, GDP, and USA.

The Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 index (FTSE 100) is a share index of the 100 companies listed on the London Stock Exchange with the highest market capitalization. The index, which began in January 1984 with the base level of 1,000, reached 8,173.02 at the end of 2024. LSE Overview Established in 1571, the London Stock Exchange (LSE) has grown to become the ninth-largest globally. Companies listed on the LSE had a companies primarily hail from the energy and pharmaceutical sectors, with Shell and AstraZeneca leading the pack. In the realm of

The 2020 recession did not follow the trend of previous recessions in the United States because only six months elapsed between the yield curve inversion and the 2020 recession. Over the last five decades, 12 months, on average, has elapsed between the initial yield curve inversion and the beginning of a recession in the United States. For instance, the yield curve inverted initially in January 2006, which was 22 months before the start of the 2008 recession. A yield curve inversion refers to the event where short-term Treasury bonds, such as one or three month bonds, have higher yields than longer term bonds, such as three or five year bonds. This is unusual, because long-term investments typically have higher yields than short-term ones in order to reward investors for taking on the extra risk of longer term investments. Monthly updates on the Treasury yield curve can be seen here.

As of January 2025, the largest all-time bankruptcy in the United States remained Lehman Brothers. The New York-based investment bank had assets worth 691 billion U.S. dollars when it filed for bankruptcy on September 15, 2008. This event was one of the major points in the timeline of the Great Recession, as it was the first time a bank of its size had failed and had a domino effect on the global banking sector, as well as wiping almost five percent of the S&P 500 in one day. Bank failures in the U.S. In March 2023, for the first time since 2021, two banks collapsed in the United States. Both bank failures made the list of largest bankruptcies in terms of total assets lost: The failure of Silicon Valley Bank amounted to roughly 209 billion U.S. dollars worth of assets lost, while Signature Bank had approximately 110.4 billion U.S. dollars when it collapsed. These failures mark the second- and the third-largest bank failures in the U.S. since 2001. Unprofitable banks in the U.S. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank painted an alarming picture of the U.S. banking industry. In reality, however, the state of the industry was much better in 2022 than in earlier periods of economic downturns. The share of unprofitable banks, for instance, was 3.4 percent in 2022, which was an increase compared to 2021, but remained well below the share of unprofitable banks in 2020, let alone during the global financial crisis in 2008. The share of unprofitable banks in the U.S. peaked in 2009, when almost 30 percent of all FDIC-insured commercial banks and savings institutions were unprofitable.

Ireland IE: Market Capitalization: Listed Domestic Companies: % of GDP data was reported at 43.914 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 39.311 % for 2016. Ireland IE: Market Capitalization: Listed Domestic Companies: % of GDP data is updated yearly, averaging 53.315 % from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2017, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 82.003 % in 2000 and a record low of 17.995 % in 2008. Ireland IE: Market Capitalization: Listed Domestic Companies: % of GDP data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ireland – Table IE.World Bank.WDI: Financial Sector. Market capitalization (also known as market value) is the share price times the number of shares outstanding (including their several classes) for listed domestic companies. Investment funds, unit trusts, and companies whose only business goal is to hold shares of other listed companies are excluded. Data are end of year values.; ; World Federation of Exchanges database.; Weighted average; Stock market data were previously sourced from Standard & Poor's until they discontinued their 'Global Stock Markets Factbook' and database in April 2013. Time series have been replaced in December 2015 with data from the World Federation of Exchanges and may differ from the previous S&P definitions and methodology.

Personal savings in the United States reached a value of 911 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, which is significantly higher than in 2022. Personal savings peaked in 2020 at nearly 2.7 trillion U.S. dollars. Those figures remained very high until 2021. The excess savings during the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. and other countries were the main reason for that increase, as the measures implemented to contain the spread of the virus had an impact on consumer spending.

Saving before and after the 2008 financial crisisDuring the periods of growth and certain economic stability in the pre-2008 crisis period, there were falling savings rates. People were confident the good times would stay and felt comfortable borrowing money. Credit was easily accessible and widely available, which encouraged people to spend money. However, in times of austerity, people generally tend to their private savings due to a higher economic uncertainty. That was also the case in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Savings and inflationThe economic climate of high inflation and rising Federal Reserve interest rates in the U.S. made it increasingly difficult to save money in 2022. Not only does inflation affect the ability of people to save, but reversely, consumer behavior also affects inflation. On the one hand, prices can increase when the production costs are higher. That can be the case, for example, when the price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil or other raw materials increases. On the other hand, when people have a lot of savings and the economy is strong, high levels of consumer demand can also increase the final price of products.

The Federal Reserve's balance sheet has undergone significant changes since 2007, reflecting its response to major economic crises. From a modest 0.9 trillion U.S. dollars at the end of 2007, it ballooned to approximately 6.76 trillion U.S. dollars by March 2025. This dramatic expansion, particularly during the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic - both of which resulted in negative annual GDP growth in the U.S. - showcases the Fed's crucial role in stabilizing the economy through expansionary monetary policies. Impact on inflation and interest rates The Fed's expansionary measures, while aimed at stimulating economic growth, have had notable effects on inflation and interest rates. Following the quantitative easing in 2020, inflation in the United States reached eight percent in 2022, the highest since 1991. However, by November 2024, inflation had declined to 2.7 percent. Concurrently, the Federal Reserve implemented a series of interest rate hikes, with the rate peaking at 5.33 percent in August 2023, before the first rate cut since September 2021 occurred in September 2024. Financial implications for the Federal Reserve The expansion of the Fed's balance sheet and subsequent interest rate hikes have had significant financial implications. In 2023, the Fed reported a negative net income of 114.3 billion U.S. dollars, a stark contrast to the 58.84 billion U.S. dollars profit in 2022. This unprecedented shift was primarily due to rapidly rising interest rates, which caused the Fed's interest expenses to soar to over 281 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. Despite this, the Fed's net interest income on securities acquired through open market operations reached a record high of 174.53 billion U.S. dollars in the same year.

