What does NQ mean?
NQ is the E-mini Nasdaq-100 futures contract. It provides futures exposure to the Nasdaq-100 index and is widely used for intraday and swing trading because of its active participation and relatively large price movements.
Why it matters
- NQ is one of the most actively followed U.S. equity-index futures contracts.
- Its dollar value per point is much larger than MNQ.
- Volatility can make position sizing and risk limits especially important.
How it works
- 01
The NQ contract multiplier is $20 times the Nasdaq-100 index level.
- 02
The minimum price increment is 0.25 index points.
- 03
One NQ tick is therefore worth $5 per contract and one full index point is worth $20.
Example
A 10-point move in NQ represents $200 per contract before commissions and fees because each full index point is worth $20.
Common misunderstandings
- A small number of index points can still represent a meaningful dollar move.
- NQ and MNQ follow the same index family but have different contract multipliers.
- High liquidity does not mean low volatility.
Educational reference
This glossary explains terminology and
general market concepts. It is not a
trading signal or a guarantee of future
results.