How to Trade the Nasdaq 100 (NAS100, NQ, MNQ)
The Nasdaq 100 moves further in points than most traders expect, and the same 'one contract' can mean $20 or $2 a point. Fix the instrument first and the risk maths becomes simple.
The Nasdaq 100 is traded as E-mini futures (NQ, $20 per point, 0.25 tick worth $5), Micro futures (MNQ, $2 per point) or CFDs where your broker sets the point value. The micro is one tenth of the E-mini, so confusing them is a tenfold risk error. Rate expectations and mega-cap tech earnings move it most.
Nasdaq 100 position size
E-mini NQ is $20 per point, Micro MNQ is $2 per point, and CFD point values are set by your broker. Same stop, ten times the money: that is the whole reason to check the instrument first.
Open NAS100 on the M15 in our charting desk with Session Levels already on the chart and look for it on real, current price - the same thing this page describes, on a chart that is moving. It is a free preview of the real desk, and a free guest account is required to open it: put in your email, we send a login code, and you are on a live chart in under a minute. The preview runs real market data with one indicator at a time - nothing is saved and no broker is connected. A preview of the product, not advice.
Open NAS100 with Session Levels →The three ways retail traders access it
- E-mini (NQ) futures: $20 per index point, tick 0.25 points ($5).
- Micro (MNQ) futures: $2 per point, tick 0.25 points ($0.50) - a tenth of the E-mini.
- CFDs (often called NAS100 or US100): the value per point is set by your broker and the contract size you choose.
That is the whole "one lot is not one lot" problem: the same stop distance is ten times the money on NQ as on MNQ. The calculator above takes your account, risk percentage and stop in points and returns the contract count for each.
Index tape moves fast. Chart Bound gives you the reps on real historical charts, free, before the money is real.
Play free, no signup →What moves it
- The mega-cap technology names that dominate the index, and their earnings dates.
- Interest-rate expectations. Growth-heavy indices are sensitive to the rate outlook, so inflation prints and central bank decisions matter - see the calendar.
- The US cash open and close, which concentrate volume.
- Overnight sessions, which are thinner and can gap into the open.
Where people get hurt
- Sizing an index like a currency pair. A 100-point stop is routine here and is $2,000 on one NQ contract.
- Chasing the open. The first minutes reverse frequently; a plan written beforehand survives better than a reaction.
- Ignoring earnings. A single large constituent can move the whole index after the bell.
- Prop rules. On an evaluation account the daily loss limit is usually reached faster on indices than on FX, simply because the ranges are larger.
Frequently asked questions
What is one point worth on the Nasdaq 100?
On the E-mini (NQ) a point is $20 and the 0.25 tick is $5. On the Micro (MNQ) a point is $2 and the tick is $0.50. CFD point values are set by your broker.
What is the difference between NQ and MNQ?
Size. The micro is one tenth of the E-mini, with the same tick size in points. Confusing them is a tenfold risk error.
What moves the Nasdaq 100?
The largest technology constituents and their earnings, interest-rate expectations, and US session flows.
Is the Nasdaq good for beginners?
Its ranges are wide, which magnifies sizing mistakes. Micro contracts and small CFD sizes make it accessible, but the position has to be small for the same money at risk.
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