
Later to follow, “Black Tuesday
Wall Street Crash of 1929
The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Stock Market Crash of 1929 or the Great Crash, was a major stock market crash that occurred in late October 1929. It started on October 24 and continued until October 29, 1929, when share prices on the New York Stock Exchange collapsed.
What are facts about Black Tuesday?
Related content:
- Let's make a Christmas TV movie! (…Or not?)
- Here's when all 146 (!) new Christmas movies will premiere
- 'Tis the season (for amnesia) in first look at Lindsay Lohan's Netflix holiday rom-com
What triggered Black Tuesday?
Key Takeaways
- Black Tuesday refers to a precipitous drop in the value of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) on Oct 29, 1929.
- Black Tuesday marked the beginning of the Great Depression, which lasted until the beginning of World War II.
- Causes of Black Tuesday included too much debt used to buy stocks, global protectionist policies, and slowing economic growth.
What was the cause of Black Tuesday?
Causes. Part of the panic that caused Black Tuesday resulted from how investors played the stock market in the 1920s. They didn't have instant access to information via the internet. The other reason for the panic was the new method for buying stocks, called buying on margin.
What are facts about the stock market crash?
- Tales of bankers leaping to their death when they saw the results of the markets are now regarded as a myth.
- The ticker tapes were so far behind that analysts had beds brought into their offices and worked around the clock in shifts to try and catch up.
- In today’s money the losses amount to more than $400 billion in just 4 days.

Why is it called Black Tuesday?
A crowd of investors gather outside the New York Stock Exchange on "Black Tuesday"—October 29, when the stock market plummeted and the U.S. plunged into the Great Depression. On October 29, 1929, the United States stock market crashed in an event known as Black Tuesday.
What was the main cause of the stock market crash known as Black Tuesday?
The main cause of the Wall Street crash of 1929 was the long period of speculation that preceded it, during which millions of people invested their savings or borrowed money to buy stocks, pushing prices to unsustainable levels.
What is Black Tuesday also known as?
Also known as the Wall Street Crash of 1929, Black Tuesday was the worst stock market crash in US history. Black Tuesday was an abrupt end to the rapid economic expansion of The Roaring 20's. This event is widely considered to be one of the largest contributors to the beginning of The Great Depression.
Why is October 24th 1929 called Black Thursday?
stock market crash of 1929 October 24, is known as Black Thursday; on that day a record 12.9 million shares were traded as investors rushed to salvage their losses.
What does the term Black Thursday refer to?
Black Thursday refers to Thursday, Oct. 24, 1929, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) plummeted drastically as soon as trading opened and an unprecedented number of shares changed hands. Black Thursday is considered the first day of the Stock Market Crash of 1929, which lasted until Oct.
Why was Black Tuesday such a significant day in American history?
Why was Black Tuesday such a significant day in American history? It was the day when the stock market crashed.
How did President Hoover respond to the stock market crash?
In keeping with these principles, Hoover's response to the crash focused on two very common American traditions: He asked individuals to tighten their belts and work harder, and he asked the business community to voluntarily help sustain the economy by retaining workers and continuing production.
How did Black Tuesday lead to the Great Depression?
On October 29, 1929, "Black Tuesday" hit Wall Street as investors traded some 16 million shares on the New York Stock Exchange in a single day. Billions of dollars were lost, wiping out thousands of investors. The next day, the panic selling reached its peak with some stocks having no buyers at any price.
How much money was lost in the stock market on Black Tuesday?
$14 billionThe situation worsened yet again on the infamous Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929, when more than 16 million stocks were traded. The stock market ultimately lost $14 billion that day.
What were three causes of the Great Depression?
What were the major causes of the Great Depression? Among the suggested causes of the Great Depression are: the stock market crash of 1929; the collapse of world trade due to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff; government policies; bank failures and panics; and the collapse of the money supply.
Why did so many investors begin to sell off their stocks causing Black Thursday and leading to the beginning of the Great Depression?
Why did so many investors begin to sell off their stocks, causing Black Thursday and leading to the beginning of the Great Depression? Companies were losing business and their money.
Why did everyone sell their stocks in 1929?
Among the other causes of the stock market crash of 1929 were low wages, the proliferation of debt, a struggling agricultural sector and an excess of large bank loans that could not be liquidated.
What was the last day of the stock market crash?
Black Tuesday was the fourth and last day of the stock market crash of 1929. It took place on October 29, 1929. 1 Investors traded a record 16.4 million shares. They lost $14 billion on the New York Stock Exchange, worth $206 billion in 2019 dollars. 2 3 .
Why were the members of the NYSE afraid to close the market?
Members of the NYSE board were afraid to close the market because it might make the panic even worse. The prominent banks of the day tried to stop the crash. Morgan Bank, Chase National Bank, and National City Bank of New York bought shares of stocks. 7 They wanted to restore confidence in the stock market.
When did the Dow drop?
After the crash, the Dow continued sliding for three more years. It finally bottomed on July 8, 1932, closing at 41.22. 4 All told, it lost almost 90% of its value since its high on September 3, 1929. In fact, it didn't reach that high again for 25 years until November 23, 1954.
What were the consequences of Black Tuesday?
