In the dot-com crash, the Nasdaq Composite reached its peak on March 10, 2000, before losing most of its value.
The technology-heavy index closed at 5,048.62 on that date. The peak marked the end of the dot-com bubble, a period when investors assigned very high valuations to internet and technology companies, including firms with little revenue or no profits.
After March 2000, technology shares declined sharply. By October 2002, the Nasdaq had fallen roughly 78 percent from its peak. Many internet start-ups failed, while a smaller group of companies survived and later became major businesses.
The dot-com crash is not the same event as the 2008 financial crisis. It centered mainly on equity valuations and technology companies, whereas the later crisis involved housing finance, mortgage-linked securities, banks, and a worldwide credit contraction.