Is History repeating itself here? more on the subject later........ On December 8th, 1965, the Fed started a rising interest rate cycle in a slowing economy, which was promptly followed by a 26.5 percent stock market crash that started on February 9th, 1966, two months later. The ivory tower dopes continued to arrogantly raise interest rates six more times as the stock market plunged for six more months in 1966. The stock market was finishing a Jaws of Death pattern at the time the Fed started a new rate increase cycle, like it is now. It was a bad decision by the Fed then, and is a bad decision again now. Dr. McHugh, technical indicator Inc.