CME vs NDAQ: which was the better investment?
CME Group Inc. against Nasdaq, Inc. on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Dec 6, 2002 to Jul 15, 2026.
Set up your comparison
What are you comparing?
Pick one investment — or add several to build a portfolio.
Compare against
The benchmark your investment has to beat.
Time & money
When the money goes in, and how much.
Leave empty for earliest
Leave empty for today
0 for a one-time investment
Daily total-return data — dividends reinvested. Monthly additions buy on the first trading day.
Track your entire portfolio in one free Google Sheet
Enter your trades once and values update automatically. We'll send it straight to your inbox.
Related comparisons
Browse all match-ups on the comparison hub, build your own in the Compare Investments tool, or check a single asset's exact-date returns with the Investment Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Did CME beat NDAQ?
Yes — measured from Dec 6, 2002 to Jul 15, 2026 with dividends reinvested, CME came out ahead: $603,734 versus $319,877 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 19.0% annual return against 15.8%.
What would $10,000 in CME be worth today?
$10,000 invested in CME Group Inc. (CME) on Dec 6, 2002 would be worth about $603,734 as of Jul 15, 2026, a total return of 5937.3% (19.0% per year). The same $10,000 in NDAQ would be worth $319,877.
Which was riskier — CME or NDAQ?
CME swung with an annualized volatility of 32.7% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -77.5%; NDAQ ran at 36.5% volatility with a -68.5% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.52 for CME vs 0.38 for NDAQ.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Dec 6, 2002 through Jul 15, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with CME vs NDAQ. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.