Stock Indices Today
Live prices for the world's major stock market indices. S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, Dow Jones, FTSE 100, Nikkei 225, Nifty 50, Hang Seng, and DAX — all updated every minute.
What Are Stock Market Indices?
A stock market index is a basket of selected stocks that represents a segment of a financial market. Each index has its own methodology — which companies qualify, how they are weighted (by market cap, by price, or equally), and how frequently the composition is reviewed.
Indices themselves are not tradeable instruments. But they are the basis for:
- ETFs — passive funds that replicate the index (e.g. SPY for S&P 500, QQQ for Nasdaq 100)
- Index futures — standardized contracts traded on exchanges (e.g. E-mini S&P 500 on CME)
- CFDs — contracts for difference via brokers, accessible to retail traders with leverage
- Options — derivatives on index level (e.g. SPX options)
World's Major Stock Indices — Quick Reference
| Index | Country | Companies | What It Tracks | CFD Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | USA | 500 | 500 largest US companies by market cap — the broadest US benchmark | US500 / SPX500 |
| Nasdaq 100 | USA | 100 | 100 largest non-financial Nasdaq-listed companies — tech-heavy | US100 / NAS100 |
| Dow Jones | USA | 30 | 30 blue-chip US companies — price-weighted, oldest US index | US30 / DJ30 |
| FTSE 100 | UK | 100 | 100 largest companies on London Stock Exchange by market cap | UK100 |
| Nikkei 225 | Japan | 225 | 225 leading companies on Tokyo Stock Exchange — price-weighted | JPN225 |
| Nifty 50 | India | 50 | 50 largest companies on NSE India — key Asia emerging market index | IN50 / NIFTY50 |
| Hang Seng | Hong Kong | 82 | 82 largest companies on Hong Kong Stock Exchange — China proxy | HK50 |
| DAX 40 | Germany | 40 | 40 largest companies on Frankfurt Stock Exchange (XETRA) | GER40 / GER30 |
Why Stock Indices Matter for Forex Traders
Stock indices are the most direct real-time measure of global risk sentiment. Understanding their direction is essential for any forex or commodities trader, even if you never trade equities directly.
Risk-On vs Risk-Off:
- When S&P 500, Nasdaq, and DAX are rising together — risk-on. Capital flows into equities, high-yield currencies (AUD, NZD, EM), and commodities. Safe havens (USD, JPY, gold) underperform.
- When indices fall sharply — risk-off. Capital flees to USD, JPY, Swiss Franc, and gold. Emerging market currencies (INR, MYR, IDR) depreciate as capital repatriates.
USD Correlation: The S&P 500 has a complex relationship with the USD. Short-term: equity rallies can weaken USD (capital diversifying globally). Long-term: strong US growth attracts foreign capital into US assets — strengthening USD even as equities rise. The key is whether the rally is driven by US-specific factors or global risk appetite.
Gold vs Equities: Gold historically moves inverse to equity indices. When S&P 500 is in a sustained bull market, gold often underperforms. During equity corrections or crashes, gold spikes as a safe haven. This correlation is not perfect — during stagflation (rising inflation + weak growth), gold and equities can both rise or both fall simultaneously.
Nifty 50 and Gold: India's Nifty 50 has a unique dynamic with gold demand. When Nifty rises strongly, Indian household wealth increases — driving discretionary gold buying. India is the world's second-largest gold consumer, so Nifty trends can influence physical gold demand seasonally.
Trade Stock Index CFDs with Exness
Exness offers US500, US100, US30, UK100, JPN225, IN50, HK50, and GER40 with competitive spreads and leverage up to 1:200. Trade indices alongside forex and commodities on a single account.
Open Exness Account →Risk warning: Index CFDs are leveraged products. Losses can exceed deposits.