Strapped for funds, many businesses cut back operations and close down. Some investors held onto their stocks hoping for the day when prices would recover, while others took a beating and sold the house and car. High-powered stockbrokers who had switched careers to join investment firms when the market was hot faced heavy cuts in income, layoffs and mountains of debt.
企業周轉不靈，緊縮、關閉頻傳；被套牢的投資人，上焉者抱著股票，等待股價回升之日，下焉者捉襟見肘，賣車售屋；許多在股市盛況時，遠離本業、專事操作者，或跳槽證券業，成為一度身價非凡的號子營業員，面臨減薪、失業、甚至身負巨債的局面。