The 2000–2002 collapse in technology shares after the dot-com bubble burst was called the dot-com crash.
The boom had centered on internet-related companies, many of which attracted enormous valuations despite having little revenue or no profits. Investors often treated a promising web address or fast user growth as evidence that a company would eventually become highly valuable. The Nasdaq Composite, heavily weighted toward technology shares, became the clearest indicator of the boom.
The Nasdaq reached an intraday peak of 5,132.52 on March 10, 2000. As expectations changed, technology shares fell sharply. By October 2002, the index had lost roughly 78 percent from its peak. Numerous internet companies failed, while stronger firms such as Amazon and eBay survived and later expanded.
The dot-com crash is not the same event as the 2008 financial crisis. It was primarily an equity-valuation collapse connected with technology speculation, whereas the later crisis centered on credit, housing, banks, and complex financial products.