Which 1990s market bubble collapsed after the Nasdaq Composite peaked in March 2000?

The dot-com bubble was the 1990s market bubble that collapsed after the Nasdaq Composite peaked in March 2000.

The Nasdaq Composite reached its closing peak of 5,048.62 on March 10, 2000. Investors had poured money into internet and technology companies, often valuing businesses on expected future growth rather than current profits. Low interest rates, widespread access to online trading, venture capital, and enthusiasm for the commercial internet helped fuel the boom.

After the peak, technology shares fell sharply. Many companies had weak business models, high marketing costs, or no realistic route to profitability. The downturn spread beyond newly listed internet firms and hurt established technology companies as well. The Nasdaq eventually fell about 78 percent from its peak to its October 2002 low.

The crash did not mean the internet lacked economic value. Companies such as Amazon and eBay survived and later became major businesses, while many competitors disappeared. A common mistake is to use “dot-com crash” for the entire 2000–2002 decline without recognizing that the bubble's peak and the market's eventual low were separated by more than two years.