1939年8月17日
The markets came down with a case of the war jitters on this day. World War II was a few weeks from officially starting, but Wall Street could smell trouble brewing. After refusing U.S. requests to enter into peace agreements and breaking a non-aggression pact with Poland, Hitler had readied his troops to seize the Polish port city of Danzig. The markets reacted to these overtures by posting their biggest decline since July. Bond ratings followed suit, prompting fears that the troubles in Europe would torpedo whatever progress the American economy had made since the Depression. But a funny thing happened on the way to the war-America's economy grew stronger. As the nation ramped up for action, there was a wholesale increase in the production of war-related utilities. The government spent millions on preparing for the war and the defense industries surged with activity. By the end of 1939, unemployment posted a healthy decline and the index of industrial production had skyrocketed; the index and national income kept getting fatter, peaking between 1944 and 1945. Of course, some of Wall Street's fears came true: the rate of inflation jumped when the war began and various necessities had to be rationed. But Wall Street's misgivings were otherwise misplaced: the war helped kick-start the American economy, pushing it from a lingering Depression-era funk into a prolonged state of abundance.
1993年8月17日 上交所异地行情传输中断一小时
8月17日部分使用卫星传输系统接收沪市行情的异地证券柜台出现行情传输中断，开市后近一小时才恢复。
2006年8月17日 南方证券破产
8月17日 法院宣判南方证券破产还债。
