COVID-19 Crash
February 2020 – March 2020
Duration: 1 monthS&P 500 DRAWDOWN
−34%
peak to trough
What Happened
TRIGGER
Global pandemic lockdowns, economic shutdown fears, oil price war
The fastest bear market in history. The S&P 500 fell 34% in just 23 trading days as COVID-19 spread globally and governments imposed unprecedented lockdowns. Central banks and fiscal authorities responded with the largest coordinated stimulus in history, triggering one of the sharpest recoveries ever recorded.
Key Facts
- 01S&P 500 fell 34% from peak to trough in just 23 trading days
- 02VIX spiked to 82.69 on March 16 — the highest closing level ever recorded
- 03The Fed cut rates to zero and launched unlimited QE within two weeks
- 04US Congress passed $2.2 trillion CARES Act stimulus package
- 05Markets recovered all losses by August 2020 — a V-shaped recovery
Worst Performers
top 5 biggest losersBest Performers
top 5 most resilientSector Breakdown
HARDEST HIT SECTORS
MOST RESILIENT SECTORS
Recovery Timeline
5 months to recover prior highs
Time from trough to prior all-time high
PORTFOLIO STRESS TEST
How would YOUR portfolio have performed?
See exactly how much your current holdings would have lost during the COVID-19 — and 17 other crisis scenarios including geopolitical shocks and black swans.
Run Portfolio Stress Test →OTHER HISTORICAL CRISES
Historical data is educational only. Not financial advice. Past crisis returns do not predict future performance.