Premarket analysis › Fri, Oct 16, 2026
NQ, ES & Gold Premarket Analysis for Fri, Oct 16, 2026: Key Levels, Bias & Liquidity
Levels as of 8:45 AM New York time, before the cash open. NQ neutral, ES neutral, Gold neutral. Prior day and overnight levels, Asia and London ranges, unfilled gaps, buy-side and sell-side liquidity and reversal areas for NQ, ES & Gold futures, Fri, Oct 16, 2026.
- NQ: bias neutral, at 30,079.75; buy-side 30,209.75, sell-side 29,959.25.
- ES: bias neutral, at 7,801.50; buy-side 7,809.50, sell-side 7,774.75.
- Gold: bias neutral, at 4,196.7; buy-side 4,213.3, sell-side 4,189.7.
NQ premarket analysis (NQZ6)
Daily bias: Neutral
Bias is neutral: yesterday closed near the high of its range; the overnight is trading above yesterday's close and swept the prior day high and came back inside.
Thursday's session
NQ opened Thursday at 30,154.75, traded 29,622.50–30,196.75 (a 574.25 point range, wider than the 5-day average of 492.20) and closed at 30,078.25, -61.00 on the day and 79% of the way up its range. The regular session ran 29,622.50–30,196.75.
Overnight session
The overnight has traded 29,959.25–30,225.00 and is at 30,079.75 as of 8:45 AM ET. Asia ranged 29,959.25–30,211.75 and London 30,126.00–30,209.75. The overnight swept the prior day high at 30,196.75 and came back inside.
Liquidity
Buy-side (above): 30,209.75 (London high), 30,225.00 (overnight high), 31,616.50 (prior week high).
Sell-side (below): 29,959.25 (overnight low / Asia low), 29,622.50 (prior day low).
Gaps and key zones
- Bearish 1h FVG 30,343.50–30,417.75 (formed Wed 11 AM) above price
- Bearish 1h FVG 30,660.75–30,716.00 (formed Wed 8 AM) above price
- Bullish 1h FVG 29,859.50–29,909.25 (formed Thu 10 AM) below price
Reversal areas to watch
- Short reversal area: 30,225.00 to 30,343.50, where the overnight high is just under a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch.
- Long reversal area: 29,909.25 to 29,959.25, where the overnight low (also the Asia low) is just above a bullish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the long setup to watch.
All key levels
| Level | Price | From now | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prior week high | PWH | 31,616.50 | +1,536.75 |
| Prior week low | PWL | 30,792.00 | +712.25 |
| Overnight high | ONH | 30,225.00 | +145.25 |
| Asia high | Asia H | 30,211.75 | +132.00 |
| London high | London H | 30,209.75 | +130.00 |
| Prior day high | PDH | 30,196.75 | +117.00 |
| London low | London L | 30,126.00 | +46.25 |
| Prior day close | PDC | 30,078.25 | -1.50 |
| Overnight low | ONL | 29,959.25 | -120.50 |
| Asia low | Asia L | 29,959.25 | -120.50 |
| Prior day midpoint | PD EQ | 29,909.50 | -170.25 |
| Prior day low | PDL | 29,622.50 | -457.25 |
ES premarket analysis (ESZ6)
Daily bias: Neutral
Bias is neutral: yesterday closed near the high of its range; the overnight is trading above yesterday's close and swept the prior day high and came back inside.
Thursday's session
ES opened Thursday at 7,768.25, traded 7,717.25–7,801.75 (a 84.50 point range, wider than the 5-day average of 69.40) and closed at 7,786.00, +20.75 on the day and 81% of the way up its range. The regular session ran 7,717.25–7,801.75.
Overnight session
The overnight has traded 7,774.75–7,809.50 and is at 7,801.50 as of 8:45 AM ET. Asia ranged 7,774.75–7,808.00 and London 7,793.25–7,809.50. The overnight swept the prior day high at 7,801.75 and came back inside.
Liquidity
Buy-side (above): 7,809.50 (overnight high / London high / equal highs), 7,897.50 (prior week high).
Sell-side (below): 7,774.75 (overnight low / Asia low), 7,717.25 (prior day low).
Gaps and key zones
- Bearish 1h FVG 7,813.75–7,822.25 (formed Wed 9 AM) above price
- Bearish 1h FVG 7,837.75–7,864.25 (formed Wed 8 AM) above price
- Bullish 1h FVG 7,749.75–7,763.00 (formed Thu 10 AM) below price
- New day opening gap 7,786.00–7,788.75 (the last 5 PM close to the 6 PM reopen)
Reversal areas to watch
- Short reversal area: 7,809.50 to 7,813.75, where the overnight high (also the London high) (also the equal highs) is just under a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch.
- Long reversal area: 7,763.00 to 7,774.75, where the overnight low (also the Asia low) is just above a bullish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the long setup to watch.
