US & World Economies Economic Terms What Is the Trough in the Business Cycle? By Ann Logue Ann Logue Ann Logue is the author of "Day Trading for Dummies," "Hedge Funds for Dummies," and "Socially Responsible Investing for Dummies." She has over two decades of experience covering investing, business, and economics for a range of outlets, including Nordea Markets, Gerstein Fisher Asset Management, and The Balance. learn about our editorial policies Updated on April 27, 2022 Reviewed by Erika Rasure Reviewed by Erika Rasure Erika Rasure is globally-recognized as a leading consumer economics subject matter expert, researcher, and educator. She is a financial therapist and transformational coach, with a special interest in helping women learn how to invest. learn about our financial review board In This Article View All In This Article Definition and Example of a Trough in the Business Cycle How Does a Trough in the Business Cycle Work? What It Means for Individual Investors Photo: Tara Moore / Getty Images Definition A trough in the business cycle is a period of negative gross domestic product (GDP) that forms the lowest point in an economic cycle. It indicates that a recession is underway. Key Takeaways A trough in the business cycle is the bottom point of an economic cycle.It is often, but not necessarily, marked by two quarters of negative GDP growth.Employment and output will fall during a recessionary trough.Stocks of companies selling necessities and lower-priced items will generally outperform. Definition and Example of a Trough in the Business Cycle A trough in the business cycle is the point at the bottom of the business cycle where it is clear that a recession is underway. It is identified by a period of decline in different measures of economic activity. Often, but not necessarily, it is formed by two quarters of negative GDP growth. In the U.S., recessions are declared by the Business Cycle Dating Committee of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Note Economists look at different measures of economic activity to see if there is a sustained decline across the economy before declaring the trough of a business cycle. The most recent recessionary trough took place in April 2020, following a peak reached in February of that year. The decline took two months, not two quarters, thanks to the pandemic. Alternate name: recessionary trough How Does a Trough in the Business Cycle Work? A trough in the business cycle marks the low point in the economic cycle. It follows a period of decline after the economy hits peak productivity. Employment and output will fall for a time, and the government often steps in to stimulate a recovery. As the economy works through the trough, growth will resume and the cycle will begin again. Note The trough is the bottom of the cycle. At that point, the recovery begins and the economy moves toward a new peak. That may happen over a few months or a few years. The Great Recession began its decline from a peak in December 2007. The trough was reached in June of 2009, and the next peak didn’t occur until February 2020. In other words, the recession lasted from December 2007 to June 2009, and the recovery continued from June 2009 all the way until February 2020. What It Means for Individual Investors During a recession, certain businesses slow down and others pick up. In general, consumers spend less money, and they shift their spending to discount brands and off-price retailers. The market experiences what is known as a sector rotation as investors sell stocks expected to do poorly and move money to those expected to do better. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. “Recession.” Accessed Dec. 30, 2021. National Bureau of Economic Research. “Business Cycle Dating.” Accessed Dec. 30, 2021. National Bureau of Economic Research. “U.S. Business Cycle Expansions and Contractions.” Accessed Dec. 30, 2021.