On June 26, 1835, volume on the New York Stock Exchange set a record high of…7,825 shares. 

At that time, there were only 81 stocks on the exchange: 38 banks, 32 insurance companies, four railroads, four canals and three gas companies – which were the "high tech" stocks of the 1830s.

The "Harlem Shorts

On June 26, 1863, Cornelius Vanderbilt's Harlem Railroad stock quickly rose from $72 to $97 a share, despite the New York city council's unfavorable ruling against Harlem's "Broadway franchise" the day before.  Harlem stock kept rising, hitting $106 the next day.  The co-ordinated attack by the "Harlem shorts," backed by the corrupt New York city council, quickly fell apart.

Other Notable Market Moves on June 26

For the week ending Saturday, June 26, 1931, the Dow gained 23.73 points (+18.2%), the best week, all-time, in percentage terms.  It came on the heels of President Hoover calling for a one-year moratorium on all international war reparations, but this was just a calm before the storm.

On Monday, June 26, 1950, the Dow collapsed by a staggering 10.44 points (-4.7%), to 213.91, the largest one-day drop since 1937, and the worst decline we would see again until 1962. 

For the week of June 26-30, the Dow fell 15.24 points (6.8%), to 209.11, the worst weekly drop since the 1930s.  The cause was the outbreak of war in Korea over the weekend, June 25, 1950.

On June 26, 1962, the Dow bottomed out at 535.76, mercifully reaching the end of a steep, six month 36% bear market (the "Steel sell-off"), and the start of an 11-month 51% bull market.

More Market News, from the 1990s

On June 26, 1990, President George Bush first promoted "tax revenue increases," thereby giving a hint that he would soon renege on his famous campaign promise: "Read my lips: No new taxes."  His timing couldn't have been worse.  The U.S. was entering its only recession of the 17-year boom (1983-2000); Saddam Hussein was about to invade Kuwait, and the stock market was nearly 3000 on the Dow.  Soon after Bush's U-turn on taxes, the market fell by over 20% in the third quarter of 1990.  Even though his popularity rose in the Gulf War, a tax increase did him in. 

On Sunday, June 26, 1994, the Dow was cooling off, at 3636, but the mercury set June records in many Western cities: 104 in Denver, 107 in Albuquerque, 112 in El Paso, 122 in Phoenix, and 126 in Death Valley, California. The following week, the Dow fell to 3624 at the mid-year mark.

In the week ending Friday, June 26, 1998, the Dow gained 231.67 points (+2.7%).

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