Stock FAQs

how did the stock market crash in 2008

by Oceane Swaniawski Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

Causes of the Crash:

  • No Liquidity. During the crash, the markets were not able to handle the imbalance of sell orders;
  • Overvalued Stocks;
  • Program Trading and the Use of Derivative Securities Software. Large institutional investment companies used computers to execute large stock trades automatically when certain market conditions prevailed. ...

The stock market crash of 2008 was a result of defaults on consolidated mortgage-backed securities. Subprime housing loans comprised most MBS. Banks offered these loans to almost everyone, even those who weren't creditworthy. When the housing market fell, many homeowners defaulted on their loans.

Full Answer

What is the worst stock market crash?

Sep 15, 2018 · A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on September 15, 2008 in New York City. In afternoon trading the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell over 500 points as U.S. stocks suffered...

When was the last market crash?

Nov 03, 2008 · on sept. 6, 2008, with the financial markets down nearly 20% from the oct. 2007 peaks, the government announced its takeover of fannie mae and freddie mac as a result of losses from heavy exposure...

Can the stock market really crash?

Sep 21, 2021 · The stock market crashed in 2008 because too many had people had taken on loans they couldn’t afford. Lenders relaxed their strict lending standards to extend credit to people who were less than qualified. This drove up housing prices to levels that many could not otherwise afford.

When will the stock market collapse?

The major cause of the stock market crash 2008 is found to be the explosive growth of the subprime mortgage market that began in 1999. However the exact factor or reason for the stock market crash 2008 is still a mystery, but some general agreements define the causes of the crash.

image

How long did it take for stock market to recover from 2008?

9, 2007 -- but by September of 2008, the major stock indexes had lost nearly 20% of their value. The Dow didn't reach its lowest point, which was 54% below its peak, until March 6, 2009. It then took four years for the Dow to fully recover from the crash.Feb 2, 2022

How did the economy crash in 2008?

While the causes of the bubble and subsequent crash are disputed, the precipitating factor for the Financial Crisis of 2007–2008 was the bursting of the United States housing bubble and the subsequent subprime mortgage crisis, which occurred due to a high default rate and resulting foreclosures of mortgage loans, ...

Who made money in 2008 crash?

1. Warren Buffett. In October 2008, Warren Buffett published an article in the New York TimesOp-Ed section declaring he was buying American stocks during the equity downfall brought on by the credit crisis.

Who is to blame for the Great Recession of 2008?

The Biggest Culprit: The Lenders Most of the blame is on the mortgage originators or the lenders. That's because they were responsible for creating these problems. After all, the lenders were the ones who advanced loans to people with poor credit and a high risk of default. 7 Here's why that happened.

What was the financial crisis of 2008?

The 2008 financial crisis had its origins in the housing market, for generations the symbolic cornerstone of American prosperity. Federal policy conspicuously supported the American dream of homeownership since at least the 1930s, when the U.S. government began to back the mortgage market. It went further after WWII, offering veterans cheap home loans through the G.I. Bill. Policymakers reasoned they could avoid a return to prewar slump conditions so long as the undeveloped lands around cities could fill up with new houses, and the new houses with new appliances, and the new driveways with new cars. All this new buying meant new jobs, and security for generations to come.

When did the Dow Jones Industrial Average fall?

In afternoon trading the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell over 500 points as U.S. stocks suffered a steep loss after news of the financial firm Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Why did the mortgage salesmen make these deals without investigating a borrower's fitness or a property's

The salesmen could make these deals without investigating a borrower's fitness or a property's value because the lenders they represented had no intention of keeping the loans. Lenders would sell these mortgages onward; bankers would bundle them into securities and peddle them to institutional investors eager for the returns the American housing market had yielded so consistently since the 1930s. The ultimate mortgage owners would often be thousands of miles away and unaware of what they had bought. They knew only that the rating agencies said it was as safe as houses always had been, at least since the Depression.

Who is Eric Rauchway?

Eric Rauchway is the author of several books on US history including Winter War and The Money Makers. He teaches at the University of California, Davis, and you can find him on Twitter @rauchway.

When did Bear Stearns go under?

