The 2008 financial crisis, also known as the global financial crisis or the Great Recession, was a severe worldwide economic downturn that began in late 2007 and lasted until 2009. It was triggered by the collapse of the housing market in the United States, which led to a chain reaction of events that ultimately caused a global recession. The crisis was fueled by a combination of factors, including a housing bubble, subprime mortgage lending practices, excessive risk-taking by financial institutions, and complex financial instruments that spread risk throughout the global financial system. As the housing market collapsed, banks and financial institutions faced massive losses on their mortgage-backed securities and other assets, leading to a credit crunch and a freezing of credit markets. The crisis had far-reaching consequences, including a steep decline in stock prices, a spike in unemployment, and a sharp decrease in economic growth. Governments around the world were forced to ...
