Current price (NQ): $23,437 (≈-0.25% vs. yesterday’s close)
Recent context: All-time high on Aug 13 at $24,068.50, a 5-day pullback of -4.32% to $23,035 (near the $23k round number), a 2-day bounce to $23,650 (pivot), and now trading just beneath an important July pivot zone around $23,425–$23,450.
Summary for Nasdaq 100 Futures Traders Today
Decision Range: $23,445 – $23,480 (key cluster of levels)
Bearish below: $23,463 (yesterday’s VAL single-price option)
Bullish above: $23,513 (today’s POC)
Primary bias: Bearish while price holds below the Decision Range
Sizing tip: If a 35-point band feels wide, trade the micro contract (MNQ). One MNQ “point” is 1/10th the dollar value of the E-mini, letting you express the same idea with tighter sizing.
Analysis of Nasdaq Futures Today: Market Context & Directional Bias
Nasdaq technical analysis for today with specific prices
Price sits below the $23,445–$23,480 Decision Range, keeping the session tilted bearish unless buyers reclaim the band. For traders who prefer a single trigger, the bearish threshold is $23,463 (below yesterday’s Value Area Low), while bulls need to sustain above $23,513 (today’s Point of Control) to argue for upside continuation toward the upper pivots cited below.
Partial Profit Targets for Nasdaq Bears Today (once price is below our bearish threshold)
$23,417 — aligns with the 2nd lower VWAP deviation; frequent intraday magnet when momentum builds.
$23,400 — round-number liquidity pocket where stops often cluster.
$23,374 — nearby acceptance zone that can stall first legs.
Swing-extension waypoints for bears (if momentum persists):
$23,312 — just above Aug 22 VAH; prior acceptance often retests.
$23,276 — in line with Aug 24 VWAP; fair-value pullback idea.
$23,226 — set above Aug 22 POC to capture reaction risk.
$23,123 — above Aug 22 VAL; deeper test of that value area.
Stop logic for shorts: Your maximum protective stop should not sit beyond the top of the Decision Range ($23,482), because acceptance above that band weakens the short premise. Conservative traders may even key off a 15-min close above $23,513 (today’s POC) as full invalidation.
Partial Profit Targets for Nasdaq Bulls Today (once price sustains above our bullish threshold)
$23,531 — today’s VWAP; first fair-value magnet overhead.
$23,543 — yesterday’s VAH; typical reaction level after reclaiming POC/VWAP.
$23,575 — set just below Aug 20 VAH to front-run supply.
$23,665 — just below Aug 12 VAL; higher-timeframe inflection.
$23,695 — final swing target in this compass; beyond here awaits a new tradeCompass.
Stop logic for longs: A break back below $23,445 (bottom of the Decision Range) returns price to bearish territory—longs should not persist beneath the opposite bias.
How to Use This Compass
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If price probes the Decision Range but fails to hold above it, shorts remain favored.
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If price accepts above $23,513 (POC), the bull plan activates; use the targets listed and manage risk as below.
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One trade per direction per tradeCompass. If you took the short plan and later got stopped at breakeven after partials, you do not re-short in this same compass. The same applies to the long plan.
Trade Management Essentials (read this!)
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Take partials at logical magnets (VWAP, VAH/VAL, round numbers) to bank progress and lower stress.
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After the second target is achieved, move your stop to entry—standard tradeCompass protocol.
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Stops are tied to bias: never beyond the opposite side’s invalidation (e.g., above the Decision Range for shorts).
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Confirmations are flexible: some wait for a 5–15 minute close through thresholds; others use order-flow cues. Choose what fits your playbook.
Quick Education: Why Partial Profits Matter (today’s lesson)
Markets often react at institutional price landmarks—VWAP, POC, VAH/VAL, and round-number liquidity pools. Scaling out at those junctions converts open risk into realized gain and gives you optionality for the runner. It’s not about perfection; it’s about systematically harvesting edges where big players transact.
tradeCompass is a decision-support framework. It does not tell you what to do; it maps the terrain so you can act with intent. Trade at your own risk. Futures are volatile, and losses can exceed deposits.
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