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 and S&P 500. It is heavily weighted towards information technology companies. A significant portion of the index, approximately 80%, is represented by the Nasdaq-100, which includes the 100 largest non-financial companies within the composite.

1971: Nasdaq Composite Launched

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

July 17, 1995: Nasdaq Closes Above 1,000

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

1995: Nasdaq Rise During Dot-Com Bubble

In 1995, the Nasdaq Composite began a significant rise during the dot-com bubble, increasing substantially by the year 2000.

1999: Surge in Internet Stocks

In 1999, the Nasdaq Composite rose 85.6% even though more stocks fell in value than rose in value as investors sold stocks in slower growing companies to invest in Internet stocks.

March 9, 2000: Last Time Above 5,000

March 9, 2000, was the last time the Nasdaq Composite closed above 5,000 prior to March 2, 2015.

March 10, 2000: Nasdaq Composite Peaked

On March 10, 2000, the Nasdaq Composite peaked at 5,132.52, marking its highest point before the subsequent market decline.

September 7, 2000: Last Time Above 4,000

September 7, 2000, was the last time the Nasdaq Composite closed above 4,000 prior to November 26, 2013.

2000: Peak of the Dot-Com Bubble

By 2000, the Nasdaq Composite rose 400% at the peak of dot-com bubble, reaching a price-to-earnings ratio of 200.

January 24, 2001: High Point Reached on the Index

On January 24, 2001, the Nasdaq Composite reached a high point before declining again.

October 10, 2002: Bottom of Bear Market Trend

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

October 2002: Nasdaq Composite Experienced Significant Fall

By October 2002, the Nasdaq Composite had fallen 78% from its peak, reflecting a substantial market correction.

March 24, 2003: Worst Single-Session Decline

On March 24, 2003, the Nasdaq Composite experienced its worst single-session percentage decline, prior to the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy in 2008.

2004: Nasdaq Eligibility Criteria Change

In 2004, Nasdaq updated its eligibility criteria, requiring exclusive U.S. listing on the Nasdaq stock market for inclusion in the Nasdaq Composite, unless dually listed prior to 2004 and continuously maintained.

May 2007: Nasdaq Remained Down

Until May 2007, the Nasdaq Composite remained down at least 50% from its peak, indicating a prolonged recovery period.

October 9, 2007: Nasdaq Closed Above 2,800

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

October 31, 2007: Nasdaq Reached Highest Point Since January 2001

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

February 6, 2008: Nasdaq Trading Below 2,300

By February 6, 2008, the Nasdaq Composite was trading below 2,300, indicating further market decline.

September 15, 2008: Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy

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

September 29, 2008: Significant Drop Beneath 2,000

On September 29, 2008, the Nasdaq Composite fell nearly 200 points, or 9.14%, to fall beneath 2,000.

October 13, 2008: Significant Gain

On October 13, 2008, the Nasdaq Composite gained nearly 200 points, more than 11%.

March 9, 2009: Six-Year Intra-Day Low

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

2012: Year-End Close

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

November 26, 2013: Nasdaq Closed Above 4,000

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

December 31, 2013: New Record Annual Close

On December 31, 2013, the Nasdaq Composite set a new record annual close of 4,176.59.

March 2, 2015: Nasdaq Closed Above 5,000

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

April 23, 2015: New Record Closing High

On April 23, 2015, the Nasdaq Composite set a new record closing high for the first time in 15 years.

January 2, 2018: Crossed 7,000 Intraday

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

December 24, 2018: Yearly Low Plunge

By December 24, 2018, the Nasdaq Composite had plunged to its yearly low at 6,192, experiencing a significant drop.

2019: Yearly Increase

In 2019, the Nasdaq Composite rose 35.2%, closing for the year at 8,972.60 points, showing a strong annual performance.

March 23, 2020: Low During 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: Traded Above 10,000

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

August 6, 2020: New All-Time High

On August 6, 2020, the Nasdaq Composite reached a new all-time high above 11,000.

2021: Milestones Reached

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

2022: Plunge and Worst First Half of the Year

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