What Are E-Mini Nasdaq 100 Index Futures?
The E-mini Nasdaq 100 is a stock market index that represents 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. While heavily weighted toward the technology sector, it also includes companies from industries such as retail, biotechnology, healthcare, and others.
Launched in 1985, the Nasdaq 100 Index gained popularity in the 1990s dot-com tech bubble. As a weighted market capitalization index, larger companies included in the index have a greater effect on the price than smaller included companies.
Why Trade E-Mini Nasdaq 100 Futures?
E-Mini Nasdaq 100 Index futures (contract symbol = NQ) are one of the most actively traded stock indexes in the world.
Reflecting performance for some of the most influential technology companies in the world, the larger Nasdaq 100 can be an important benchmark and measurement of the global economy. Its companies are on the cutting edge of research in many areas that impact our lives every day. Notable stocks include Adobe, Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Netflix, Nvidia, and Tesla. Technology stocks can often experience wide swings in prices and volatility, which can provide unique opportunities for futures traders. Trading Nasdaq 100 Index futures allows you to:
Speculate on the combined price of 100 highly influential tech companies.
Trade standard or Micro E-mini contract sizes for increased trading flexibility.
React quickly to trading opportunities hours before the U.S. stock market opens.
Hedge a stock portfolio against potential market declines.
Start Small With Micro E-mini Nasdaq 100 Index Futures to Reduce Costs
At 1/10th the size of the standard E-mini contract, Micro E-mini futures allow traders to access the highly liquid equity index futures markets with reduced costs and margins as low as $50. Other advantages of trading these bite-sized contracts include:
- Access to the most popular and liquid futures contracts
- Highly leveraged markets for more buying power*
- Start with a smaller account vs. the full-size E-mini contract
- Increased flexibility for better position management
Micro Nasdaq E-mini futures contracts provide an entry point for new futures traders to start small and scale up as you become more comfortable in the live markets.
*Leverage also increases the risk associated with futures trading, and only risk capital should be used for trading.
E-Mini Nasdaq 100 Index Futures Contract Specifications
E-mini Nasdaq 100 Index futures contracts are standardized, exchange-traded contracts that represent the value of 100 of the most extensive stocks traded in the U.S. The value for a one-point move in the standard contract is $20 or $2 for the 1/10 size Micro contract.
Retail traders typically buy and sell E-mini Nasdaq 100 Index futures contracts to speculate if the price will go up or down. Major market index futures contracts are cash settled at expiration. You can trade E-mini Nasdaq 100 Index futures on the 24-hour electronic CME Globex system.
| Standard Contract | Micro Contract | |
|---|---|---|
| Symbol | NQ | MNQ |
Exchange | CME Globex | NYMEX / CME |
| Contract point value | $20 USD | $2 USD |
| Minimum price fluctuation | .25, (20 * .25 = $5.00 per contract per-minimum move) | .25, (2 * .25 = $0.50 per-contract per-minimum move) |
| Trading hours | Sunday, 6:00 pm ET to Friday, 5:00 pm ET | Sunday, 6:00 pm ET to Friday, 5:00 pm ET |
| Listed contracts | Quarterly: March(H), June(M), September(U), December(Z) - 9 Quarters Out and 3 Additional December Contracts | Quarterly: March(H), June(M), September(U), December(Z) - 5 Quarters Out |
| Expiration style | 3rd Friday of every listed contract month. There is not a first notice date for this contract. | 3rd Friday of every listed contract month. There is not a first notice date for this contract. |
| First notice date | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Settlement | Financially settled | Financially settled |
| Additional Specifications | View all from CME Group | View all from CME Group |
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NinjaTrader's futures brokerage offers competitive intraday margins on NQ/MNQ futures, access to simulated (paper) trading to practice before going live, and advanced charting tools including Order Flow+ to analyze volume at price within each bar. Traders can open an account and begin trading ES futures in minutes.
Ready to start trading E-mini Nasdaq 100 Index futures and Micro futures? NinjaTrader is here to support you. With award-winning features and daily premium market commentary with industry pros, NinjaTrader equips you with the tools you need to embark on your trading journey.
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