NQ=F vs. ^NDX

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about E-Mini Nasdaq 100 Futures (NQ=F) and NASDAQ 100 Index (^NDX).

Performance

NQ=F vs. ^NDX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in E-Mini Nasdaq 100 Futures (NQ=F) and NASDAQ 100 Index (^NDX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

NQ=F vs. ^NDX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NQ=F E-Mini Nasdaq 100 Futures	-4.99%	19.93%	24.69%	54.45%	-32.46%	26.66%	47.22%	38.20%	-1.18%	31.76%
^NDX NASDAQ 100 Index	-4.87%	20.17%	24.88%	53.81%	-32.97%	26.63%	47.58%	37.96%	-1.04%	31.52%

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with NQ=F having a -4.99% return and ^NDX slightly higher at -4.87%. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with NQ=F having a 18.24% annualized return and ^NDX not far behind at 18.15%.

NQ=F

• 1D: 1.14%
• 1M: -3.35%
• YTD: -4.99%
• 6M: -3.32%
• 1Y: 23.38%
• 3Y*: 22.06%
• 5Y*: 12.68%
• 10Y*: 18.24%

^NDX

• 1D: 1.18%
• 1M: -3.89%
• YTD: -4.87%
• 6M: -3.15%
• 1Y: 23.58%
• 3Y*: 22.14%
• 5Y*: 12.50%
• 10Y*: 18.15%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Return for Risk

NQ=F vs. ^NDX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

NQ=F

NQ=F Risk / Return Rank: 60
NQ=F Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
NQ=F Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
NQ=F Omega Ratio Rank: 59
NQ=F Calmar Ratio Rank: 51
NQ=F Martin Ratio Rank: 70

^NDX

^NDX Risk / Return Rank: 76
^NDX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
^NDX Sortino Ratio Rank: 74
^NDX Omega Ratio Rank: 74
^NDX Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
^NDX Martin Ratio Rank: 80

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

NQ=F vs. ^NDX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for E-Mini Nasdaq 100 Futures (NQ=F) and NASDAQ 100 Index (^NDX). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	NQ=F	^NDX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.02	1.04	-0.02
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.60	1.62	-0.03
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.23	1.23	0.00
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.41	1.93	+0.47
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	8.99	7.05	+1.94
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NQ=F vs. ^NDX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NQ=F Sharpe Ratio is 1.02, which is comparable to the ^NDX Sharpe Ratio of 1.04. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NQ=F and ^NDX, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	NQ=F	^NDX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.02	1.04	-0.02
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.56	0.56	+0.01
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.82	0.81	+0.01
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.90	0.55	+0.35

Correlation

The correlation between NQ=F and ^NDX is 0.98, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Drawdowns

NQ=F vs. ^NDX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NQ=F drawdown since its inception was -35.28%, smaller than the maximum ^NDX drawdown of -82.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NQ=F and ^NDX.

Drawdown Indicators

	NQ=F	^NDX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-35.28%	-82.90%	+47.62%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.72%	-12.72%	0.00%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.28%	-35.56%	+0.28%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.28%	-35.56%	+0.28%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.90%	-8.04%	+0.14%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.15%	-24.72%	+19.57%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.18%	3.49%	-0.31%

Volatility

NQ=F vs. ^NDX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for E-Mini Nasdaq 100 Futures (NQ=F) is 6.23%, while NASDAQ 100 Index (^NDX) has a volatility of 6.65%. This indicates that NQ=F experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ^NDX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NQ=F	^NDX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.23%	6.65%	-0.42%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.64%	12.93%	-0.29%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.19%	22.77%	-0.58%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	22.48%	22.61%	-0.13%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.24%	22.48%	-0.24%