Trade indices with low spreads

Access the most popular global indices with favourable trading conditions offered by Octa

Why trade indices with Octa

  • Invest in global stocks indices

    Trade CFDs on major indices to cover entire national stock markets, not individual companies.

  • Go long or short

    Benefit from any price movements: profit from both upward and downward market trends.

  • Make the most of leverage

    Use leverage of up to 1:400 to trade much larger volumes: start trading even with a tiny deposit.

  • Low and stable spreads

    Minimise your costs with low spreads that remain stable even when the volatility index is high.

  • No swaps and no commissions

    Trade indices free of charge: pay no commissions, no fees, and no swap charges.

  • Status Program

    Unlock even tighter spreads, quicker transfers, personal guidance, and many more benefits.

  • 50% deposit bonus

    Receive a 50% bonus on each deposit and withdraw it after trading a certain amount of lots.

  • Expert Advisors and trading ideas

    Seek help from automatic trading systems and explore market insights to get trading signals.

Octa live quotes and spreads for indices

octatrader mt5 mt4
Symbol Bid Ask Spread (pips)
AUS200 - - -
UK100 - - -
FRA40 - - -
GER40 - - -
ESP35 - - -
EUSTX50 - - -
US30 - - -
NAS100 - - -
US30.Daily - - -
NAS100.Daily - - -
SPX500.Daily - - -
SPX500 - - -
JPN225 - - -
Symbol Bid Ask Spread (pips)
AUS200 - - -
UK100 - - -
FRA40 - - -
GER40 - - -
GER40.Daily - - -
ESP35 - - -
EUSTX50 - - -
US30 - - -
US30.Daily - - -
NAS100 - - -
NAS100.Daily - - -
SPX500 - - -
SPX500.Daily - - -
JPN225 - - -
JPN225.Daily - - -
Symbol Bid Ask Spread (pips)
AUS200 - - -
GER40 - - -
NAS100 - - -
US30 - - -

What index trading is and how it works

A market index is a score that measures the performance of a group of assets. Major stock indices track a basket of the most important stocks on a certain stock exchange. For example, the NASDAQ 100, one of the leading US indices, consists of 100 stocks traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange.

While you cannot invest in indices directly, you can trade an index using CFDs featured by Octa. It means you do not have to buy or sell any actual stocks. Instead, you can make profits by predicting how an index is going to change and opening a corresponding long (Buy) or short (Sell) position.

Index CFDs allow you to use leverage, or borrow funds to open much larger positions. This way, leverage can magnify both potential profits and eventual losses. Indices are relatively intuitive: with them, you trade the direction of a stock market in general, and there are many strategies for that.

How to trade indices: best trading strategy

Major indices represent entire national economies, so you can find trading opportunities by analysing any kinds of political and financial news. Look out for corporate announcements from major companies in the index you are trading or check out the economic calendar to find relevant events.

You can also trade indices online using technical indicators. Arguably the best trading strategy for novice traders is trend trading: use trend indicators to determine the direction the market is moving in and open a corresponding position. Read more about major indices in our index trading guide.

Explore Space for live trading ideas

Space is a unique live feed designed by Octa to get you fresh trading ideas right in the OctaTrader trading platform. Learn about the current trends on different markets from the Octa experts and open orders right on the same screen to save time and effort.

Octa trading platforms for indices trading

Each trading platform has its own set of tradable indices and features that define your experience. If you are unsure which one to choose, try risk-free trading on OctaTrader with a free demo account.

    OctaTrader

    Available indices:

    10

    NAS100, US30, JPN225, and more

    Spread from:

    1.8 pips

    Floating spread, markup

    Trading commission:

    $0

    No deposit or withdrawal fees

    Min deposit:

    $25

    Recommended: $100

    Max leverage:

    1:400

    Minimum order size: 0.01 lot

    _mt5

    Available indices:

    10

    NAS100, US30, JPN225, and more

    Spread from:

    1.8 pips

    Floating spread, markup

    Trading commission:

    $0

    No deposit or withdrawal fees

    Min deposit:

    $25

    Recommended: $100

    Max leverage:

    1:400

    Minimum order size: 0.01 lot

    _mt4

    Available indices:

    4

    NAS100, US30, AUS200, and GER40

    Spread from:

    2.0 pips

    Floating spread, markup

    Trading commission:

    $0

    No deposit or withdrawal fees

    Min deposit:

    $25

    Recommended: $100

    Max leverage:

    1:400

    Minimum order size: 0.01 lot

Indices trading hours: when to trade

Indices are not traded 24/7. Each index has its own trading hours coinciding with the global financial markets. Check the schedule to learn when you can trade certain indices.

  • UTC
  • EEST
    • Instrument

      NAS100 / SPX500 / US30

    • Monday to Friday

      10:00 p.m. – 08:15 p.m.
      (15-minute recess)
      08:30 p.m. – 09:00 p.m.
      (1-hour recess)

    • Saturday / Sunday

      No trading

    • Instrument

      AUS200

    • Monday to Friday

      10:00 p.m. – 09:00 p.m.
      (1-hour recess)

    • Saturday / Sunday

      No trading

    • Instrument

      FRA40 / EUSTX50 / JPN225 / UK100

    • Monday to Friday

      10:00 p.m. – 09:00 p.m.
      (1-hour recess)

    • Saturday / Sunday

      No trading

    • Instrument

      GER40

      ESP35

    • Monday to Friday

      06:00 a.m. – 08:00 p.m.
      (10-hour recess)

      07:00 a.m. – 03:30 p.m.
      (15.5-hour recess)

    • Saturday / Sunday

      No trading

    • Instrument

      NAS100 / SPX500 / US30

    • Monday to Friday

      12:00 a.m. – 10:15 p.m.
      (15-minute recess)
      10:30 p.m. – 11:00 a.m.
      (1-hour recess)

    • Saturday / Sunday

      No trading

    • Instrument

      AUS200

    • Monday to Friday

      12:00 a.m. – 08:15 a.m.
      (1-hour recess)
      09:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
      (1-hour recess)

    • Saturday / Sunday

      No trading

    • Instrument

      FRA40 / EUSTX50 / JPN225 / UK100

    • Monday to Friday

      12:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
      (1-hour recess)

    • Saturday / Sunday

      No trading

    • Instrument

      GER40

      ESP35

    • Monday to Friday

      08:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
      (10-hour recess)

      09:00 a.m. – 05:30 p.m.
      (15.5-hour recess)

    • Saturday / Sunday

      No trading

FAQ

What are indices in trading?

Indices measure the performance of a certain group of assets, most usually stocks. Major indices such as US30 include stocks of the most important companies in the entire national economy. This way, an index indicates how well that economy performs as a whole.

What is index trading and how does it work?

There is no way you can trade an index directly, but you can trade CFDs on indices with Octa. With them, you can make profits just by correctly predicting how an index is going to change. CFDs allow an indices trader to use leverage, increasing potential profits manyfold.

How to trade indices with profit?

To start trading indices, create a real trading account with Octa and make a deposit. Then, use news and other sources of market information to predict how the market is going to move and open an order. If you are unsure where to start, try reading more about trading or browse Space for live trading ideas.