The probable fallout from this week’s “Black Monday” is preoccupying executives across the UK. But how will it affect us all at the level of our personal finances and ambitions?

Those anxiously searching for clues may be tempted to examine the events following Monday October 19 1987, when a market crash was followed by an economic and housing market slowdown, culminating in a UK recession in 1990. But economists identify some key differences between then and now.