The NASDAQ Composite (ticker symbol ^IXIC) is a stock market index of the common stocks and similar securities (e.g. ADRs, tracking stocks, limited partnership interests) listed on the NASDAQ stock market. Along with the Dow Jones Average and S&P 500 it is one of the three most-followed indices in US stock markets. The composition of the NASDAQ Composite is heavily weighted towards information technology companies.
After launching in 1971 with 50 companies and a starting value of 100, the NASDAQ Composite peaked at a high of 5,132.52 (and a closing price of 5048.62) on March 10, 2000 during the first Internet bubble, and subsequently fell to a low of 1,108.49 on October 10, 2002 when the bubble burst. On April 23, 2015, after over 15 years, the index made a new closing high of 5,056.06. On June 18, 2015, the index made a new all-time high of 5,143.32, finally surpassing the high made during the tech bubble. On January 17, 2018, the Nasdaq finally achieved a new inflation-adjusted closing high from March 10, 2000. The NASDAQ-100, whose components are a subset of the NASDAQ Composite's, accounts for over 90% of the NASDAQ Composite's movement, and there are many ETFs tracking its performance. On 30 August 2018, the NASDAQ Composite entered its first bear market since the 2007-2009 recession; as of 3 January 2019 this bear market is ongoing with the index down 21%.