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.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average posted significant points losses due to the global impact of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. With stocks falling sharply, the Dow recorded its worst single-day points drop ever, plunging 2,997 points – nearly 13 percent – on March 16, 2020.

Boeing stock hits turbulence The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a stock market index that tracks the share prices of the top 30 U.S. companies. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, firms heavily dependent on travel and tourism had a particularly difficult start to the year. Due to lower production rates and the suspension of flights in the first quarter of 2020, Boeing’s revenue dropped to 16.9 billion U.S. dollars – this represented a year-on-year decline of 26 percent. However, in the second quarter of 2020, Boeing was one of the leading stocks in the DJIA index. Shares were boosted by the relaxing of travel restrictions and greater passenger confidence in flying.

Comparing market collapses Index points represent changes in the collective value of the 30 stocks in the DJIA, providing the general direction of the market. March 2020 was one of the most volatile months in the history of the stock index. Not only did the market record significant losses, but it also saw dramatic one-day points gains. Percentages can also be used to gain a deeper understanding of the true value gained or lost on the market. The largest single-day percentage loss in the history of the Dow remains ‘Black Monday’ in October 1987.

Ten years of daily data for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) market index. Each point of the dataset is represented by the daily closing price for the DJIA. Historical data can be downloaded via the red button on the upper right corner of the chart.

The statistic shows the worst days of the Dow Jones Industrial Average index from 1897 to 2024. The worst day in the history of the index was October 19 1987, when the index value decreased by 22.61 percent. The largest single day loss in points was on May 2, 2018.

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.

The main stock market index in the United States (US500) decreased 176 points or 2.99% since the beginning of 2025, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from United States. United States Stock Market Index - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on March of 2025.

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.

There have been ups and downs in the history of the Dow Jones Industrial Average index (DJIA). Some years brought as much as 30 percent of decrease in its value. Great Recession, however, took the largest toll on the Dow. In 1931, the index lost 52.67 percent of its value.

Index history

Dow Jones Industrial Average index (DJIA) is one of the most important stock market indices worldwide. It was created in 1896 by Charles Dow and Edward Jones. DJIA is the second oldest U.S. stock index after the Dow Jones Transportation Average, which was established in 1984.

Index components

DJIA reflects the performance of thirty large U.S. publicly traded companies. When the index was created, it was primarily composed of industrial companies, hence the index name. With time, the economic situation in the U.S. has changed and apart from industrial companies, which played a huge role in the market in the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, also companies from other leading industries were incorporated into the index. At present, the DJIA index is composed of most renowned U.S. corporations, such as Coca Cola, Microsoft or Walt Disney.

Long term historical dataset of the NASDAQ Composite stock market index since 1971. Historical data is inflation-adjusted using the headline CPI and each data point represents the month-end closing value. The current month is updated on an hourly basis with today's latest value.

Taiwan CCI: next 6 mth: Investment Prospect of Stock Market data was reported at 77.600 Point in Nov 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 85.300 Point for Oct 2018. Taiwan CCI: next 6 mth: Investment Prospect of Stock Market data is updated monthly, averaging 73.200 Point from Jan 2001 (Median) to Nov 2018, with 215 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 109.700 Point in Apr 2015 and a record low of 38.800 Point in Oct 2001. Taiwan CCI: next 6 mth: Investment Prospect of Stock Market data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by The Research Center for Taiwan Economic Development, National Central University. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Taiwan – Table TW.H018: Consumer Confidence Index (CCI).

The main stock market index in Canada (TSX) increased 472 points or 1.91% since the beginning of 2025, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from Canada. Canada Stock Market Index (TSX) - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on March of 2025.

Previous evidence from developed nations has suggested that more trusting individuals are more likely to take financial risks, such as investing in the stock market. Previous studies have found that Chinese citizens have particularly high generalized trust and are more risk-seeking in investment compared with Americans, which makes China an interesting case. The current study examines the relation between generalized trust and stock market participation in China at both a contextual and individual level. Across provinces, a lower level of generalized trust was associated with stock market participation. For example, the stock market participation was four times higher in provinces with the lowest level of perceived fairness than in provinces with the highest level of perceived fairness. The contextual effects of less generalized trust suggest an association between risk-taking behaviors and societal level inequality. At the individual level, trust of strangers was associated with risk preference in highly educated and wealthy people but its effect on risk behaviors was not clear. The findings suggest that trust may affect financial risk-taking behavior at different levels through different pathways, and that cultural differences in understanding of trust also need to be considered.

