NQ Session Recap — Monday, May 18, 2026

NQ gapped up 107.25 points at the open on Monday, May 18, 2026 and settled at 29,098.75, −132.50 points (−0.45%) versus the prior regular-session close. The regular session traded a 541.50-point range between 28,814.75 and 29,356.25, closing around the middle of the range.

Overnight trade ahead of the open ranged from 28,926.00 to 29,419.75. The day session took out the overnight low, which is worth logging if you track overnight-range behavior as part of your prep.

Price built a 227.25-point initial balance (09:30–10:30 ET, 29,129.00–29,356.25) and broke below it, extending about 138% of the IB range below the IB low at the furthest point.

Session volume totaled roughly 838,184 contracts across the trading day, with about 570,604 traded during regular hours.

One session is a data point, not a pattern. The way to use a day like this is to compare it against the distribution: how often NQ breaks its initial balance in this direction, what range expansion typically follows, and how similar sessions resolved. Profitabul's free report engine computes exactly those statistics over the last 120 sessions — no signup required.