How Long Does It Take for The Stock Market to Recover from a Crash? (2024)

Due to the global pandemic, the U.S. economy has been on quite a turbulent path. With rising inflation and layoffs in tech companies, you may be wondering if a stock market crash is eminent. Many investors are alarmed by stock market crashes and sell their stocks at a loss, only to see the market rebound a short time later. So, how long does it take for the stock market to recover from a crash?

The answer, unfortunately, is that there is no easy answer. It depends on a number of factors, including the severity of the crash, the underlying cause of the crash, and global economic conditions. However, there are some general principles that can be applied to most stock market crashes.

Severity of The Crash

The first factor to consider is the intensity of the crash. A milder crash will typically take less time to recover from than a severe crash. For example, it took the stock market just over two years to recover from the 1987 stock market crash. However, it took the market almost six years to recover from the dot-com bubble burst in 2000. For the financial crisis of 2008, it took close to five years for the stock market to bottom out and start recovering. So, as you can see, the severity of the crash is a major factor in how long it takes for the stock market to rebound.

Underlying Cause of The Crash

The second factor to consider is the underlying cause of the crash. Crashes caused by one-time events or "black swan" events tend to be shorter in duration and have a quicker recovery than crashes caused by systemic problems or structural issues. For example, the 1987 stock market crash was caused by a one-time event—a change in tax laws that led to heavy selling by institutional investors—and therefore had a relatively quick recovery. On the other hand, the Dot-com bubble burst was caused by structural problems—such as overvaluation of tech stocks and widespread fraud—which took longer to fix and resulted in a longer period of recovery for the stock market.

Accommodative Monetary Policy

Lastly, another factor that can influence how long it takes for the stock market to recover is whether or not monetary policy is helpful during that period. When central banks provide liquidity and keep interest rates low after a stock market crash, it tends to help spur economic activity and hasten recovery. For example, after both the 1987 stock market crash and 2008 financial crisis, the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates and engaged in quantitative easing (QE) programs—which pumped money into the economy—in order to help jumpstart economic activity and prevent further decline. As a result, both times saw a relatively quick recovery in asset prices.

There is no simple answer when it comes to how long it takes for the stock market to recover from a crash. It depends on a number of factors however, history has shown us that the markets always come back eventually. So, if you're patient, you will likely be rewarded in due time.

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How Long Does It Take for The Stock Market to Recover from a Crash? (2024)

FAQs

How Long Does It Take for The Stock Market to Recover from a Crash? ›

It typically takes five months to reach the “bottom” of a correction. However, once the market starts to turn, it can recover quickly. The average recovery time for a correction is just four months! That's why investors with truly diversified portfolios may consider staying investing for the long-term.

How long does it take to recover from a stock market crash? ›

As shown in the table below, the recovery period for U.S. stocks has been as long as 15 years: In the wake of the 1929 Crash, the IA SBBI US Large Stock Index didn't fully recover until late 1944. For gold bugs, the longest recovery period spanned more than 26 years (from October 1980 until April 2007).

How long did it take to recover from the 2008 stock market crash? ›

Starting with the “tech wreck” in 2000, inflation totaled 35.7%, prolonging the real recovery in purchasing power an additional seven years and nine months. The bounce-back from the 2008 crash took five and a half years, but an additional half year to regain your purchasing power.

How long did it take to recover from the 1929 stock market crash? ›

The Dow Jones did not return to its peak close of September 3, 1929, for 25 years, until November 23, 1954.

Do I lose all my money if the stock market crashes? ›

Do you lose all the money if the stock market crashes? No, a stock market crash only indicates a fall in prices where a majority of investors face losses but do not completely lose all the money. The money is lost only when the positions are sold during or after the crash.

How long does it take to recover losses from a bear market? ›

Historically, the index has taken an average of 19 months to recover from bear market declines of 20% or more, as shown in the accompanying table.

How long is the average market crash? ›

Bear markets tend to be short-lived.

The average length of a bear market is 289 days, or about 9.6 months. That's significantly shorter than the average length of a bull market, which is 965 days or 2.6 years. Every 3.5 years: That's the long-term average frequency between bear markets.

How long did it take to recover from the 1987 stock market crash? ›

Stock markets quickly recovered a majority of their Black Monday losses. In just two trading sessions, the DJIA gained back 288 points, or 57 percent, of the total Black Monday downturn. Less than two years later, US stock markets surpassed their pre-crash highs.

How long did it take to recover from the Great Depression? ›

Although the U.S. economy began to recover in the second quarter of 1933, the recovery largely stalled for most of 1934 and 1935. A more vigorous recovery commenced in late 1935 and continued into 1937, when a new depression occurred.

How long does it take to recover from a recession? ›

A typical recession persists for about a year, while an expansion often lasts more than 5 years. Recoveries from recessions are strong, reflecting the presence of a bounce-back effect.

Who made money during the Great Depression? ›

Business titans such as William Boeing and Walter Chrysler actually grew their fortunes during the Great Depression.

Could the stock market crash of 1929 happen again? ›

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation also oversees bank operations and insures depositor's' money to prevent bank runs that became an iconic image in the 1930s. While a drop like 1929 could potentially happen again, it wouldn't have the same the consequences today as it did 90 years ago.

Did anyone benefit from the 1929 stock market crash? ›

Several individuals who bet against or “shorted” the market became rich or richer. Percy Rockefeller, William Danforth, and Joseph P. Kennedy made millions shorting stocks at this time. They saw opportunity in what most saw as misfortune.

Do 90% of people lose money in the stock market? ›

About 90% of investors lose money trading stocks. That's 9 out of every 10 people — both newbies and seasoned professionals — losing their hard earned dollars by trying to outsmart an unpredictable and extremely volatile machine.

Can the bank take your money if the stock market crashes? ›

You can keep money in a bank account during a recession and it will be safe through FDIC and NCUA deposit insurance. Up to $250,000 is secure in individual bank accounts and $500,000 is safe in joint bank accounts.

At what age should you get out of the stock market? ›

There are no set ages to get into or to get out of the stock market. While older clients may want to reduce their investing risk as they age, this doesn't necessarily mean they should be totally out of the stock market.

How long did it take for the stock market to recover after 1987? ›

Stock markets quickly recovered a majority of their Black Monday losses. In just two trading sessions, the DJIA gained back 288 points, or 57 percent, of the total Black Monday downturn. Less than two years later, US stock markets surpassed their pre-crash highs.

Where does the money go after a stock market crash? ›

A decrease in implicit value, for instance, leaves the owners of the stock with a loss in value because their asset is now worth less than its original price. Again, no one else necessarily receives the money; it simply vanishes due to investors' perceptions.

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