The S&P 500 (USA500) tracks the performance of the 500 largest publicly traded US companies traded across different US exchanges and is regarded as a gauge of the general health of the US economy. Traders follow this index particularly closely around FOMC meetings, NFP (Non-Farm Payroll) releases, and GDP data.

The Nasdaq 100 (USATEC) is composed of around 100 non-financial companies traded exclusively on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Both indices are capitalisation-weighted, meaning the larger companies within each index have a larger influence on its overall value.

The Nasdaq 100 is traded as the riskier “growth” end of the US stock spectrum due to the riskier, tech-based names it comprises.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a US stock index that goes all the way back to 1896. It tracks the performance of 30 “blue chip” stocks that trade on the New York Stock Exchange and has historically been regarded as a proxy for US industry. It is still played as a bet for or against US manufacturing despite containing a broader mix of stocks today than those engaged purely in manufacturing

With the 4th largest manufacturing sector in the world after the USA, China, and Japan, Germany is Europe’s industrial centre and the DAX 40 (GER40) is one of the easiest ways to gain exposure to names such as Mercedes Benz, Adidas, Bayer, and SAP. In addition to offering access to the fates of these great names, the DAX 40 is a bet on (or against) European industry, as well as a hedge against the US stock market.

The FTSE 100, also known as the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100, is an index of 100 of the largest British companies traded on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). The index includes names as diverse as BP, HSBC, Rolls Royce, and Vodaphone.