Historical eventOctober 271986
Big Bang (financial markets)
The British government suddenly deregulates financial markets, leading to a total restructuring of the way in which they operate in the country, in an event now referred to as the Big Bang.
40th anniversary in 2026
In context
- When
- Monday, October 27 198640 years ago
- Category
- Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
- Era
- 20th century · 1980s
- Anniversary
- 40th in 2026
- Recorded from
- Wikipedia “On this day” feed
At a glance
Dates: From 1986.
What happened
The phrase Big Bang, used in reference to the sudden deregulation of financial markets, was coined to describe measures, including abolition of fixed commission charges and of the distinction between stockjobbers and stockbrokers on the London Stock Exchange and change from open outcry to screen-based electronic trading, effected by UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1986.
October 27 through the years
Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.
- 1986Big Bang (financial markets)
- 1999Armenian parliament shooting
- 1999Nairi Hunanyan
- 2004Boston Red Sox
- 2011Michael D. Higgins
- 2014Operation Herrick
- 2017Catalonia
- 2018Pittsburgh synagogue shooting
- 2018Leicester City F.C.
- 2019Islamic State
- 2019The Mocking of Christ (Cimabue)
Also in 1986
- September 131986 Kalamata earthquakeA magnitude 6.0 earthquake strikes Kalamata, Greece with a maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme), killing at least 20 and ca…
- September 5Pan Am Flight 73Pan Am Flight 73 from Mumbai, India with 358 people on board is hijacked at Karachi International Airport.
- November 17Japan Air Lines Cargo Flight 1628The flight crew of Japan Airlines Flight 1628 are involved in a UFO sighting incident while flying over Alaska.
- October 20Aeroflot Flight 6502Aeroflot Flight 6502 crashed on approach to Kurumoch Airport in Samara, Russia (then Kuybyshev in the Soviet Union), killing 70 people on…
- May 25Hands Across AmericaThe Hands Across America event takes place.
- June 14Mindbender (Galaxyland)The Mindbender derails, killing three riders and severely injuring one at the Fantasyland (known today as Galaxyland) indoor amusement pa…
- November 5USS RentzUSS Rentz, USS Reeves and USS Oldendorf visit Qingdao, China; the first US naval visit to China since 1949.
- July 9New Zealand ParliamentThe New Zealand Parliament passes the Homosexual Law Reform Act legalising homosexuality in New Zealand.
Sources
- Wikipedia article (text, CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 for adapted text · how we source this
Cite this page
“Big Bang (financial markets)”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/big-bang-financial-markets-1986-october-27, accessed October 27, 2026.
Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.
Questions about this entry
When did Big Bang (financial markets) happen?
October 27 1986 — 40 years ago, on a Monday.
Where does this text come from?
Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.
How do I cite this page?
Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.
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