How Do You Calculate NQ Futures Risk From Your Stop Loss?
Turn an NQ or MNQ stop distance into dollar risk and contract size, with worked examples and the free EVX position size calculator.
EVX Levels — Know Your Levels. Trade Your Plan.
Explore EVX Levels →What is one NQ point worth?
One NQ contract moves $20 per index point, with a 0.25-point tick worth $5. MNQ is one-tenth the size: $2 per point and $0.50 per tick. Points and ticks are different units; a 20-point stop is 80 ticks, not 20 ticks. Choose the correct product before using a futures calculator.
How do you turn a stop into dollars?
Multiply stop distance in points by dollars per point and contract count. A hypothetical 20-point stop on one NQ is $400; on one MNQ it is $40. Three MNQ contracts with that stop have $120 planned price-move risk. Add round-trip commissions and allow for slippage separately. These are arithmetic examples, not suggested trades or stop distances.
How many contracts fit your risk budget?
Divide your per-trade dollar budget by planned risk per contract, then round down to whole contracts. Before costs, a $150 budget and a 20-point stop fits zero NQ or three MNQ contracts. Do not round up to one NQ simply because the calculator returns less than one. After adding costs or a slippage allowance, the allowable count can fall. If no contract fits, change the trade or stand aside rather than remove the stop.
Which account number should you use?
On a prop account, use the actual remaining room above the applicable loss threshold and respect any tighter daily limit, not the advertised 50K or 100K account label. With intraday trailing rules, the threshold can move during open profits. Your usable allowance can therefore change while a trade is running. The calculator does not monitor your platform or enforce your firm's rules.
How do levels fit into the calculation?
A support or resistance area can help organize a scenario, but it does not determine a safe contract count by itself. Identify invalidation, measure the stop distance, set your own budget, and then calculate size. EVX Levels offers educational NQ session commentary; the calculator checks arithmetic. Neither provides guaranteed fills or personalized recommendations. Review news risk and your firm's rules before participating.
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