In March 2008, the investment bank Bear Stearns began to go under, so the U.S. treasury and the Federal Reserve system brokered, and partly financed, a deal for its acquisition by JPMorgan Chase.

What was the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000?

Congress gave them one way to do so in 2000, with the Commodity Futures Modernization Act, deregulating over-the-counter derivatives—securities that were essentially bets that two parties could privately make on the future price of an asset. Like, for example, bundled mortgages.

What did the Glass-Steagall Act do?

the Glass-Steagall Act ), they separated these newly secure institutions from the investment banks that engaged in riskier financial endeavors.

What happened in 2008?

By the fall of 2008, borrowers were defaulting on subprime mortgages in high numbers, causing turmoil in the financial markets, the collapse of the stock market, and the ensuing global Great Recession.

How much did the Dow drop in 2008?

The Dow would plummet 3,600 points from its Sept. 19, 2008 intraday high of 11,483 to the Oct. 10, 2008 intraday low of 7,882. The following is a recap of the major U.S. events that unfolded during this historic three-week period.

Why did Bear Stearns fail?

By March 2007, with the failure of Bear Stearns due to huge losses resulting from its underwriting many of the investment vehicles linked to the subprime mortgage market, it became evident that the entire subprime lending market was in trouble.

What is subprime mortgage?

Subprime mortgages are mortgages targeted at borrowers with less-than-perfect credit and less-than-adequate savings. An increase in subprime borrowing began in 1999 as the Federal National Mortgage Association (widely referred to as Fannie Mae) began a concerted effort to make home loans more accessible to those with lower credit and savings than lenders typically required. 1 

Which banks are still standing?

Goldman Sachs (GS) and Morgan Stanley (MS), the last two of the major investment banks still standing, convert from investment banks to bank holding companies to gain more flexibility for obtaining bailout funding.

When did the subprime mortgage market start?

Read on to learn how the explosive growth of the subprime mortgage market, which began in 1999, played a significant role in setting the stage for the turmoil that would unfold just nine years later in 2008 when both the stock market and housing market crashed.

What is the role of Fannie and Freddie?

2 . The role of Fannie and Freddie is to repurchase mortgages from the lenders who originated them and make money when mortgage notes are paid. Thus, ever-increasing mortgage default rates led to a crippling decrease in revenue for these two companies.

Why did the stock market crash in 2008?

The stock market crashed in 2008 because too many had people had taken on loans they couldn’t afford. Lenders relaxed their strict lending standards to extend credit to people who were less than qualified. This drove up housing prices to levels that many could not otherwise afford.

When did the housing market slow down?

While the housing market slowed down in 2007, many missed the warning bells of the impending recession. The World Bank sounded the alarm in January 2008 when it predicted that global economic growth would slow down as a result of the credit crunch. Few envisioned the severity of the market crash of 2008 or the steep economic decline caused by ...

What happens if a borrower defaults on a mortgage?

If a borrower defaulted, banks could foreclose without taking a loss on the sale. The resulting seller’s market meant that if homeowners couldn’t afford the payments, they could sell the house and the equity would cover the loss. A crisis was virtually inevtiable.

What banks were involved in the bailout?

The build-up of bad debt resulted in a series of government bailouts starting with Bear Stearns, a failing investment bank. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the nickname given the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation) were next on the government-sponsored bailout train.

What was the unemployment rate in 2007?

The economy continued to lose hundreds of thousands of jobs, and the unemployment rate peaked at 10 percent, double the December 2007 national unemployment rate of 5 percent. Three of the biggest automakers (known as the Big Three) were in trouble and asked the government for help.

What was the stimulus package for the economy?

Only weeks after taking office, President Barack Obama outlined an economic stimulus package to boost consumer spending. Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 in February as a way to jumpstart the economy and generate jobs.

Why did Lehman Brothers collapse?

In September 2008, investment firm Lehman Brothers collapsed because of its overexposure to subprime mortgages. It was the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history up to that point. Later that month, the Federal Reserve announced yet another bailout.

What was the cause of the 2008 stock market crash?

