E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) Futures Contract Specifications

What Are E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) Futures?

E-mini Nasdaq-100 Futures (NQ) provide traders with exposure to the Nasdaq-100 Index, which consists of 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. These contracts are popular for traders looking to gain exposure to the technology sector and other growth-oriented companies.

Contract Size

Contract Size: $20 multiplied by the Nasdaq-100 Index value

Example: This contract size allows traders to gain exposure to stock indices with controlled leverage and risk.

Tick Value and Increment

  • Tick Size: 0.25 index points
  • Tick Value: $5.00 per tick
  • Point Value: $20.00 per point

These specifications make E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) Futures suitable for traders seeking exposure to stock indices markets.

Trading Hours

E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) Futures trade with extended hours, providing flexibility for traders in different time zones.

  • Trading Hours: Sunday to Friday, 5:00 PM to 4:00 PM CT (with a 1-hour daily trading halt from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM CT)
  • Time Zone: Central Time (CT)

Trading Symbol

Platform Symbol: NQ

Margins

To trade E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) Futures, you'll need to meet specific margin requirements. Check with your broker for the latest margin rates and details.

Why Trade E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) Futures?

  • Exposure to technology and growth-oriented companies
  • High liquidity and tight bid-ask spreads
  • Smaller contract size compared to full-size Nasdaq-100 Futures
  • Extended trading hours for global market access
  • Effective hedging tool for technology-heavy portfolios

Position Sizing for E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) Futures

Proper position sizing is crucial when trading E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) Futures. Use our position size calculator to determine the optimal number of contracts based on your risk tolerance and account size.

Position Size Calculator Example

For E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) Futures (NQ):

  • Tick Size: 0.25 index points
  • Tick Value: $5.00 per tick
  • Point Value: $20.00 per point

If you want to risk $500 with a 10-point stop loss:

Risk per Contract = Stop Loss in Points × Point Value = 10 × 20.00 per point = $200

Maximum Contracts = Risk Amount ÷ Risk per Contract = $500 ÷ $200 = 2 contracts