True stories of crashes, bubbles and frauds that shaped financial markets.
A curated archive of major events in financial history, told clearly and engagingly, to understand how finance became what it is today. From the earliest speculative manias to the most recent global crises, each event is placed in its historical and economic context.
From tulip mania to 2008 and beyond — the events that changed finance forever. For the frauds and collapses that followed, see our financial scandals archive; for how these stories reached the screen, browse our finance movies guide.
On October 19, 1987, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 22.6% in a single trading session. The global crash exposed the risks of automated trading, portfolio insurance and increasingly interconnected financial markets.
Read the full storyIn 1907, a failed speculation triggered a banking panic across New York. The crisis exposed the weaknesses of the U.S. banking system and paved the way for the Federal Reserve.
Read the full storyThe events in this archive are part of a larger picture. These sections connect them to the people, the films, and the deeper forces behind financial history.
A historical guide to the major stock market crashes — from 1637 to 2022 — with causes, impact and context.
The frauds, arrests and collapses that often accompanied — or caused — the worst market crises.
How the crashes, bubbles and frauds in this archive have been portrayed on screen — from Wall Street to The Big Short.
The real people behind the events — from J.P. Morgan to the traders who survived the crashes and scandals.