The major cause of the stock market crash 2008 is found to be the explosive growth of the subprime mortgage market that began in 1999. However the exact factor or reason for the stock market crash 2008 is still a mystery, but some general agreements define the causes of the crash.

When did the Dow Jones crash?

The 2008 crash took place on September 29, 2008, when the fall of Dow Jones Industrial Average to 777.68 per cent. The crash began in the US and later spread to Europe that tended to affect many US and Europe financial firms.

How much GDP growth was there in 2007?

As per the study in 2007 by the BEA, the GDP growth estimation reveals that there was only 0.6% growth in the fourth quarter of 2007 with the loss of 17,000 jobs since 2004.

How much did Lehman Brothers lose in 2008?

With the collapse of Lehman Brothers, there was a loss of $196 billion that increased the panic among many businesses. Bank has driven up the rates as they were afraid to lend money. By September 17, 2008, the Dow fell by 446.92 points.

When did the Dow drop 800 points?

The Dow Dropped 800 points and closed at 10,000 on October 6, 2008. The Fed lowered the Fed Funds rates to 1% and the Libor bank rose the lending rate to 3.46%. The Economy further contracted by the end of the month and the whole nation faced recession.

When did Lehman Brothers go bankrupt?

September 2008. In September 2008, the chilling news of the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers hit the market and the day eventually closed with the drop of Dow by 504.48 points. Continued with the same scenario, the big news swept out on September 16, 2008, that highlighted the bailed out of American International Group.

How much did the stock market drop in 2008?

The stock market crash of 2008 occurred on Sept. 29, 2008. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 777.68 points in intraday trading. 1 Until the stock market crash of 2020, it was the largest point drop in history.

Are we heading for a recession 2020?

Perhaps the best indicator of economic performance is unemployment. Watch unemployment closely in 2020. We’re currently at 3.5% unemployment, a move up to 4% could easily mean recession, but if we drift closer to 3% in 2020 then that’s likely enough to keep the economy growing.

Do you lose all your money if the stock market crashes?

Yes, a company can lose all its value and have that be reflected in its stock price. (Major indexes, like the New York Stock Exchange, will actually de-list stocks that drop below a certain price.) It can even file for bankruptcy. Shareholders can lose their entire investment in such unfortunate situations.

How long did it take stocks to recover after the Great Depression?

25 yearsWall Street lore and historical charts indicate that it took 25 years to recover from the stock market crash of 1929.

Where should I put money in a recession?

Investors typically flock to fixed-income investments (such as bonds) or dividend-yielding investments (such as dividend stocks) during recessions because they offer routine cash payments.

How low can the stock market go before it crashes?

In theory, there is no limit to how far the stock market can decline. The stock market crash of 1929 ended up with an almost 90 percent loss of market value when that bear market was finished. Although investors expect the market to increase over time, values can and do drop.

Who benefits from a recession?

3. It balances everyday costs. Just as high employment leads companies to raise their prices, high unemployment leads them to cut prices in order to move goods and services. People on fixed incomes and those who keep most of their money in cash can benefit from new, lower prices.

image

2008

  • At the end of January, the BEA revised its fourth-quarter 2007 GDP growth estimate down.9 It said growth was only 0.6%. The economy lost 17,000 jobs, the first time since 2004.10 The Dow shrugged off the news and hovered between 12,000 and 13,000 until March.2 On March 17, the …
See more on thebalance.com

September 2008

  • The month started with chilling news. On Monday, September 15, 2008, Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy. The Dow dropped more than 200 points.2 On Tuesday, September 16, 2008, the Fed announced it was bailing out insurance giant American International Group Inc. It made an $85 billion loan in return for 79.9% equity, effectively taking ownership. AIG had run out of cash. It wa…
See more on thebalance.com

October 2008

  • Congress finally passed the bailout bill in early October, but the damage had already been done.24 The Labor Department reported that the economy had lost a whopping 159,000 jobs in the prior month.25 On Monday, October 6, 2008, the Dow dropped by 800 points, closing below 10,000 for the first time since 2004.26 The Fed tried to prop up banks by lending $540 billion to money mar…
See more on thebalance.com

