Indices

Enhance trading diversity with EC Markets via global indices: Dow Jones, Nikkei, Hang Seng.

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Indices Trading Conditions

Symbol Minimum Spread Average Spread Pip Value Min price movement Contract Size
100GBP
UK 100
5.5 5.8 13.59 0.1 10
200AUD
Australia 200
6.2 6.26 7.09 0.1 10
225JPY
Japan 225
4.2 5.12 0.63 0.1 100
A50USD
China A50
11 11 10.00 0.1 10
D40EUR
D40EUR
5.7 5.72 11.63 0.1 10
E50EUR
Europe 50
5.4 5.55 11.63 0.1 10
F40EUR
CAC 40
6.8 6.85 11.63 0.1 10
H50HKD
Hong Kong 50 Cash Index
9 9.5 1.27 0.1 10
NDXUSD
US Tech 100
3.7 3.85 10.00 0.1 10
S35EUR
Spain 35 Index
7.2 10.51 11.63 0.1 10
SPXUSD
US SPX 500
2.7 2.88 10.00 0.1 10
U30USD
Wall Street 30
3.2 3.65 10.00 0.1 10
USDIDX
US Dollar Index
20 22 10.00 0.001 1000
Symbol Minimum Spread Average Spread Pip Value Min price movement Contract Size
100GBP
UK 100
4.5 4.8 13.59 0.1 10
200AUD
Australia 200
5.2 5.25 7.09 0.1 10
225JPY
Japan 225
3 3.59 0.63 0.1 100
A50USD
China A50
10 10 10.00 0.1 10
D40EUR
D40EUR
4.7 4.73 11.63 0.1 10
E50EUR
Europe 50
4.2 4.25 11.63 0.1 10
F40EUR
CAC 40
5.8 5.83 11.63 0.1 10
H50HKD
Hong Kong 50 Cash Index
8 8.5 1.27 0.1 10
NDXUSD
US Tech 100
2.5 2.6 10.00 0.1 10
S35EUR
Spain 35 Index
6 7.82 11.63 0.1 10
SPXUSD
US SPX 500
1.5 1.75 10.00 0.1 10
U30USD
Wall Street 30
2 2.3 10.00 0.1 10
USDIDX
US Dollar Index
5 6 10.00 0.001 1000
Symbol Minimum Spread Average Spread Pip Value Min price movement Contract Size
100GBP
UK 100
4.5 4.8 13.59 0.1 10
200AUD
Australia 200
5.2 5.25 7.09 0.1 10
225JPY
Japan 225
3 3.25 0.63 0.1 100
A50USD
China A50
10 10 10.00 0.1 10
D40EUR
D40EUR
4.7 4.73 11.63 0.1 10
E50EUR
Europe 50
4.2 4.23 11.63 0.1 10
F40EUR
CAC 40
5.8 5.83 11.63 0.1 10
H50HKD
Hong Kong 50 Cash Index
8 8.5 1.27 0.1 10
NDXUSD
US Tech 100
2.5 2.55 10.00 0.1 10
S35EUR
Spain 35 Index
6 7.59 11.63 0.1 10
SPXUSD
US SPX 500
1.5 1.62 10.00 0.1 10
U30USD
Wall Street 30
2 2.15 10.00 0.1 10
USDIDX
US Dollar Index
5 5.5 10.00 0.001 1000

Jump into the Market
by Trading Indices

A stock market index is a measurement of the performance of a collection of many stocks, and is generally based around a single sector or country. For example, the S&P 500 tracks some of the largest companies in the US and is seen as an indicator for general US economic health. The Nasdaq-100, on the other hand, tracks one hundred of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange, and is often used as an indicator of the US tech industry.


As these indices pool the overall performance of many companies,
the risks associated with any single company are avoided, with prices
instead moving based on the macro-level trends.



Index CFDs, which are offered by EC Markets, enable traders to speculate on price movements in various indices without needing to own all of the stocks in an index. Additionally, CFDs use leverage, which boosts both profits and losses, empowering a more versatile trading strategy suited to each trader. Explore market opportunities today with EC Markets’ indices CFDs!

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Why Trade Indices With EC Markets

Trade the Whole
Market

Indices represent the movement
of entire markets, lowering risks
associated with individual stocks.

Target Various Sectors
and Countries

Indices are generally focused on
specific industries and
countries, giving traders the
ability to accurately target
promising markets.

Make Educated
Trading Decisions

Indices experience high liquidity,
which creates tight spreads and
makes entering and exiting the
market easy and quick.

