At $400 billion, Apple is worth more than Greece (By CNN Money)

(CNNMoney) -- Apple's value on the stock market briefly rose to $400 billion on Thursday, a record high for what was already the world's most valuable technology company.

The company's market cap slipped below the $400 billion mark by midday as Apple's stock fell back from the all-time high of $431.37 it set earlier in the morning. Shares ended the day slightly down, leaving Apple with a $398 billion market value.

Still, that puts Apple in some pretty exclusive territory. Only Exxon Mobil has a higher valuation, at about $420 billion. PetroChina is Apple's closest competitor, at $270 billion, and Microsoft follows at $235 billion.

Apple's market cap is higher than the gross domestic product of Greece, Austria, Argentina, or South Africa.