The suicide wave that followed the United States stock market crash of October 1929 is more legend than fact  Careful examination of the monthly figures on the causes of death in 1929 shows that the number of suicides in October and in November was comparatively low  In only three other months were the monthly figures lower
During the summer months, when the stock market was flourishing, the number of suicides was substantially higher
During the years surrounding the stock market crash, suicide rates were typically lower at the beginning of any calendar year than toward the end of that year.