All key levels
| Level | Price | From now | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prior week high | PWH | 7,897.50 | +96.00 |
| Overnight high | ONH | 7,809.50 | +8.00 |
| London high | London H | 7,809.50 | +8.00 |
| Equal highs | EQH | 7,809.50 | +8.00 |
| Asia high | Asia H | 7,808.00 | +6.50 |
| Prior day high | PDH | 7,801.75 | +0.25 |
| London low | London L | 7,793.25 | -8.25 |
| Prior day close | PDC | 7,786.00 | -15.50 |
| Overnight low | ONL | 7,774.75 | -26.75 |
| Asia low | Asia L | 7,774.75 | -26.75 |
| Prior week low | PWL | 7,760.25 | -41.25 |
| Prior day midpoint | PD EQ | 7,759.50 | -42.00 |
| Prior day low | PDL | 7,717.25 | -84.25 |
Gold premarket analysis (GCZ6)
Daily bias: Neutral
Bias is neutral: yesterday closed near the high of its range; the overnight is trading above yesterday's close and swept the prior day high and came back inside.
Thursday's session
Gold opened Thursday at 4,128.3, traded 4,120.9–4,197.7 (a 76.8 point range, in line with the 5-day average of 74.4) and closed at 4,192.5, +65.2 on the day and 93% of the way up its range. The regular session ran 4,151.6–4,189.9.
Overnight session
The overnight has traded 4,167.5–4,213.3 and is at 4,196.7 as of 8:45 AM ET. Asia ranged 4,167.5–4,205.0 and London 4,189.7–4,211.2. The overnight swept the prior day high at 4,197.7 and came back inside.
Liquidity
Buy-side (above): 4,213.3 (overnight high).
Sell-side (below): 4,189.7 (London low), 4,167.5 (overnight low / Asia low), 4,167.0 (equal lows), 4,120.9 (prior day low).
Gaps and key zones
- Bearish 1h FVG 4,224.8–4,225.4 (formed Mon 12 AM) above price
- Bullish 1h FVG 4,134.0–4,151.6 (formed Wed 8 PM) below price
Reversal areas to watch
- Short reversal area: 4,213.3 to 4,224.8, where the overnight high is just under a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch.
- Long reversal area: 4,151.6 to 4,167.5, where the overnight low (also the Asia low) is just above a bullish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the long setup to watch.
All key levels
| Level | Price | From now | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prior week high | PWH | 4,233.7 | +37.0 |
| Overnight high | ONH | 4,213.3 | +16.6 |
| London high | London H | 4,211.2 | +14.5 |
| Asia high | Asia H | 4,205.0 | +8.3 |
| Prior day high | PDH | 4,197.7 | +1.0 |
| Prior day close | PDC | 4,192.5 | -4.2 |
| London low | London L | 4,189.7 | -7.0 |
| Overnight low | ONL | 4,167.5 | -29.2 |
| Asia low | Asia L | 4,167.5 | -29.2 |
| Equal lows | EQL | 4,167.0 | -29.7 |
| Prior day midpoint | PD EQ | 4,159.3 | -37.4 |
| Prior day low | PDL | 4,120.9 | -75.8 |
| Prior week low | PWL | 4,091.2 | -105.5 |
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What is buy-side and sell-side liquidity?
Buy-side liquidity is the stop and breakout orders resting above old highs, such as the prior day high or the overnight high. Sell-side liquidity rests below old lows. Price often runs to these levels before it reverses or continues.
How is the daily bias worked out?
It is a rule-based score, not a forecast: where yesterday closed against the prior day's range, where it closed inside its own range, where the overnight is trading against yesterday's close, and whether the overnight swept yesterday's high or low and came back inside.
What is a fair value gap (FVG)?
A three-candle imbalance where the first and third candles do not overlap. An unfilled 1 hour FVG is a zone price often comes back to. A bullish FVG tends to act as support and a bearish FVG as resistance.
What is a reversal area?
A place where resting liquidity sits right next to an opposing unfilled gap, for example an old high just under a bearish FVG. If price sweeps the high into the gap and rejects, that is the reversal to watch for.
Video transcript
Premarket game plan for Friday, October 16: N Q, E S & Gold. Key levels, bias and liquidity. N Q. Bias is neutral: yesterday closed near the high of its range; the overnight is trading above yesterday's close and swept the prior day high and came back inside. Buy-side liquidity: the London high at 30,210. Sell-side: the overnight low (also the Asia low) at 29,959. Let the open pick a side. Reversal area: 30,225 to 30,344, where the overnight high is just under a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch. E S. Bias is neutral: yesterday closed near the high of its range; the overnight is trading above yesterday's close and swept the prior day high and came back inside. Buy-side liquidity: the overnight high (also the London high) (also the equal highs) at 7,810. Sell-side: the overnight low (also the Asia low) at 7,775. Let the open pick a side. Reversal area: 7,810 to 7,814, where the overnight high (also the London high) (also the equal highs) is just under a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch. Gold. Bias is neutral: yesterday closed near the high of its range; the overnight is trading above yesterday's close and swept the prior day high and came back inside. Buy-side liquidity: the overnight high at 4,213. Sell-side: the London low at 4,190. Let the open pick a side. Reversal area: 4,213 to 4,225, where the overnight high is just under a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch. Get these levels every morning on Signal Trade App, plus free ICT alerts. Link in bio.
Levels are computed mechanically from real CME futures prices; the bias is a rule-based read of the prior day and overnight, not a prediction. Not financial advice. Futures trading carries substantial risk of loss.