Premarket analysis › Fri, Oct 23, 2026
NQ, ES & Gold Premarket Analysis for Fri, Oct 23, 2026: Key Levels, Bias & Liquidity
Levels as of 8:45 AM New York time, before the cash open. NQ bearish, ES bearish, Gold bearish. 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 23, 2026.
- NQ: bias bearish, at 29,044.50; buy-side 29,279.00, sell-side 29,022.75.
- ES: bias bearish, at 7,668.75; buy-side 7,712.25, sell-side 7,667.50.
- Gold: bias bearish, at 4,041.4; buy-side 4,047.4, sell-side 4,023.7.
NQ premarket analysis (NQZ6)
Daily bias: Bearish
Bias leans bearish: yesterday closed below the prior day low, near the low of its range; the overnight is trading below yesterday's close and swept the prior day low and came back inside. The nearest draw on liquidity in that direction is 29,022.75, the overnight low (also the Asia low).
Thursday's session
NQ opened Thursday at 29,984.00, traded 29,033.00–29,993.25 (a 960.25 point range, wider than the 5-day average of 714.25) and closed at 29,094.75, -929.00 on the day and 6% of the way up its range. The regular session ran 29,033.00–29,594.75.
Overnight session
The overnight has traded 29,022.75–29,279.00 and is at 29,044.50 as of 8:45 AM ET. Asia ranged 29,022.75–29,212.50 and London 29,125.25–29,279.00. The overnight swept the prior day low at 29,033.00 and came back inside.
Liquidity
Buy-side (above): 29,279.00 (overnight high / London high), 29,993.25 (prior day high), 31,289.25 (prior week high).
Sell-side (below): 29,022.75 (overnight low / Asia low).
Gaps and key zones
- Bearish 1h FVG 29,379.75–29,436.00 (formed Thu 10 AM) above price
- Bearish 1h FVG 29,633.25–29,670.25 (formed Wed 11 PM) above price
- New day opening gap 29,094.75–29,116.50 (the last 5 PM close to the 6 PM reopen)
Reversal areas to watch
- Short reversal area: 29,279.00 to 29,379.75, where the overnight high (also the London high) is just under a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch.
- Short reversal area: 29,955.25 to 29,993.25, where the prior day high is just above 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 | +2,244.75 |
| Prior day high | PDH | 29,993.25 | +948.75 |
| Prior day midpoint | PD EQ | 29,513.00 | +468.50 |
| Overnight high | ONH | 29,279.00 | +234.50 |
| London high | London H | 29,279.00 | +234.50 |
| Prior week low | PWL | 29,268.75 | +224.25 |
| Asia high | Asia H | 29,212.50 | +168.00 |
| London low | London L | 29,125.25 | +80.75 |
| Prior day close | PDC | 29,094.75 | +50.25 |
| Prior day low | PDL | 29,033.00 | -11.50 |
| Overnight low | ONL | 29,022.75 | -21.75 |
| Asia low | Asia L | 29,022.75 | -21.75 |
ES premarket analysis (ESZ6)
Daily bias: Bearish
Bias leans bearish: yesterday closed below the prior day low, near the low of its range; the overnight is trading below yesterday's close. The nearest draw on liquidity in that direction is 7,667.50, the overnight low.
Thursday's session
ES opened Thursday at 7,797.00, traded 7,676.75–7,798.75 (a 122.00 point range, wider than the 5-day average of 100.00) and closed at 7,703.75, -96.50 on the day and 22% of the way up its range. The regular session ran 7,676.75–7,742.50.
Overnight session
The overnight has traded 7,667.50–7,714.25 and is at 7,668.75 as of 8:45 AM ET. Asia ranged 7,685.00–7,711.75 and London 7,691.75–7,712.25. The overnight broke the prior day low at 7,676.75 and is holding beyond it.
Liquidity
Buy-side (above): 7,712.25 (London high), 7,714.25 (overnight high), 7,798.75 (prior day high), 7,887.00 (prior week high).
Sell-side (below): 7,667.50 (overnight low).
Gaps and key zones
- Bearish 1h FVG 7,691.75–7,695.25 (formed Fri 5 AM) above price
- Bearish 1h FVG 7,742.50–7,745.25 (formed Thu 1 AM) above price
Reversal areas to watch
- Short reversal area: 7,695.25 to 7,712.25, where the London high is just above a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch.
