The Nasdaq 100 and the S&P 500 are traded by most retail traders through CFDs, and the key window is the Wall Street session: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. New York time, which is 2:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in London. As of October 3, 2026, the Nasdaq 100 closed the week at 30,808 points (+0.5%) and the S&P 500 at 7,721 (−0.3%). Here are the hours, the drivers and the key levels.
What are the Nasdaq 100 and the S&P 500?
The S&P 500 groups 500 of the largest listed US companies and is the most widely used benchmark for the overall health of the US economy. The Nasdaq 100 includes the 100 largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq, with a very heavy tech weighting (Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Meta), so it moves more sharply when expectations about interest rates or artificial intelligence change.
On trading platforms you will see these indices as CFDs under names such as NAS100 (or US Tech 100) and US500 (or US 500 Index), which track the price of the Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 futures.
Trading hours: when to trade
The regular US stock session (NYSE/Nasdaq) runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. New York time (currently UTC-4, daylight saving time). This is how it translates:
| City | Time zone (Oct. 2026) | Open | Close |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | UTC-4 | 9:30 a.m. | 4:00 p.m. |
| London | UTC+1 (until Oct. 24) | 2:30 p.m. | 9:00 p.m. |
| Mexico City | UTC-6 | 7:30 a.m. | 2:00 p.m. |
| Bogotá / Lima | UTC-5 | 8:30 a.m. | 3:00 p.m. |
| São Paulo / Buenos Aires / Santiago | UTC-3 | 10:30 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. |
Do Wall Street hours change in the autumn?
Yes, twice for European traders. On Sunday, October 25 the UK and the EU move their clocks back, so from October 26 to 30 the US session runs from 1:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in London. On Sunday, November 1 the US switches to standard time (New York moves to UTC-5) and London is back to 2:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. In Latin America, the session starts one hour later from November 1: 8:30 a.m. in Mexico City, 9:30 a.m. in Bogotá and Lima, and 11:30 a.m. in São Paulo, Buenos Aires and Santiago. All the autumn clock changes are in our forex market hours guide.
A key point for CFD traders: index futures trade almost 24 hours a day from Sunday to Friday (with a short daily break), so many brokers let you follow the Nasdaq 100 and the S&P 500 outside the cash session. Still, liquidity and the biggest moves are concentrated in the New York session, especially in the first hour (9:30–10:30 a.m. ET) and the close (3:00–4:00 p.m. ET).
What moves the Nasdaq 100 and the S&P 500
1. Corporate earnings
Third-quarter earnings season starts in mid-October with the big banks. Every quarter, the "Magnificent Seven" (Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta and Tesla) report results that can move the Nasdaq 100 by several percentage points in a single session, given their huge weight in the index. The S&P 500 reacts too, but in a more diluted way because it is spread across more sectors.
2. Federal Reserve decisions
A hawkish tone (biased toward raising or holding rates high) tends to push both indices lower, while a dovish message (opening the door to cuts) tends to lift them, especially the Nasdaq 100 because of its sensitivity to the discount rate applied to tech companies' future growth.
3. US macro data
- Nonfarm payrolls (NFP): first Friday of each month.
- CPI (inflation): key for Fed expectations.
- GDP and consumer spending indicators (PCE).
These releases usually trigger the biggest intraday volatility of the week in NAS100 and US500, with wide-range candles in the first 30–60 minutes after publication.
4. Liquidity flows and risk sentiment
In risk-on environments, US indices tend to rise alongside other risk assets; in risk-off episodes, they fall together with emerging-market currencies such as the Mexican peso or the Brazilian real.
CFDs vs ETFs: which suits you?
| Aspect | CFD (NAS100 / US500) | ETF (QQQ / SPY) |
|---|---|---|
| Leverage | Yes, set by the broker | Generally no (or limited) |
| Hours | Almost 24/5 | US cash session only |
| Account | Broker account in your base currency | Brokerage or custody account with US market access |
| Costs | Spread + possible swap/rollover | Trading commission + annual fund fee |
| Typical goal | Short- and medium-term trading | Long-term investing and accumulation |
| Tax | Varies by country | May involve US withholding and paperwork (W-8BEN for non-US residents) |
CFDs are usually the most accessible vehicle for intraday or swing trading without a US brokerage account. ETFs fit better with a long-term investment goal, without leverage and with exposure to the dollar if your currency is different.
Current Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 levels
Data as of Friday's close, October 2, 2026:
| Index | Close | Week | Daily trend | Support (daily) | Resistance (daily) | Daily RSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasdaq 100 (NAS100) | 30,808 | +0.5% | Up | 30,101 | 30,820 | 65.5 |
| S&P 500 (US500) | 7,721 | −0.3% | Up | 7,650 | 7,758 | 54.6 |
Nasdaq 100: it closed the week right at daily resistance (30,820), above its 20-day (30,096), 50-day (29,674) and 200-day (27,743) averages. The week's high was 31,038. A daily close above 30,820 would open the way to that area and to the upper daily Bollinger band (31,203). The bullish bias would be invalidated by losing 30,101, the week's low and the 20-day average, with the 50-day average (29,674) as the next target.
S&P 500: weaker than the Nasdaq. It fell to 7,617 during the week and recovered the 7,720 area, between daily support (7,650) and resistance (7,758). A close above 7,758 would favor bullish continuation; losing 7,650 would open a pullback toward the 50-day average (7,644) and, below that, the weekly low.
These levels change every day: check the live chart before trading.
Risk management when trading US indices
- Size positions to the index's ATR (the average daily range is about 462 points on the Nasdaq 100 and 76 on the S&P 500, and about 100 and 18 points per hour), not to a fixed figure. The 1% rule tells you what lot size to use.
- Remember that leverage magnifies both gains and losses, and many brokers offer high ratios that demand extra discipline.
- Watch spreads and swaps on positions held overnight, especially on leveraged accounts.
- Avoid opening new positions right before high-impact releases (NFP, CPI, Fed decisions) unless you have a clear plan for the expected volatility. Times are in today's economic calendar.
Frequently asked questions
What time does the Nasdaq 100 open in London?
At 2:30 p.m. London time, following the 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. New York session. From October 26 to 30 it opens at 1:30 p.m., because Europe changes its clocks a week before the US, and from November 2 it is back to 2:30 p.m.
Can I trade the S&P 500 outside Wall Street hours?
Yes. As a CFD, the S&P 500 (US500) follows the futures price, which trades almost 24 hours a day from Sunday to Friday, although liquidity is lower outside the New York session.
What moves the Nasdaq 100 more: the Fed or tech earnings?
Both are strong catalysts. Big-tech earnings can move the index in a single session, while the Fed's decisions and tone drive the underlying trend for weeks or months.
Is an ETF or a CFD better for getting started?
It depends on the goal: an ETF fits long-term investing without leverage, while a CFD offers extended hours and easier access from a regular trading account, but demands tighter risk control because of leverage.
