Stock market crash might not be bad news for everyone

Crashes are an inevitable part of market history, and the author argues they can yield opportunities rather than only losses. The UK crash of spring 2020 saw the FTSE 100 fall 11% on March 12 and retreat roughly 30% before rebounding. Rolls‑Royce suffered a peak decline of more than 90% over two years to October 2020, illustrating how quality can be hit by fear yet recover with time. A hypothetical: £10,000 invested in the five largest UK stocks since Covid would now be about £39,760, though Diageo is down 41% versus March 2020. Looking ahead, a 7% annual growth path could grow a starting sum to about £430,000 by mid‑century if dividends compound. Rolls‑Royce’s SMR program and plans to re‑enter the narrowbody engine market are cited as long‑term catalysts, with data centres and off‑grid power driving near‑term upside for dividend seekers.