Enhanced Liquidity
Facilitates Swift Trades

High trading volumes ensure
narrow spreads, permitting
efficient executions and
significantly reducing slippage
for participants.

Indices FAQ

Stock market indices (like S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100) are groups of stocks that focus on the economy of a particular industry or country. Instead of buying individual shares, which are subject to significant idiosyncratic risk, trading indices involves using CFDs (Contracts for Difference) to speculate on movements of entire industries and countries, enabling traders to profit from large macroeconomic and industry trends.

To trade indices a trader needs to have an account with a broker that can offer them access to CFDs on the stock market indices that the trader wants to participate in. The trader can then buy or sell based on their speculation of which direction the market will take.

Although there is no single best index to trade, there are several indices that are more popular amongst traders. The top indices are the S&P 500, the Nasdaq-100, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the FTSE, and DAX 40.

As indices are simply the weighted average prices of a pool of individual stocks, the market value of a stock market index is fundamentally determined by the stocks that comprise it. These stocks themselves are affected by the forces of supply and demand as traders buy and sell individual stocks. As these individual stock prices move, so too does the price of the index. The key difference between the movement of prices of individual stocks and that of an index is that indices are diversified and as such lower idiosyncratic risk, which is the risk associated with a single company. An individual stock price is highly affected by events specific to its company, but has less effect on an index that it is in due to being a small part of the entire index. For this reason, index prices move with industry-level trends (for industry specific indices) and macroeconomic trends (for country specific indices).

When trading indices, idiosyncratic risk, which is risk specific to a single company, is largely diversified away. This means that movements in prices of indices follow industry-level trends (for industry-focused indices) or macroeconomic-level trends (for country-focused indices). As such, indices are more predictable, experience less volatility, and fewer gaps, than individual stocks and can be more easily capitalised on by traders.

Yes, trading indices is often a good choice for beginners due to the lower risk, higher liquidity, less volatility, and more predictability of the markets. Additionally information regarding the performance and expected performance of indices is widely available, making it straightforward for new traders to find actionable information.

Latest News

Close-up of a digital stock ticker with green, blue, and yellow numbers scrolling on a grid-like display.
Indices

17 Aug 2026

US Inflation Cools as Geopolitical Risks Rise | Weekly Recap: 10-14 August 2026

Softer US inflation supported markets during the week, but weaker retail sales and renewed geopolitical tensions complicated the outlook for interest rates, oil and global equities.

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Indices

12 Aug 2026

How to Read Bollinger Bands: Mean Reversion and Market Volatility

Prices in financial markets rarely move in a straight line. Instead, they move through periods of trending, consolidation and changing volatility. They can also move significantly away from their recent average before returning towards it, a tendency known as mean reversion.

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US CPI forecast at 3.4% as markets assess the Federal Reserve's September interest rate decision.
Indices

12 Aug 2026

US CPI in Focus as Markets Weigh September Fed Rate Hike

US inflation returns to the centre of the market conversation today, with investors looking to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for clues on what the Federal Reserve might do in September. Economists expect headline inflation to ease slightly to 3.4% year on year in July, from 3.5% in June, while core CPI, which excludes food and energy, is forecast to slow to 2.5%. On a monthly basis, headline prices are expected to rise 0.1%, with core prices increasing 0.2%.

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Stacks of coins in the foreground with a blue upward-trending line chart in the background, suggesting financial growth San.
Indices

10 Aug 2026

Soft US Labour Market Data Supports Global Markets | Weekly Market Recap: 3-7 August 2026

Softer-than-expected US labour market data and another strong week of corporate earnings helped global equity markets rally to record highs during the first week of August. July's surprise decline in nonfarm payrolls prompted investors to reduce expectations of further Federal Reserve tightening, while resilient technology earnings continued supporting risk appetite.

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Illustration of the US ISM Services PMI highlighting market expectations for the latest services sector data and its impact on the Federal Reserve and financial markets.
Indices

05 Aug 2026

US ISM Services PMI Forecast at 54.0 as Markets Assess Economic Momentum

Investors are awaiting today's release of the US ISM Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), one of the most closely watched indicators of economic activity. Economists expect the index to come in at 54.0, a level that would signal continued expansion in the services sector. Any reading above 50 indicates that business activity is growing, while a figure below 50 points to contraction. Given that services account for around 70% of the US economy, the report is considered one of the clearest monthly indicators of underlying economic momentum.

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