Premarket analysis › Thu, Oct 22, 2026
NQ, ES & Gold Premarket Analysis for Thu, Oct 22, 2026: Key Levels, Bias & Liquidity
Levels as of 8:45 AM New York time, before the cash open. NQ bullish, ES bullish, 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, Thu, Oct 22, 2026.
- NQ: bias bullish, at 29,527.50; buy-side 29,568.50, sell-side 29,417.00.
- ES: bias bullish, at 7,727.50; buy-side 7,742.25, sell-side 7,710.25.
- Gold: bias neutral, at 4,096.0; buy-side 4,118.7, sell-side 4,072.7.
NQ premarket analysis (NQZ6)
Daily bias: Bullish
Bias leans bullish: yesterday closed above the prior day high, near the high of its range; the overnight is trading below yesterday's close. The nearest draw on liquidity in that direction is 29,568.50, the London high.
Wednesday's session
NQ opened Wednesday at 29,925.00, traded 29,727.50–30,113.00 (a 385.50 point range, narrower than the 5-day average of 637.05) and closed at 30,023.75, +130.00 on the day and 77% of the way up its range. The regular session ran 29,771.00–30,113.00.
Overnight session
The overnight has traded 29,417.00–29,993.25 and is at 29,527.50 as of 8:45 AM ET. Asia ranged 29,613.75–29,854.50 and London 29,418.50–29,568.50. The overnight broke the prior day low at 29,727.50 and is holding beyond it.
Liquidity
Buy-side (above): 29,568.50 (London high), 29,854.50 (Asia high), 29,993.25 (overnight high), 30,113.00 (prior day high).
Sell-side (below): 29,417.00 (overnight low).
Gaps and key zones
- Bearish 1h FVG 29,633.25–29,670.25 (formed Wed 11 PM) above price
- Bearish 1h FVG 29,692.00–29,728.25 (formed Wed 10 PM) above price
- New day opening gap 29,984.00–30,023.75 (the last 5 PM close to the 6 PM reopen)
Reversal areas to watch
- Short reversal area: 29,568.50 to 29,692.00, where the London high is just under a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch.
- Short reversal area: 29,854.50 to 29,855.50, where the Asia high is just under a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch.
All key levels
| Level | Price | From now | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prior week high | PWH | 31,289.25 | +1,761.75 |
| Prior day high | PDH | 30,113.00 | +585.50 |
| Prior day close | PDC | 30,023.75 | +496.25 |
| Overnight high | ONH | 29,993.25 | +465.75 |
| Prior day midpoint | PD EQ | 29,920.25 | +392.75 |
| Asia high | Asia H | 29,854.50 | +327.00 |
| Prior day low | PDL | 29,727.50 | +200.00 |
| Asia low | Asia L | 29,613.75 | +86.25 |
| London high | London H | 29,568.50 | +41.00 |
| London low | London L | 29,418.50 | -109.00 |
| Overnight low | ONL | 29,417.00 | -110.50 |
| Prior week low | PWL | 29,268.75 | -258.75 |
ES premarket analysis (ESZ6)
Daily bias: Bullish
Bias leans bullish: yesterday closed above the prior day high, near the high of its range; the overnight is trading below yesterday's close. The nearest draw on liquidity in that direction is 7,742.25, the London high.
Wednesday's session
ES opened Wednesday at 7,785.00, traded 7,751.00–7,812.25 (a 61.25 point range, narrower than the 5-day average of 92.50) and closed at 7,800.25, +15.50 on the day and 80% of the way up its range. The regular session ran 7,751.00–7,812.25.
Overnight session
The overnight has traded 7,710.25–7,798.75 and is at 7,727.50 as of 8:45 AM ET. Asia ranged 7,749.25–7,773.25 and London 7,711.75–7,742.25. The overnight broke the prior day low at 7,751.00 and is holding beyond it.
Liquidity
Buy-side (above): 7,742.25 (London high), 7,773.25 (Asia high), 7,798.75 (overnight high), 7,812.25 (prior day high).
Sell-side (below): 7,710.25 (overnight low), 7,676.00 (prior week low).
Gaps and key zones
- Bearish 1h FVG 7,742.25–7,745.25 (formed Thu 1 AM) above price
- Bearish 1h FVG 7,751.50–7,756.50 (formed Wed 11 PM) above price
- New day opening gap 7,797.00–7,800.25 (the last 5 PM close to the 6 PM reopen)
Reversal areas to watch
- Short reversal area: 7,742.25 to 7,751.50, where the London high is just under a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch.
