NAS100 / Nasdaq 100: Live Level, Point Values and Sizing
The index that moves furthest in points, traded through three instruments whose point values differ tenfold. Fix the instrument first and the risk maths becomes ordinary.
NAS100 is the Nasdaq 100 index. A point is worth $20 on the E-mini (NQ), $2 on the Micro (MNQ) and whatever your broker sets on a CFD, commonly $1. Its ranges are wide - a 100-point stop is routine and costs $2,000 on one E-mini - and it is driven by rate expectations and the mega-cap technology constituents.
Nasdaq 100 (NAS100) right now
One point = 1 of price. A standard lot is 1 units at 1 per point, so pip value = pip size × contract size × lots. Figures assume a USD account; confirm the contract size with your broker.
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Open NAS100 on the live desk (H1) → See what the desk does →Three instruments, three point values
| Instrument | Value per point | Minimum tick |
|---|---|---|
| E-mini (NQ) | $20 | 0.25 pt = $5 |
| Micro (MNQ) | $2 | 0.25 pt = $0.50 |
| CFD (NAS100 / US100) | Set by your broker, often $1 | Broker-defined |
The micro is one tenth of the E-mini. Sizing a micro plan with mini numbers is a tenfold error and the most common way an index account is lost in a week.
What drives it
- Interest-rate expectations. A growth-heavy index is unusually sensitive to the rate outlook, so CPI and central bank decisions move it hard.
- The mega-cap constituents and their earnings dates - one company can move the whole index after the bell.
- The US cash open, which concentrates volume and produces the day's widest swings.
Chart Bound replays real historical tape, free, so you can learn this instrument's rhythm before any money is on it.
Play free, no signup →Session behaviour
Futures trade nearly around the clock, but the character changes completely at the cash open: thin, drifting overnight ranges give way to fast two-sided movement. Overnight levels are frequently taken out in the first minutes, which is why many traders mark them and wait.
Sizing it
Put your stop in points into the tool above and it returns the size for each instrument. If the answer is "less than one E-mini", that is the correct answer - use a micro rather than widening the risk. The index sizing calculator covers the other indices.
How far NAS100 actually moves
Measured on the OANDA feed our charting desk runs on, 2026-01-11 to 2026-09-17 (180 completed daily bars). Recalculated every week.
| Average daily range | 531.5 points |
|---|---|
| Median day | 481.1 points |
| Widest day in the window | 1637.1 points |
| Quietest day | 148.4 points |
| Average as % of price | 1.93% |
| Widest weekday | Thursday (566.9 points) |
| Busiest hour | 13:00 UTC, about 224.0 points in that hour (quietest 10:00, 69.8) |
The median is the middle day and the average is pulled up by a handful of violent ones, so size a stop against the median and expect the average to flatter you. Full table for every instrument, with the method, on average daily range by pair.
Frequently asked questions
What is one point worth on the Nasdaq 100?
$20 on the E-mini (NQ), $2 on the Micro (MNQ), and whatever your broker sets on a CFD - commonly $1.
What is the difference between NQ and MNQ?
Size only. The micro is one tenth of the E-mini with the same tick in points, so confusing them is a tenfold risk error.
Why does the Nasdaq move so much?
It is concentrated in large technology companies and is sensitive to interest-rate expectations, so both macro data and single-company earnings move it.
When is NAS100 most active?
Around the US cash open and through the US session. Overnight hours are thinner and often reverse at the open.
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