How Fast Has the Economy Recovered After Past Recessions?

After the S&P 500 has wiped out all of its 2019 gains, fears of a recession are once again omnipresent. The index dropped 12 percent Monday, while the Dow lost 13 percent.

But what is lost is usually gained back, even if the U.S. market should slide into recession. Looking at crises over the last 70 years in which recessions occurred, the speed of recovery has mostly - if not always - been swift. After the most recent economic downturn, the Great Recession of 2007 and 2009, recovery was quicker than average, and the S&P 500 had gained back 68 percent just one year after leaving the trough and 84 percent two years later. While every recession recovery plays out differently on the index, the average recovery saw the S&P 500 gain 32 percent back after one year and 42 percent after two years, according to an analysis by SunTrust Bank.