Investing and Money Glossary, terms and definitions.

Nasdaq Composite Index

An index of stocks traded on Nasdaq. This widely followed index of all Nasdaq stocks is used as a handy barometer of the performance of smaller companies, although the success of Nasdaq and its listed firms has meant that the index includes such big players as Microsoft. Also, the Nasdaq index is not an industry-neutral index; it is disproportionately tech-heavy.