Learning how to trade NAS100 is less about finding a secret indicator and more about following the same process every day. Here is the framework we teach at RisePips, in the order you apply it.
1. Read the higher-timeframe structure
Start on the 4-hour and 1-hour charts. Is price making higher highs and higher lows (an uptrend), lower highs and lower lows (a downtrend), or ranging? This tells you which direction to favour for the day. Our guide to NAS100 market structure covers this in depth.
2. Mark the key levels
Note the previous day's high and low, the Asia session range and the London session high and low. These levels attract price because orders cluster around them.
3. Wait for liquidity to be taken
NAS100 often runs past an obvious high or low before the real move begins. This is a liquidity sweep. Rather than entering at the level, wait to see whether price sweeps it and rejects.
4. Look for confirmation
After the sweep, drop to a lower timeframe (5-minute or 1-minute) and wait for a break of structure in the direction you expect. No confirmation means no trade.
5. Define the risk before you enter
Place the stop beyond the sweep and size the position so that, if the stop is hit, you lose a fixed small share of your account (many traders use 1% or less). See NAS100 risk management for the maths.
6. Manage the trade and review it
Take profit at the next opposing level, and journal every trade, wins and losses. Over time, the journal shows which setups actually work for you.
A simple NAS100 trading plan
- Trade one session: usually the New York open (see the best time to trade NAS100).
- Take at most one or two high-quality setups per day.
- Stop for the day after a set loss.
- Review every trade before the next session.
This is the same sequence RisePips mentors trade live with students every weekday. Explore the programs to learn it with feedback.
Trading leveraged products such as NAS100 carries a high risk of loss. This article is education, not financial advice. Read our risk disclaimer.