- Short reversal area: 7,695.25 to 7,714.25, where the overnight high is just above 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 | +218.25 |
| Prior day high | PDH | 7,798.75 | +130.00 |
| Prior day midpoint | PD EQ | 7,737.75 | +69.00 |
| Overnight high | ONH | 7,714.25 | +45.50 |
| London high | London H | 7,712.25 | +43.50 |
| Asia high | Asia H | 7,711.75 | +43.00 |
| Prior day close | PDC | 7,703.75 | +35.00 |
| London low | London L | 7,691.75 | +23.00 |
| Asia low | Asia L | 7,685.00 | +16.25 |
| Prior day low | PDL | 7,676.75 | +8.00 |
| Prior week low | PWL | 7,676.00 | +7.25 |
| Overnight low | ONL | 7,667.50 | -1.25 |
Gold premarket analysis (GCZ6)
Daily bias: Bearish
Bias leans bearish: yesterday closed below the prior day low, near the low of its range; the overnight swept the prior day low and came back inside. The nearest draw on liquidity in that direction is 4,023.7, the London low.
Thursday's session
Gold opened Thursday at 4,159.0, traded 4,036.8–4,164.3 (a 127.5 point range, wider than the 5-day average of 63.8) and closed at 4,039.8, -119.7 on the day and 2% of the way up its range. The regular session ran 4,049.1–4,107.2.
Overnight session
The overnight has traded 4,000.9–4,047.8 and is at 4,041.4 as of 8:45 AM ET. Asia ranged 4,000.9–4,047.4 and London 4,023.7–4,039.4. The overnight swept the prior day low at 4,036.8 and came back inside.
Liquidity
Buy-side (above): 4,047.4 (Asia high), 4,047.8 (overnight high), 4,164.3 (prior day high), 4,242.3 (prior week high).
Sell-side (below): 4,023.7 (London low), 4,000.9 (overnight low / Asia low).
Gaps and key zones
- Bearish 1h FVG 4,047.8–4,049.8 (formed Thu 2 PM) above price
- Bearish 1h FVG 4,118.7–4,124.7 (formed Wed 11 PM) above price
- New day opening gap 4,039.8–4,042.2 (the last 5 PM close to the 6 PM reopen)
Reversal areas to watch
- Short reversal area: 4,047.4 to 4,047.8, where the Asia high is just under a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch.
- Short reversal area: 4,047.8 to 4,049.8, where the overnight high is just inside 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 | +200.9 |
| Prior day high | PDH | 4,164.3 | +122.9 |
| Prior day midpoint | PD EQ | 4,100.6 | +59.2 |
| Prior week low | PWL | 4,095.0 | +53.6 |
| Overnight high | ONH | 4,047.8 | +6.4 |
| Asia high | Asia H | 4,047.4 | +6.0 |
| Prior day close | PDC | 4,039.8 | -1.6 |
| London high | London H | 4,039.4 | -2.0 |
| Prior day low | PDL | 4,036.8 | -4.6 |
| London low | London L | 4,023.7 | -17.7 |
| Overnight low | ONL | 4,000.9 | -40.5 |
| Asia low | Asia L | 4,000.9 | -40.5 |
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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 23: N Q, E S & Gold. Key levels, bias and liquidity. N Q. Bias leans bearish: yesterday closed below the prior day low, near the low of its range; the overnight is trading below yesterday's close and swept the prior day low and came back inside. Buy-side liquidity: the overnight high (also the London high) at 29,279. Sell-side: the overnight low (also the Asia low) at 29,023. Reversal area: 29,279 to 29,380, where the overnight high (also 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 bearish: yesterday closed below the prior day low, near the low of its range; the overnight is trading below yesterday's close. Buy-side liquidity: the London high at 7,712. Sell-side: the overnight low at 7,668. Reversal area: 7,695 to 7,712, where the London high is just above a bearish 1 hour gap. A failed sweep there is the short setup to watch. Gold. Bias leans bearish: yesterday closed below the prior day low, near the low of its range; the overnight swept the prior day low and came back inside. Buy-side liquidity: the Asia high at 4,047. Sell-side: the London low at 4,024. Reversal area: 4,047 to 4,048, where the Asia 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.