Nasdaq Composite Price Graph (Live IXIC Chart)

What This Nasdaq Composite Chart Shows

The main chart above plots NASDAQ:IXIC, the Nasdaq Composite index, in index points. It is the same "Nasdaq" figure quoted in market news alongside the Dow Jones and the S&P 500. The At a Glance row adds four smaller charts: CAPITALCOM:US100 (a CFD that tracks the Nasdaq-100 almost around the clock), SP:SPX (the S&P 500), DJIA:DJI (the Dow) and NASDAQ:QQQ (an exchange-traded fund that holds the Nasdaq-100).

How the Nasdaq Composite Is Calculated

The Nasdaq Composite started at a base value of 100 on February 5, 1971, the year the Nasdaq market opened. It includes almost every common stock listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (several thousand securities, including foreign companies listed via ADRs), not only technology firms.

• Market-cap weighted: each company counts in proportion to its market value (share price times shares outstanding). A 1% move in one of the largest companies shifts the index far more than a 1% move in a small company.
• Divisor: the total market value is divided by an index divisor that is adjusted for listings, delistings and share changes, so the index only moves when prices move.
• Price index: the headline IXIC level excludes dividends. A total-return version exists, but the chart shows the price index.

How to Read the Nasdaq Price Graph

1. Pick an interval. In the toolbar choose minutes for intraday trading, D (daily) for the last few months, or W/M (weekly/monthly) for a higher time frame that shows the long-term trend.
2. Read the candles. Each candle shows the open, high, low and close for one interval. A green body closed above its open; a red body closed below it. Thin wicks mark the session high and low.
3. Check the moving average. The chart loads a simple moving average (SMA). Price above a rising SMA is a common definition of an uptrend; price below a falling SMA, a downtrend.
4. Switch to log scale for long history. Right-click the price axis and choose Logarithmic. On a linear axis a 1,000-point move looks the same at every level; on a log axis equal distances mean equal percentage moves.

Points vs Percent

Because the index level has risen many times over since 1971, point changes are misleading over long periods. A 200-point drop is a small percentage move at a high level but would have been a crash when the index stood near 1,000. Always look at the percentage change shown next to the price.

Key Milestones

• February 5, 1971: the index launches at 100.
• March 10, 2000: dot-com peak, a closing high of 5,048.62.
• October 2002: after the bubble burst, the index had lost roughly 78% from its peak.
• April 2015: the Composite finally closes above its 2000 high, about 15 years later.
• March 2020: a sharp COVID-19 sell-off, followed by a rapid recovery.

What Moves the Nasdaq

• Mega-cap earnings: a handful of very large technology and communication companies make up a big share of the index, so their quarterly results can move it on their own.
• Interest rates: growth stocks are sensitive to bond yields. Rising yields reduce the present value of future profits and often weigh on the Nasdaq more than on the Dow.
• Inflation and Fed decisions: CPI releases and Federal Reserve meetings frequently cause large intraday swings.
• Risk appetite: the Nasdaq tends to rise more than the broad market in rallies and fall more in sell-offs.

Common Mistakes

• Comparing the Composite level with a Nasdaq-100 or QQQ price.
• Judging decades of history on a linear axis.
• Treating out-of-hours US100 moves as the official index close.

New to candlestick charts? Read our guide on how to read a chart, compare indices side by side with the compare tool, or browse more stock market charts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Nasdaq Composite price graph show?

It plots the level of the Nasdaq Composite index (IXIC) in index points over time. Each candle shows the open, high, low and close for the chosen interval, so a daily candle summarises one trading session from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Is the Nasdaq Composite the same as the Nasdaq-100?

No. The Composite includes almost every common stock listed on Nasdaq, while the Nasdaq-100 holds the 100 largest non-financial Nasdaq-listed companies. Both are market-cap weighted and usually move together, but their point levels differ, so compare them in percent rather than points.

How do I view the Nasdaq live chart on a higher time frame?

Open the interval menu in the chart toolbar and choose weekly (W) or monthly (M) candles, then zoom out. Higher time frames filter out intraday noise and show the long-term trend. Switch the price axis to logarithmic when you look at several decades.

Is the Nasdaq index composite chart live?

The chart updates during US market hours. Depending on the data feed, index quotes in free embedded charts can be delayed by several minutes, and the cash index does not move outside the regular session. The US100 mini chart tracks the Nasdaq-100 almost around the clock.

When did the Nasdaq Composite peak during the dot-com bubble?

The Composite closed at 5,048.62 on March 10, 2000, then lost roughly 78% by October 2002. It did not close above that 2000 high again until April 2015, which is why long-range Nasdaq charts are easier to read on a log scale.