Nasdaq All-Time High: The Highest The Nasdaq Has Ever Been

The highest the Nasdaq Composite has ever closed is 27,244.28, on 22 September 2026, according to the Nasdaq Composite daily series on FRED. It traded as high as 27,288.79 that same day. The Nasdaq-100 set its own record close of 30,732.40 in the same session.

The Nasdaq All-Time High Right Now

The Nasdaq Composite has never closed above 27,244.28. That record was set on Tuesday 22 September 2026, one day after the index closed at a record 27,122.09. During the 22 September session it reached 27,288.79, its highest level ever, then settled 44.51 points lower.

It fell back the next day. On 23 September the Composite closed at 26,936.04, which is 308.24 points or 1.13% below the record. The Nasdaq-100 closed at 30,470.29, which is 262.11 points or 0.85% below its own record.

Both records ended a long wait. The Composite’s previous record close, 27,093.90 from 2 June, stood for 111 days before it was beaten on 21 September.

Two Nasdaqs, Two Sets Of Records

There are two Nasdaq indices, and they do not set records on the same days. The Nasdaq Composite includes nearly every stock listed on the Nasdaq exchange. The Nasdaq-100 holds only the 100 largest non-financial companies listed there. News reports that say the Nasdaq usually mean the Composite.

NQ and MNQ futures track the Nasdaq-100, not the Composite. So does the QQQ fund. That difference showed up this week. On 21 September the Composite closed at a record and the Nasdaq-100 did not. The Nasdaq-100 closed at 30,482.35, still below its June record of 30,660.60, and only set a new record the next day.

The intraday records tell the same story. The Nasdaq-100 traded up to 30,762.20 on 3 June, and that stayed its highest level for almost four months. On 22 September it reached 30,770.63, a new intraday record by just 8.43 points.

Verified Source Ledger

Every figure below was checked on 24 September 2026. Closes come from FRED. Intraday highs come from Nasdaq’s historical data. Point gaps and percentages are calculated from the closes shown.

Every Record Close In 2026, Month By Month

Neither index set a record between 29 October 2025 and 15 April 2026. On 30 March the Composite hit its 2026 low of 20,794.64, 13.21% below its 2025 record. Sixteen days later both indices were back at records.

Round-Number Milestones

Round numbers get the headlines. These are the first closes above each one.

The Nasdaq-100 went from 27,000 to 30,000 in 32 days. It has not yet closed above 31,000.

What The Record Means If You Trade NQ, MNQ Or NAS100

The E-mini Nasdaq-100 future (NQ) is 20 US dollars per index point. The Micro E-mini (MNQ) is 2 dollars.

The 21 September rally was 838.18 points on the Nasdaq-100. On one NQ contract that is 16,763.60 dollars, more than eight times a 2,000 dollar daily loss limit. On MNQ it is 1,676.36 dollars. Size to the point value, not the percentage. The position size calculator does the sum for you.

A drawdown rule tracks your account, not the index. But some futures firms use an intraday trailing drawdown that follows your peak unrealised equity, so a spike that reverses can raise your floor before price comes back. We compare the models in trailing vs static drawdown, and you can test a position against your limit with the drawdown calculator.

NQ trades almost 24 hours a day and at a small premium or discount to the cash index, so NQ charts show their own highs. Your platform’s all-time high for NQ will not match 30,770.63, and that is normal.

The top three firms in our futures prop firm rankings are Lucid Trading (8.4), Tradeify (8.4) and Alpha Futures (8.3). If you trade the index as a CFD, usually listed as NAS100 or US100, see the CFD prop firm rankings instead.

Nasdaq Versus S&P 500 And Dow Right Now

On 23 September both Nasdaq indices were closer to their records than the S&P 500 or the Dow, and both had set theirs most recently.

All closes and records come from FRED. We cover the other two in detail on the S&P 500 all-time high and Dow Jones all-time high pages.

FAQ

What is the highest the Nasdaq has ever been?

The Nasdaq Composite reached 27,288.79 during the session on 22 September 2026, its highest level ever, and closed at a record 27,244.28 the same day. The Nasdaq-100 peaked at 30,770.63 that day and closed at a record 30,732.40.

What is the highest Nasdaq close ever?

27,244.28 for the Nasdaq Composite and 30,732.40 for the Nasdaq-100, both on 22 September 2026. Neither index has closed higher since.

Is the Nasdaq at an all-time high right now?

Not at the close on 23 September 2026. The Composite finished at 26,936.04, 1.13% below its record, and the Nasdaq-100 at 30,470.29, 0.85% below. Both records were set only one session earlier.

What is the difference between the Nasdaq Composite and the Nasdaq-100?

The Composite includes nearly every stock listed on the Nasdaq exchange. The Nasdaq-100 holds only the 100 largest non-financial companies listed there. News reports that say the Nasdaq usually mean the Composite.

Does NQ track the Nasdaq Composite or the Nasdaq-100?

The Nasdaq-100. NQ and MNQ futures, and the QQQ fund, all follow the Nasdaq-100, not the Composite. On 21 September 2026 the Composite closed at a record and the Nasdaq-100 did not, so check which index a headline means.

How many record highs has the Nasdaq hit in 2026?

The Composite has set 22 record closes in 2026 and the Nasdaq-100 has set 20. None came between January and mid-April, or in July and August.

When did the Nasdaq first close above 27,000?

The Nasdaq Composite first closed above 27,000 on 1 June 2026, at 27,086.81. It has not closed above 27,500 yet. The Nasdaq-100, which sits at a higher level, first closed above 30,000 on 26 May 2026.

How much is one NQ point worth?

20 US dollars on the E-mini Nasdaq-100 future (NQ) and 2 US dollars on the Micro E-mini (MNQ). On a NAS100 or US100 CFD it depends on the contract size your broker or prop firm sets.