History of Nasdaq Composite in Timeline

The NASDAQ Composite is a major stock market index tracking almost all stocks listed on the Nasdaq exchange, making it one of the most-followed indices in the U.S., along with the Dow Jones and S&P 500. It's heavily weighted toward information technology companies. The Nasdaq-100, comprising the 100 largest non-financial companies within the Composite, accounts for approximately 80% of the index's overall weighting.

1971: Nasdaq Composite Launched

In 1971, the Nasdaq Composite was launched with a starting value of 100.

1991: Japanese Asset Price Bubble

In 1991, the Japanese Nikkei 225 during the Japanese asset price bubble reached a peak price–earnings ratio of 80.

July 17, 1995: Nasdaq Composite Closes Above 1,000

On July 17, 1995, the Nasdaq Composite index closed above 1,000 for the first time, marking a significant milestone.

1995: Nasdaq Composite Rises During Dot-Com Bubble

Starting in 1995, the Nasdaq Composite stock market index rose significantly during the dot-com bubble.

1999: Stock Value Increases and Market Trends in 1999

In 1999, shares of Qualcomm rose in value by 2,619%, 12 other large-cap stocks each rose over 1,000% in value, and seven additional large-cap stocks each rose over 900% in value. The Nasdaq Composite rose 85.6% and the S&P 500 Index rose 19.5% in 1999, but more stocks fell in value than rose in value.

March 9, 2000: Nasdaq Composite Last Closed Above 5,000

March 9, 2000, was the last time the Nasdaq Composite closed above 5,000, before closing above that value again on March 2, 2015.

March 10, 2000: Nasdaq Composite Peaks at 5,132.52

On March 10, 2000, the Nasdaq Composite index reached its peak at 5,132.52 before experiencing a significant decline.

September 7, 2000: Nasdaq Composite Last Closed Above 4,000

September 7, 2000, was the last time the Nasdaq Composite closed above 4,000, before closing above that value again on November 26, 2013.

2000: Nasdaq Composite Rises During Dot-Com Bubble

Ending in 2000, the Nasdaq Composite stock market index rose 400% during the dot-com bubble, reaching a price–earnings ratio of 200.

January 24, 2001: Nasdaq Composite Reaches a High Point

On January 24, 2001, the Nasdaq Composite reached a high point before falling in the United States bear market.

October 10, 2002: Nasdaq Composite Reaches Bear Market Bottom

On October 10, 2002, the Nasdaq Composite hit the bottom of its bear market trend, reaching an intra-day low of 1,108.49.

October 2002: Nasdaq Composite Falls 78% from Peak

By October 2002, the Nasdaq Composite had fallen 78% from its peak value reached in March 2000.

March 24, 2003: Previous Significant Single-Session Decline

March 24, 2003, was the last time the Nasdaq Composite experienced a single-session percentage decline as significant as the one on September 15, 2008, prior to that date.

2004: Eligibility for inclusion in the Nasdaq Composite

In 2004, a security's U.S. listing had to be exclusively on the Nasdaq stock market to be eligible for inclusion in the Nasdaq Composite, unless it was dually listed on another U.S. market prior to 2004 and continuously maintained that listing.

May 2007: Nasdaq Composite Still Down 50%

Until May 2007, the Nasdaq Composite remained down at least 50% from its peak value.

October 9, 2007: Nasdaq Composite Closes Above 2,800

On October 9, 2007, the Nasdaq Composite closed above 2,800, showing recovery before the next bear market.

October 31, 2007: Nasdaq Composite Reaches Highest Point Since January 2001

On October 31, 2007, the Nasdaq Composite reached an intra-day level of 2,861.51, marking its highest point since January 24, 2001.

February 6, 2008: Nasdaq Composite Trades Below 2,300

By February 6, 2008, the Nasdaq Composite was trading below 2,300, reflecting market volatility.

September 15, 2008: Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy Causes Nasdaq Drop

On September 15, 2008, the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers led to a 3.6% drop in the Nasdaq Composite, marking its worst single-session percentage decline since March 24, 2003.

September 29, 2008: Nasdaq Composite Falls Below 2,000

On September 29, 2008, the Nasdaq Composite fell nearly 200 points, a 9.14% decrease, dropping it below 2,000.

October 13, 2008: Nasdaq Composite Gains Nearly 200 Points

On October 13, 2008, the Nasdaq Composite gained nearly 200 points, an increase of more than 11%, showing volatility in the market.

March 9, 2009: Nasdaq Composite Reaches Six-Year Intra-Day Low

On March 9, 2009, the Nasdaq Composite reached a six-year intra-day low of 1,265.52, reflecting the impact of the financial crisis.

2009: United States Bear Market of 2007–2009

In 2009, the Nasdaq Composite fell in the United States bear market of 2007–2009.

2012: Nasdaq Composite Closes 2012 at 3,019.51

In 2012, the Nasdaq Composite closed the year at 3,019.51 points.

November 26, 2013: Nasdaq Composite Closes Above 4,000 for the First Time Since September 2000

On November 26, 2013, the Nasdaq Composite closed above 4,000 for the first time since September 7, 2000, indicating recovery after previous downturns.

December 31, 2013: Nasdaq Composite Sets New Record Annual Close

On December 31, 2013, the Nasdaq Composite set a new record annual close of 4,176.59, despite being almost 20% below its all-time highs.

March 2, 2015: Nasdaq Composite Closes Above 5,000 for the First Time Since March 2000

On March 2, 2015, the Nasdaq Composite closed above 5,000 for the first time since March 9, 2000, signaling continued growth.

April 23, 2015: Nasdaq Composite Sets New Record Closing High

On April 23, 2015, the Nasdaq Composite set a new record closing high for the first time in 15 years, though it remained just short of the all-time intraday high set in 2000.

January 2, 2018: Nasdaq Composite Crosses 7,000 Intraday

On January 2, 2018, the Nasdaq Composite crossed 7,000 intraday, marking a significant milestone.

December 24, 2018: Nasdaq Composite Plunges to Yearly Low

By December 24, 2018, the Nasdaq Composite had plunged to its yearly low at 6,192, indicating market volatility.

2019: Nasdaq Composite Rises 35.2% in 2019

In 2019, the Nasdaq Composite rose 35.2%, closing for the year at 8,972.60 points.

March 23, 2020: Nasdaq Composite Hits Low During 2020 Stock Market Crash

During the 2020 stock market crash, on March 23, 2020, the Nasdaq Composite hit a low of 6,860.

June 9, 2020: Nasdaq Composite Trades Above 10,000 for the First Time

On June 9, 2020, the Nasdaq Composite traded above 10,000 for the first time, marking a significant recovery.

August 6, 2020: Nasdaq Composite Reaches New All-Time High Above 11,000

On August 6, 2020, the Nasdaq Composite reached a new all-time high above 11,000 and closed for the year at 12,888 points.

2021: Nasdaq Composite Milestones in 2021

In 2021, the Nasdaq Composite reached the milestones of closing above 13,000 and 14,000 in January and February, respectively. In November 2021, it closed above 16,000 for the first time.

2022: Nasdaq Composite Plunges in First Half of 2022

In 2022, the Nasdaq Composite plunged through the beginning of the year, reaching an intraday low on June 16 at 10,565.14. It closed the first half of the year down 29.74%, marking the worst first half of the year in its history.