Guide to stock market depressions

10 Worst Stock Market Crashes 10th Worst Stock Market Crash (1932 - 1933): This crash required the longest recovery time of all the 10 crashes. The combination of the tech bubble bursting and the September 11th terrorist attack served a deadly blow to the stock market, but relative to markets past, this was a minor one. Date Started: 1/15/2000 Date Ended: 10/9/2002 Total Days: 999 Starting DJIA: 11,792.98 Ending DJIA: 7,286.27 Total Loss: -37.8% 9th Worst Stock Market Crash (1916 - 1917): This market suffered about a 40% loss. Date Started: 11/21/1916 Date Ended: 12/19/1917 Total Days: 393 Starting DJIA: 110.15 Ending DJIA: 65.95 Total Loss: -40.1% 8th Worst Stock Market Crash (1939 to 1942): It was one of the most grueling. It took nearly 3 years to recover from this crash! With the attack on Pearl Harbor, the markets had a very tough time. Date Started: 9/12/1939 Date Ended: 4/28/1942 Total Days: 959 Starting DJIA: 155.92 Ending DJIA: 92.92 Total Loss: -40.4% 7th Worst Stock Market Crash (1973-1974): Another long market crash -one that many people still remember (think Vietnam and the Watergate scandal). This crash lasted for 694 days before bottoming out. Date Started: 1/11/1973 Date Ended: 12/06/1974 Total Days: 694 Starting DJIA: 1051.70 Ending DJIA: 577.60 Total Loss: -45.1% 6th Worst Stock Market Crash (1901 - 1903): This is the oldest crash to make the list (DJIA records are not available before 1900). Date Started: 6/17/1901 Date Ended: 11/9/1903 Total Days: 875 Starting DJIA: 57.33 Ending DJIA: 30.88 Total Loss: -46.1% The 5th worst stock market Crash (1919 - 1921): This crash followed a post war boom (Stock prices rose 51%). After the crash bottomed out in August of 1921, this decade saw tremendous growth in the stock market and the economy (often called the roaring twenties). Date Started: 11/3/1919 Date Ended: 8/24/1921 Total Days: 660 Starting DJIA: 119.62 Ending DJIA: 63.9 Total Loss: -46.6% The 4th worst stock market crash in U.S. History Although this is the shortest market crash observed, it was a deadly one. Investors saw almost half their money disappear in just two months. This crash started the "Great Depression." Date Started: 9/3/1929 Date Ended: 11/13/1929 Total Days: 71 Starting DJIA: 381.17 Ending DJIA: 198.69 Total Loss: -47.9% 3rd Worst Stock Market Crash (1906 - 1907): This crash was called the "Panic of 1907." The U.S. Treasury department bought 36 million dollars worth of government bonds to offset the decline Date Started: 1/19/1906 Date Ended: 11/15/1907 Total Days: 665 Starting DJIA: 75.45 Ending DJIA: 38.83 Total Loss: -48.5% 2nd Worst Stock Market Crash (1937 - 1938): Just when investors thought the market was finally good again, following a recovery of almost half of the great depression losses, the market plunged again due to war scare and Wall street scandals. Date Started: 3/10/1937 Date Ended: 3/31/1938 Total Days: 386 Starting DJIA: 194.40 Ending DJIA: 98.95 Total Loss: -49.1% Worst Stock Market Crash Ever: 1932 Stock Market Crash: Investors lost 86% of their money over this 813 day beast. This market crash combined with the 1929 crash, made up the great depression. The full recovery didn't take place until 1954. Date Started: 4/17/1930 Date Ended: 7/8/1932 Total Days: 813 Starting DJIA: 294.07 Ending DJIA: 41.22 Total Loss: -86.0%