- Short reversal area: 7,773.25 to 7,775.50, where the Asia high is just under a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch.
All key levels
| Level | Price | From now | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prior week high | PWH | 7,887.00 | +159.50 |
| Prior day high | PDH | 7,812.25 | +84.75 |
| Prior day close | PDC | 7,800.25 | +72.75 |
| Overnight high | ONH | 7,798.75 | +71.25 |
| Prior day midpoint | PD EQ | 7,781.50 | +54.00 |
| Asia high | Asia H | 7,773.25 | +45.75 |
| Prior day low | PDL | 7,751.00 | +23.50 |
| Asia low | Asia L | 7,749.25 | +21.75 |
| London high | London H | 7,742.25 | +14.75 |
| London low | London L | 7,711.75 | -15.75 |
| Overnight low | ONL | 7,710.25 | -17.25 |
| Prior week low | PWL | 7,676.00 | -51.50 |
Gold premarket analysis (GCZ6)
Daily bias: Neutral
Bias is neutral: yesterday closed near the high of its range; the overnight is trading below yesterday's close and swept the prior day high and came back inside.
Wednesday's session
Gold opened Wednesday at 4,142.5, traded 4,122.3–4,160.6 (a 38.3 point range, narrower than the 5-day average of 53.7) and closed at 4,159.5, +17.0 on the day and 97% of the way up its range. The regular session ran 4,139.7–4,160.0.
Overnight session
The overnight has traded 4,072.7–4,164.3 and is at 4,096.0 as of 8:45 AM ET. Asia ranged 4,105.8–4,143.1 and London 4,097.7–4,118.7. The overnight swept the prior day high at 4,160.6 and came back inside. The overnight broke the prior day low at 4,122.3 and is holding beyond it.
Liquidity
Buy-side (above): 4,118.7 (London high), 4,143.1 (Asia high), 4,164.3 (overnight high), 4,242.3 (prior week high).
Sell-side (below): 4,072.7 (overnight low).
Gaps and key zones
- Bearish 1h FVG 4,118.7–4,124.7 (formed Wed 11 PM) above price
- Bearish 1h FVG 4,143.1–4,147.1 (formed Wed 7 PM) above price
Reversal areas to watch
- Short reversal area: 4,118.7 to 4,124.7, where the London high is just inside a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch.
- Short reversal area: 4,143.1 to 4,148.2, where the Asia high is just under a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch.
All key levels
| Level | Price | From now | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prior week high | PWH | 4,242.3 | +146.3 |
| Overnight high | ONH | 4,164.3 | +68.3 |
| Prior day high | PDH | 4,160.6 | +64.6 |
| Prior day close | PDC | 4,159.5 | +63.5 |
| Asia high | Asia H | 4,143.1 | +47.1 |
| Prior day midpoint | PD EQ | 4,141.5 | +45.5 |
| Prior day low | PDL | 4,122.3 | +26.3 |
| London high | London H | 4,118.7 | +22.7 |
| Asia low | Asia L | 4,105.8 | +9.8 |
| London low | London L | 4,097.7 | +1.7 |
| Prior week low | PWL | 4,095.0 | -1.0 |
| Overnight low | ONL | 4,072.7 | -23.3 |
Get alerted when price reaches these zones
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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 Thursday, October 22: N Q, E S & Gold. Key levels, bias and liquidity. N Q. Bias leans bullish: yesterday closed above the prior day high, near the high of its range; the overnight is trading below yesterday's close. Buy-side liquidity: the London high at 29,568. Sell-side: the overnight low at 29,417. Reversal area: 29,568 to 29,692, where the London high is just under a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch. E S. Bias leans bullish: yesterday closed above the prior day high, near the high of its range; the overnight is trading below yesterday's close. Buy-side liquidity: the London high at 7,742. Sell-side: the overnight low at 7,710. Reversal area: 7,742 to 7,752, where the London high 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 below yesterday's close and swept the prior day high and came back inside. Buy-side liquidity: the London high at 4,119. Sell-side: the overnight low at 4,073. Let the open pick a side. Reversal area: 4,119 to 4,125, where the London high is just inside 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.