A stock market crash can be the result of major catastrophic events, economic crisis or the collapse of a long-term speculative bubble. However, public panic is a major contributor.

Stock Market Crash

Hordes of people removing their money from the banks or scrambling to sell their stocks and other assets all at the same time causes economic turmoil and exacerbates any existing economic instability. Although there is no specific threshold for stock market crashes, they are usually identified as abrupt double-digit percentage drops in a stock index over the course of a few days.

The Housing Market Crash of and What Caused the Crash | Stock Picks System

Another major crash occurred in in the housing and real estate market and resulted in what we now refer to as the Great Recession. Since the crashes of and , measures have been put in place to prevent crashes due to panicked stockholders selling their assets in a fire sale. One method is to implement trading curbs , or circuit breakers , which prevent any trade activity whatsoever for a certain period of time following a sharp decline in stock prices, in hopes of stabilizing the market and preventing it from falling further.

Warren Buffett Indicator Predicts Stock Market Crash in

For example, the United States has a set of thresholds in place to guard against crashes. If the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA falls 2, points threshold 2 before 1: If it falls below 3, points threshold 3 , the market closes for the day.

Other countries have similar measures in place. The problem with this method today is that if one stock exchange closes, shares can often still be bought or sold in other exchanges, in which case the preventive measures can backfire. Another way of stabilizing the market is for large entities to purchase massive quantities of stocks, essentially setting an example for individual traders and curbing panic selling.

However, these methods are not only unproven, but may not be effective. Morgan, the famous financier and investor, convinced New York bankers to step in and use their personal and institutional capital to shore up markets. Stock market crashes wipe out equity-investment values and are most harmful to those who rely on investment returns for retirement. Although the collapse of equity prices can occur over a day or a year, crashes are often followed by a recession or depression.

For a detailed lesson on market crashes and a history lesson on the most famous crashes from around the world, read The Greatest Market Crashes. Dictionary Term Of The Day. A measure of what it costs an investment company to operate a mutual fund.

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The First Measured Century: Timeline: Events - Stock Market Crash

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