Algorithms · October 1987Gaffe level: Feral
Program Trading May Have Amplified the 1987 Crash
Computerized portfolio-insurance program trading amplified the October 19, 1987 crash, which wiped about 20 percent off the S&P 500 in one day. Causation remains debated, but the Fed names program trading as one contributor among several.
Source: US Federal Reserve
A Belfast Surgical Robot Has Treated 130 Complex Cases Since May
Belfast City Hospital's Da Vinci 5 robotic platform for gynaecology has treated 130 patients needing complex surgery since its launch in May 2026, and the longest inpatient wait in Belfast Trust has fallen from seven years to three. A new 1.95 million pound investment in endometriosis services will expand the specialist centres and local care behind that progress.