Consequences of Black Tuesday. Black Tuesday resulted in devastating consequences not only for the US economy but for other economies around the world. The market crash ended the period of economic growth and prosperity and led to the Great Depression. Black Tuesday triggered a chain of catastrophic macroeconomic events in the US and Europe, ...
What is the stock market?
Stock Market The stock market refers to public markets that exist for issuing, buying and selling stocks that trade on a stock exchange or over-the-counter. Stocks, also known as equities, represent fractional ownership in a company. and dramatic declines in major market indices. Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) The Dow Jones Industrial Average ...
Why was Clarence Hatry arrested?
In September 1929, British financier Clarence Hatry was arrested for allegations of fraud. The event caused a crash on the London Stock Exchange that also changed the optimistic sentiment of American investors. The US stock market became volatile and experienced the Black Monday event on October 28, 1929.
What happened on October 29, 1929?
Black Tuesday is the stock market crash that occurred on October 29, 1929. It is considered the most disastrous market crash in the history of the United States. The Black Tuesday event was preceded by the crash of the London Stock Exchange and Black Monday, and was characterized by panic sell-offs on the New York Stock Exchange.
What happened at the end of the 1920s?
By the end of the 1920s, economic growth slowed down. As there was no support for the further expansion of the stock market, it was only a matter of time before the crash would occur.
What were the new industries in the 1920s?
Relatively new industries, such as automobile production, film and radio industries, and the introduction of mass production, fueled consumer spending and the subsequent economic expansion. The 1920s were also distinguished by constant growth in the stock market.
When did the Great Depression happen?
The Great Depression The Great Depression was a worldwide economic depression that took place from the late 1920s through the 1930s. For decades, debates went on about what caused the economic catastrophe, and economists remain split over a number of different schools of thought.
What happened after Black Tuesday?
In the aftermath of Black Tuesday, America and the rest of the industrialized world spiraled downward into the Great Depression. During the 1920s, the U.S. stock market underwent rapid expansion, reaching its peak in August 1929, a period of wild speculation.
What were the causes of the 1929 stock market collapse?
Among the other causes of the eventual market collapse were low wages, the proliferation of debt, a weak agriculture, and an excess of large bank loans that could not be liquidated . Stock prices began to decline in September and early October 1929, and on October 18 the fall began.
When did stock prices start to decline?
Stock prices began to decline in September and early October 1929, and on October 18 the fall began. Panic set in, and on October 24—Black Thursday—a record 12,894,650 shares were traded. Investment companies and leading bankers attempted to stabilize the market by buying up great blocks of stock, producing a moderate rally on Friday.
When was Black Tuesday?
The stock market hit its highest point on September 3, 1929 followed by a steady decline. On October 24, however, stock prices took a plunge, and fell even deeper on October 28. As these price decreases led to concern for stock-holders, they flocked to sell their stock, which caused the market to crash on October 29, known as Black Tuesday.
Speculation
Speculation refers to the high-risk act of investing with little regard for a stock's value and the belief that it can always be sold for more than it was purchased for. Speculation can result in either high profit or devastating loss.
Consumer Credit
During the 1920s, durable goods such as the washing machine became popular; these goods, however, often cost more than the average American could pay all at once. As a result, this popularized installment buying, wherein consumers bought items on credit. Much like buying stocks on margin, buying goods on credit required a small down payment.
Tariffs and Protectionism
During the 1920s, other countries also saw great wealth and financial success resulting in increased production. This increased the competition between American-made goods and American-grown agriculture, and foreign imports. In response, the United States government placed tariffs on imported goods, which caused a decrease in international trade.
What Is Black Thursday?
Black Thursday is the name given to an infamous day in stock market history: Thursday, Oct. 24, 1929, when the market opened 11% lower than the previous day’s close, and panicked selling ensued throughout a day of heavy trading. Black Thursday is considered the first day of the Great Stock Market Crash of 1929, which continued until Oct. 29.
Understanding Black Thursday
Black Thursday marked the beginning of the end of one of the longest-running bull markets in U.S. history. For nearly the entire decade of the 1920s, stock prices had been steadily climbing, rising to unprecedented heights. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) increased sixfold from 63 in August 1921 to 381 in September 1929. 1
Aftermath of Black Thursday
The financiers’ and banks’ propping-up efforts worked for a time. On Friday, the Dow closed higher, at 301.22. 5
Significance of Black Thursday
While the panicked trading on Black Thursday fueled more panic on subsequent days, the Stock Market Crash of 1929 was actually caused by several factors.
Black Thursday Shopping
In recent years, Black Thursday has had a more positive connotation attached to it.
What was the decrease in stock value on Black Thursday?
As measured by the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), the leading index of the day, stocks declined 2% in value on Black Thursday.
Why did stock prices fall so sharply on Black Tuesday?
Confidence in the stock market had been badly shaken by the significant declines in the Dow on the previous Thursday (Black Thursday) and Monday (Black Monday). Though a consortium of banks tried to restore investors’ faith via heavy buying, panic built upon the previous panic.

Preceding The Black Tuesday Market Crash
Events of Black Tuesday
- Part of the panic that caused Black Tuesday resulted from how investors played the stock market in the 1920s. They didn't have instant access to information via the internet. Stock prices were printed by a ticker tape machine onto a strip of paper. As share prices dropped the ticker tapes literally could not keep up with the pace. Panic ensued beca...
Consequences of Black Tuesday
Related Readings