Between March 2020 and August 2024, four of the biggest one-day losses on the Nasdaq Composite Index occurred in the first half of 2020. The worst day was March 16, 2020, when the index fell by 12.32 percent. The 25 worst days in terms of losses were spread across 2020 and 2022. This index includes the Big Five tech giants - Apple, Amazon, Alphabet (Google), Meta, and Microsoft - as well as many other technology-focused companies.

Between March 4 and March 11, 2020, the S&P 500 index declined by twelve percent, descending into a bear market. On March 12, 2020, the S&P 500 plunged 9.5 percent, its steepest one-day fall since 1987. The index began to recover at the start of April and reached a peak in December 2021. As of December 29, 2024, the value of the S&P 500 stood at 5,942.47 points. Coronavirus sparks stock market chaos Stock markets plunged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with investors fearing its spread would destroy economic growth. Buoyed by figures that suggested cases were leveling off in China, investors were initially optimistic about the virus being contained. However, confidence in the market started to subside as the number of cases increased worldwide. Investors were deterred from buying stocks, and this was reflected in the markets – the values of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq Composite also dived during the height of the crisis. What is a bear market? A bear market occurs when the value of a stock market suffers a prolonged decline of more than 20 percent over a period of at least two months. The COVID-19 pandemic caused severe concern and sent stock markets on a steep downward spiral. The S&P 500 achieved a record closing high of 3,386 on February 19, 2020. However, just over three weeks later, the market closed on 2,480, which represented a decline of around 26 percent in only 16 sessions.

Key information about Ireland ISEQ All Shares

• Ireland ISEQ All Shares closed at 10,983.0 points in Feb 2025, compared with 10,205.9 points at the previous month end
• Ireland Equity Market Index: Month End: ISEQ All Shares data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1983 to Feb 2025, with an average number of 4,325.7 points
• The data reached an all-time high of 10,983.0 points in Feb 2025 and a record low of 312.4 points in Jan 1983

As of August 2020, the S&P 500 index had lost 34 percent of its value due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Great Crash, which began with Black Tuesday, remains the most significant loss in value in its history. That market crash lasted for 300 months and wiped 86 percent off the index value.

Key information about Egypt EGP

• Egypt EGP closed at 30,610.4 points in Feb 2025, compared with 30,010.6 points at the previous month end
• Egypt Equity Market Index: Month End: EGX 30: EGP data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1998 to Feb 2025, with an average number of 6,725.5 points
• The data reached an all-time high of 31,587.0 points in Sep 2024 and a record low of 448.0 points in Jan 2002

• In the latest reports, EGX recorded a monthly P/E ratio of 16.5 in Oct 2024

The main stock market index in India (SENSEX) decreased 533 points or 0.68% since the beginning of 2025, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from India. BSE SENSEX Stock Market Index - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on March of 2025.

Key information about France CAC 40

• France CAC 40 closed at 8,111.6 points in Feb 2025, compared with 7,950.2 points at the previous month end
• France Equity Market Index: Month End: CAC 40 data is updated monthly, available from Dec 1987 to Feb 2025, with an average number of 4,067.8 points
• The data reached an all-time high of 8,205.8 points in Mar 2024 and a record low of 893.8 points in Jan 1988

Key information about Poland WIG20

• Poland WIG20 closed at 2,579.5 points in Feb 2025, compared with 2,433.8 points at the previous month end
• Poland Equity Market Index: Month End: WIG20 data is updated monthly, available from Dec 1996 to Feb 2025, with an average number of 2,151.9 points
• The data reached an all-time high of 3,877.6 points in Oct 2007 and a record low of 1,022.6 points in Sep 2001