November 2008

  • The month began with more bad news. The Labor Department reported that the economy had lost a staggering 240,000 jobs in October.34 The AIG bailout grew to $150 billion.35 The Bush administration announced it was using part of the $700 billion bailouts to buy preferred stocks in the nations' banks.36 The Big Three automakers asked for a federal bailout. By November 20, 20…
See more on thebalance.com

December 2008

  • The Fed dropped the fed funds rate to 0%, its lowest level in history.29 The Dow ended the year at a sickening 8,776.39, down almost 34% for the year.2
See more on thebalance.com

2009

  • On January 2, 2009, the Dow climbed to 9,034.69.2 Investors believed the new Obama administration could tackle the recession with its team of economic advisers. But the bad economic news continued. On March 5, 2009, the Dow plummeted to its bottom of 6,594.44.37 Soon afterward, President Barack Obama's economic stimulus plan instilled the confidence nee…
See more on thebalance.com

Aftermath

  • Investors bore the emotional scars from the crash for the next four years. On June 1, 2012, they panicked over a poor May jobs report and the eurozone debt crisis. The Dow dropped 275 points.39 The 10-year benchmark Treasury yield dropped to 1.47.40 This yield was the lowest rate in more than 200 years.41It signaled that the confidence that evaporated during 2008 had not q…
See more on thebalance.com

The Bottom Line

  • The stock market crash of 2008 was a result of defaults on consolidated mortgage-backed securities. Subprime housing loans comprised most MBS. Banks offered these loans to almost everyone, even those who weren’t creditworthy. When the housing market fell, many homeowners defaulted on their loans. These defaults resounded all over the financial industry, which heavily i…
See more on thebalance.com

Overview

The financial crisis of 2008, or Global Financial Crisis (GFC), was a severe worldwide economic crisis that occurred in the late 2000s. It was the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression (1929). Predatory lending targeting low-income homebuyers, excessive risk-taking by global financial institutions, and the bursting of the United States housing bubbleculminated in …

Background

The crisis sparked the Great Recession, which, at the time, was the most severe global recession since the Great Depression. It was also followed by the European debt crisis, which began with a deficit in Greece in late 2009, and the 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis, which involved the bank failure of all three of the major banks in Icelandand, relative to the size of its economy, was the la…

History

Following is a timeline of major events during the financial crisis, including government responses, and the subsequent economic recovery:
• May 19, 2005: Fund manager Michael Burry closed a credit default swap against subprime mortgage bonds with Deutsche Bankvalued at $60 million – the first such CDS. He projected they would become volatile within two years of the lo…

Causes

While the causes of the bubble are disputed, the precipitating factor for the Financial Crisis of 2007–2008 was the bursting of the United States housing bubble and the subsequent subprime mortgage crisis, which occurred due to a high default rate and resulting foreclosures of mortgage loans, particularly adjustable-rate mortgages. Some or all of the following factors contributed to …

Economists who predicted the crisis

Economists, particularly followers of mainstream economics, mostly failed to predict the crisis. The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania's online business journal examined why economists failed to predict a major global financial crisis and concluded that economists used mathematical models that failed to account for the critical roles that banks and other financial institutions, as opposed to producers and consumers of goods and services, play in the economy.

IndyMac

The first visible institution to run into trouble in the United States was the Southern California–based IndyMac, a spin-off of Countrywide Financial. Before its failure, IndyMac Bank was the largest savings and loan association in the Los Angeles market and the seventh largest mortgage loan originator in the United States. The failure of IndyMac Bank on July 11, 2008, was the fourth largest bank failure in United Stateshistory up until the crisis precipitated even larger fa…

Notable books and movies

• In 2006, Peter Schiff authored a book titled Crash Proof: How to Profit From the Coming Economic Collapse, which was published in February 2007 by Wiley. The book describes various features of the economy and housing market that led to the United States housing bubble, and warns of the impending decline. After many of the predictions came to pass, a second edition titled Crash Proof 2.0 was published in 2009, which included a "2009 update" addendum at the end of each c…

See also

• Banking (Special Provisions) Act 2008 (United Kingdom)
• List of bank failures in the United States (2008–present)
• 2008–2009 Keynesian resurgence
• 2010 United States foreclosure crisis

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9