There are several different ways that you can trade the Nasdaq 100 index. A couple of the most common are to trade futures and options etf’s. The most popular options symbols are $QQQ, $ONEQ, $IBB, $QTEC and the futures symbols are /NQ, and /MNQ

There are two types of futures that you can trade. E-Mini and micro futures. E-mini’s are the more expensive but most well known way to trade them among futures traders, however, micros are gaining some steam, especially with the lower margin requirements.

E-mini’s require an initial upfront market of $8250, whereas micros require $825. Micros have a tick value of $0.50 and e-mini’s have a $5 tick value.

The futures on this index move in 0.25 ticks so 4 ticks make up 1 point. So, every 1 point move on the e-mini’s give you the potential to make or lose $20 and every 1 point move on the micros gives you the ability to make or lose $2.

There are several different trading styles among futures and options traders of the Nasdaq indices. There are day traders, swing traders, and long term traders.

Day trading weekly options is a very popular trading strategy, where momentum traders like to buy and sell weekly contracts on highly liquid tech stocks. They use the leverage that options contracts affords them to capitalize on short term gains.

The liquidity of these contracts allows them to get in and out of their contracts and is an alternative to day trading penny stocks.

Futures trading is a similar strategy but a bit different. Day trading Nasdaq futures is very popular and is a bit less complicated than options contracts.

Both are very lucrative strategies to day trade the Nasdaq. Futures trading takes a bit more capital in your brokerage account due to margin requirements. Options requires less capital to trade. But both are very good strategies.