Which technology-heavy US stock index peaked on March 10, 2000, before the dot-com crash?

The Nasdaq Composite peaked on March 10, 2000, before the dot-com crash began.

The technology-heavy index closed at 5,048.62 on that date, an unprecedented level at the time. The boom had been fueled by enthusiasm for internet businesses, rapid venture-capital investment, and expectations that online companies would transform commerce. Many firms attracted enormous valuations despite having little revenue or no profits.

After the peak, investors became less willing to pay for growth without proven business models. The Nasdaq Composite fell for roughly two years, losing about 78% of its value from the March 2000 peak to its October 2002 low. Numerous internet companies failed, while stronger technology firms survived and eventually became major businesses.

The Nasdaq was not the only market affected, but it was the clearest barometer of the technology bubble. The crash is often called the dot-com crash or dot-com bust, while the broader speculative period is known as the dot-com bubble.