What is Nasdaq?
5paisa Research Team
Last Updated: 05 Jun, 2025 05:50 PM IST

Content
- Understanding Nasdaq
- What is Nasdaq?
- NASDAQ History
- How Does Nasdaq Work?
- A Tech Behemoth
- How Does Nasdaq Traing System Works?
- The inner workings
- Is Nasdaq Based in the U.S.?
- What is Nasdaq 100?
- How to list scrips on Nasdaq?
- What is the Nasdaq Composite Index, and how to invest in it?
- How to invest in Nasdaq from India?
- Conclusion
Understanding Nasdaq
Nasdaq stands for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations. It kicked off in 1971 as the world’s first fully electronic stock exchange. Unlike the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), which still has a traditional trading floor, Nasdaq operates entirely online. And if you’re wondering where the big tech giants live, you’re in the right place. Nasdaq is home to major players like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet (aka Google).
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Frequently Asked Questions
NASDAQ trading hours are from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. Additionally, pre-market and after-hours trading sessions are available for investors who wish to trade outside regular hours.
The primary difference between the National Stock Exchange (NSE) of India and Nasdaq is their location and listed companies. NSE is based in India and lists Indian companies, while Nasdaq is based in the United States and mainly lists technology and growth-oriented companies from around the world.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (Dow) is a price-weighted stock market index that tracks 30 large, established US companies. Nasdaq, on the other hand, is a stock exchange that lists a broader range of companies, with a focus on technology and growth-oriented firms. The Nasdaq Composite Index is a market-capitalization-weighted index that tracks the performance of all companies listed on the Nasdaq exchange.
Nifty, the index representing the National Stock Exchange (NSE) of India, is not directly dependent on Nasdaq. However, global market trends, including those from Nasdaq, can influence investor sentiment and impact the performance of Indian stocks and indices like Nifty.
No, you cannot buy shares on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and sell them on Nasdaq. Shares listed on BSE are traded only on that exchange, and shares listed on Nasdaq are traded exclusively on Nasdaq. To trade shares on different exchanges, you must buy and sell them separately through brokers who have access to those specific markets.
Yes, Nasdaq is a stock exchange based in the United States, located in New York City. It began operations in February 1971 and was the world's first fully electronic exchange. Today, over 5,000 companies both U.S based and international are listed on Nasdaq.
Nasdaq 100 is a stock market index that tracks the performance of 100 of the largest non financial companies both U.S based and international listed on Nasdaq exchange. It focuses on large cap growth companies ranked by their market capitalization.
Apple is listed on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAPL. The company made its initial public offering (IPO) on 12 December 1980 with shares initially priced at $22.
Nasdaq is home to a wide variety of companies especially in the tech sector. You’ll find big names like Apple, Amazon and Google but there are also companies from sectors like healthcare and finance. Nasdaq tends to attract innovative and fast growing companies making it a popular choice for investors interested in the latest trends.