Peak, bottom, and how long it took to get back to break-even, plus what $10,000 would have been worth at each bottom.
Data as of September 10, 2026
Worst fall on record
March 27, 2000 to October 9, 2002, falling for 2 years 6 months
The 10 deepest falls of 10% or more since March 10, 1999.
Back at that peak on February 20, 2015
What $10,000 was worth at the bottom
As of September 9, 2026
In an ordinary year it moves about ±26.9% around its own trend.
Total return with dividends reinvested. Monthly lows; the line touches 0 % only at a new high.
| Year | Worst reading | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | -11.9% | May 25, 1999 |
| 2000 | -52.7% | December 20, 2000 |
| 2001 | -76.1% | September 21, 2001 |
| 2002 | -83.0% | October 9, 2002 |
| 2003 | -79.8% | March 11, 2003 |
| 2004 | -72.4% | August 12, 2004 |
| 2005 | -70.2% | April 20, 2005 |
| 2006 | -69.2% | July 21, 2006 |
| 2007 | -63.6% | March 5, 2007 |
| 2008 | -77.8% | November 20, 2008 |
| 2009 | -77.6% | March 9, 2009 |
| 2010 | -62.8% | February 4, 2010 |
| 2011 | -55.7% | August 19, 2011 |
| 2012 | -49.4% | January 3, 2012 |
| 2013 | -40.2% | February 25, 2013 |
| 2014 | -23.1% | February 3, 2014 |
| 2015 | -13.9% | August 25, 2015 |
| 2016 | -16.1% | February 9, 2016 |
| 2017 | -4.9% | July 3, 2017 |
| 2018 | -22.8% | December 24, 2018 |
| 2019 | -19.4% | January 3, 2019 |
| 2020 | -28.6% | March 16, 2020 |
| 2021 | -10.9% | March 8, 2021 |
| 2022 | -35.1% | November 3, 2022 |
| 2023 | -34.7% | January 5, 2023 |
| 2024 | -13.6% | August 7, 2024 |
| 2025 | -22.8% | April 8, 2025 |
| 2026 | -12.0% | March 30, 2026 |
| Peak | Bottom | Fall | Peak to bottom | Peak to recovery | Your amount at the bottom |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PeakMarch 27, 2000 | BottomOctober 9, 2002 | Fall-83.0% | Peak to bottom2 years 6 months | Peak to recovery14 years 11 months | Your amount at the bottom$1,704 |
| PeakDecember 27, 2021 | BottomNovember 3, 2022 | Fall-35.1% | Peak to bottom10 months | Peak to recovery2 years | Your amount at the bottom$6,488 |
| PeakFebruary 19, 2020 | BottomMarch 16, 2020 | Fall-28.6% | Peak to bottomunder a month | Peak to recovery3 months | Your amount at the bottom$7,144 |
| PeakAugust 29, 2018 | BottomDecember 24, 2018 | Fall-22.8% | Peak to bottom4 months | Peak to recovery7 months | Your amount at the bottom$7,720 |
| PeakFebruary 19, 2025 | BottomApril 8, 2025 | Fall-22.8% | Peak to bottom2 months | Peak to recovery4 months | Your amount at the bottom$7,723 |
| PeakDecember 1, 2015 | BottomFebruary 9, 2016 | Fall-16.1% | Peak to bottom2 months | Peak to recovery8 months | Your amount at the bottom$8,390 |
| PeakJanuary 3, 2000 | BottomJanuary 6, 2000 | Fall-15.5% | Peak to bottomunder a month | Peak to recoveryunder a month | Your amount at the bottom$8,453 |
| PeakJuly 20, 2015 | BottomAugust 25, 2015 | Fall-13.9% | Peak to bottom1 month | Peak to recovery3 months | Your amount at the bottom$8,606 |
| PeakJuly 10, 2024 | BottomAugust 7, 2024 | Fall-13.6% | Peak to bottomunder a month | Peak to recovery4 months | Your amount at the bottom$8,644 |
| PeakSeptember 2, 2020 | BottomSeptember 23, 2020 | Fall-12.7% | Peak to bottomunder a month | Peak to recovery3 months | Your amount at the bottom$8,725 |
Depth is measured from the previous all-time high, and “peak to recovery” runs from that high back to it — not from the bottom, which gives a much shorter number.
The worst fall was -83.0%, from March 27, 2000 to October 9, 2002 — $10,000 invested at that peak was worth $1,704 at the bottom. It took 14 years 11 months from that peak to close back at it, on February 20, 2015. Today it sits 3.9% below its all-time high.
Computed from daily closing prices with dividends reinvested, snapshotted September 10, 2026.
The tool opens with Nasdaq 100 already loaded. Change the symbol or the amount and it recomputes from the same data.
This page shows what actually happened to a real price series — nothing more. An asset that recovered every time so far carries no promise that it will again, and the next fall will not be the last one. Prices exclude trading costs, spreads, currency conversion and taxes, all of which make a real-world fall worse than the one drawn here. Nothing on this page is investment advice; do your own research or speak to a regulated adviser before investing.
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