United Kingdom UK: Stocks Traded: Turnover Ratio of Domestic Shares data was reported at 146.431 % in 2008. This records an increase from the previous number of 102.632 % for 2007. United Kingdom UK: Stocks Traded: Turnover Ratio of Domestic Shares data is updated yearly, averaging 40.860 % from Dec 1975 (Median) to 2008, with 34 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 146.431 % in 2008 and a record low of 15.170 % in 1978. United Kingdom UK: Stocks Traded: Turnover Ratio of Domestic Shares data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Financial Sector. Turnover ratio is the value of domestic shares traded divided by their market capitalization. The value is annualized by multiplying the monthly average by 12.; ; World Federation of Exchanges database.; Weighted average; Stock market data were previously sourced from Standard & Poor's until they discontinued their 'Global Stock Markets Factbook' and database in April 2013. Time series have been replaced in December 2015 with data from the World Federation of Exchanges and may differ from the previous S&P definitions and methodology.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a stock market index used to analyze trends in the stock market. While many economists prefer to use other, market-weighted indices (the DJIA is price-weighted) as they are perceived to be more representative of the overall market, the Dow Jones remains one of the most commonly-used indices today, and its longevity allows for historical events and long-term trends to be analyzed over extended periods of time. Average changes in yearly closing prices, for example, shows how markets developed year on year. Figures were more sporadic in early years, but the impact of major events can be observed throughout. For example, the occasions where a decrease of more than 25 percent was observed each coincided with a major recession; these include the Post-WWI Recession in 1920, the Great Depression in 1929, the Recession of 1937-38, the 1973-75 Recession, and the Great Recession in 2008.

Australia Stocks Traded: Turnover Ratio of Domestic Shares data was reported at 64.880 % in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 56.596 % for 2021. Australia Stocks Traded: Turnover Ratio of Domestic Shares data is updated yearly, averaging 54.116 % from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2022, with 44 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 122.791 % in 2008 and a record low of 5.149 % in 1979. Australia Stocks Traded: Turnover Ratio of Domestic Shares data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.World Bank.WDI: Financial Sector. Turnover ratio is the value of domestic shares traded divided by their market capitalization. The value is annualized by multiplying the monthly average by 12.;World Federation of Exchanges database.;Weighted average;Stock market data were previously sourced from Standard & Poor's until they discontinued their 'Global Stock Markets Factbook' and database in April 2013. Time series have been replaced in December 2015 with data from the World Federation of Exchanges and may differ from the previous S&P definitions and methodology.

The global fintech landscape in 2024 continued to be dominated by North America, home to more than 12,000 financial technology companies, showing modest growth from 2023. Europe maintained its position as the second-largest fintech hub with over 9,200 companies, while the Asia-Pacific region hosted 6,365 fintechs. Though the sector experienced steady expansion from 2008 to 2024, the pace of new fintech formations noticeably slowed after 2021. In 2024, the United States reinforced its leadership in the industry by hosting approximately five times as many fintech unicorns as the second-ranked United Kingdom. Fintech investment landscape Investment into the fintech sector grew sharply between 2010 and 2021, with global investment value reaching an all-time high in 2021. After 2021, however, investment activity slowed down considerably. While the early slowdown may have been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the continued moderation in investment likely signals that the fintech sector is entering a more mature phase. This maturation is characterized by market consolidation, increased focus on profitability over growth, and more selective investment in proven business models rather than speculative ventures. Leading fintech companies Services provided by fintech companies have become deeply integrated into daily life, transforming how people manage money, make payments, and access financial services. While fintech companies operate globally, the United States and China have emerged as dominant hubs, together hosting eight of the world's ten largest fintech companies in 2024. However, innovation in the sector extends beyond these markets, as demonstrated by Stripe, an Irish payment processing platform that claimed the position of most valuable fintech unicorn in 2024.

It is estimated that the cumulative market cap of cryptocurrencies increased in early 2023 after the downfall in November 2022 due to FTX. That value declined in the summer of 2023, however, as international uncertainty grew over a potential recession. Bitcoin's market cap made up the majority of the overall market capitalization.

What is market cap?

Market capitalization is a financial measure typically used for publicly traded firms, computed by multiplying the share price by the number of outstanding shares. However, cryptocurrency analysts calculate it as the price of the virtual currencies times the number of coins in the market. This gives cryptocurrency investors an idea of the overall market size, and watching the evolution of the measure tells how much money is flowing in or out of each cryptocurrency.

Cryptocurrency as an investment

The price of Bitcoin has been erratic, and most other cryptocurrencies follow its larger price swings. This volatility attracts investors who hope to buy when the price is low and sell at its peak, turning a profit. However, this does little for price stability. As such, few firms accept payment in cryptocurrencies.