How much did the market drop in 1987?
Christopher Pierce
Updated on February 28, 2026
The “Black Monday” stock market crash of Oct. 19, 1987, saw U.S. markets fall more than 20% in a single day. It is thought that the cause of the crash was precipitated by computer program-driven trading models that followed a portfolio insurance strategy as well as investor panic.
How did the Fed respond to the market crash of 87 and 08?
The Federal Reserve (the Fed) responded to the crash in four distinct ways: (1) issuing a public statement promising to provide liquidity, as needed, “to support the economic and financial system”; (2) providing support to the Treasury securities market by injecting in-high-demand maturities into the market via reverse …
What was portfolio insurance in 1987?
The 1987 villain was something called portfolio insurance. It was a product that used stock index futures and options to assure institutional investors that they need not worry if market prices seemed to be unreasonably high. Portfolio insurance would let them get out with minimal damage if markets ever began to fall.
How did Portfolio insurance work?
Portfolio insurance isn’t a policy, it’s an investment strategy. When you use portfolio insurance, you bet on the stock market going up, while hedging against the risk that your investments will tank instead. In theory, by balancing stocks and options on stocks, you can achieve a risk-free portfolio.
Why did stocks crash 1987?
Understanding the Stock Market Crash of 1987 Heightened hostilities in the Persian Gulf, a fear of higher interest rates, a five-year bull market without a significant correction, and the introduction of computerized trading have all been named as potential causes of the crash.
What was the stock market crash of October 19 1987?
World stock market crash of Monday, October 19, 1987. FTSE 100 Index (June 19, 1987, to January 19, 1988). DJIA (June 19, 1987, to January 19, 1988). Black Monday on October 19, 1987 was the date when a sudden and largely unexpected stock market crash affected markets around the world.
How long did it take to recover from the 1987 crash?
It took two years for the Dow to recover completely and by September 1989, the market had regained all of the value it had lost in the 1987 crash. The DJIA gained 0.6% during calendar year 1987.
How did the crash of 1987 change implied volatility patterns?
The crash of 1987 also altered implied volatility patterns that arise in pricing financial options. Equity options traded in American markets did not show a volatility smile before the crash but began showing one afterward.
What happened on Black Monday 1987?
Monday, October 19,1987 is known as Black Monday. On that day, stockbrokers in New York, London, Hong Kong, Berlin, Tokyo and just about any other city with an exchange stared at the figures running across their displays with a growing sense of dread. A financial strut had buckled, and the strain brought world markets tumbling down.