How to Calculate the Size of a Futures Market Trade (2024)

If you are a futures day trader, or want to be one, determining the size of your positions is one of the most important decisions you make. Your futures position size is a key part of your risk-management strategy—the way you minimize your losses while allowing for gains.

Position sizing is important, no matter what you trade with futures contracts. Here are the steps for calculating the perfect position size for your risk tolerance, account size, and preferred market.

Key Takeaways

  • Calculating the size of a futures market trade manages risk, but it’s not something you can find at a glance. It involves several factors.
  • Futures contracts have various tick sizes that are set by the exchange, and these are pertinent. A tick is the smallest possible price change.
  • You must define your maximum risk. How much of your trading account capital are you willing or able to lose?
  • Convert the amount of your maximum risk into ticks to arrive at your stop-loss. That prevents your trade from losing more than you can tolerate.

Tick Size and Value Vary by Futures Contract

The tick size is the smallest possible price change that a futures contract can experience, and the tick value is the dollar value of that price change. It is set by the exchange, and it varies according to the futures contract you're trading.

For example,the S&P 500 E-mini futures contracts (ES) have a tick size of 0.25 and a tick value of $12.50. Gold futures (GC) have a tick value of $10 for each 0.10 movement (tick). Crude oil (CL) futureshave a tick size of 0.01 and a tick value of $10.

Note

It's important to find out the tick size and tick value of futures contracts before trading that market. Otherwise, you will have no way to calculate your position sizes, stop levels, and price targets. For most U.S.-based futures contracts, the CME Group website will have the information you need.

Calculate Your Maximum Risk

The maximum account risk is the amount of money in your trading account that you are willing to risk on an individual trade. Many traders risk, at most, 1% of their capital on each trade.

You can select any percentage you like as your personal account risk limit per trade, but beginners are especially better off risking small amounts on each trade. That way, even if you have a series of losses (which happens to all traders), you only lose a few percentage points of your account value. Controlling your losses makes it easier to recoup them with winning trades.

For example, if you have a $10,000 account and risk 1% per trade, that comes out to a $100 risk per trade (0.01 x $10,000). Once your loss on a trade hits $100, you need to exit the trade to avoid violating your own maximum-risk rule.

Establish Your Limit

Once you know the dollar amount you are willing to risk on each trade, you need to convert that dollar figure into ticks for your futures market of choice. In other words, you need to think about your trade risk in terms of the difference between your entry point and your stop-loss level.

The perfect stop-loss location allows for normal price fluctuations, gets you out of the trade once the price is definitively "moving against you" (i.e., not doing what you expected), and prevents your trade from losing more than your allowable maximum dollar risk.

Your trade risk may vary by trade, or you may have a fixed trade risk. For example, you may always use a four-tick stop loss with S&P 500 E-mini futures contracts and a 10-tick stop loss when trading crude oil futures.

Your stop-loss levels may also vary by factors like market conditions. Under some circ*mstances, you may set your stop-loss on an S&P 500 E-mini trade three ticks away from your entry point, while other circ*mstances may call for a stop-loss four or five ticks away from your entry point.

Calculate Your Ideal Futures Trade Size

Once you know your maximum acceptable dollar risk and your stop-loss level, you can calculate your ideal futures trade size.

For futures markets, the trade size is the number of contracts that are traded—similar to the way a stock trader measures their position sizes in terms of stock shares. The minimum trade size is one contract.

Note

The formula described here works for calculating ideal futures position sizes, no matter what futures contract you trade, what your stop-loss is, or how much you have in your account.

An Example of Calculating Trade Size

Suppose you have a $10,000 account for futures trading, and you are willing to risk 1% per trade. That means you can risk up to $100 per trade. You are trading the S&P 500 E-mini contract, which has a tick size of 0.25 and a tick value of $12.50. You want to buy at 1250, and place a stop-loss at 1249 (a four-tick stop-loss).

Based on the information you have, how many contracts should you buy to build your position? Use the formula:

  • Maximum risk in dollars ÷ (trade risk in ticks x tick value) = position size
  • $100 / (4 x $12.50) = 2 contracts

Each contract with that stop-loss level will result in a risk of $50 (4 ticks x $12.50), so buying two contracts will bring your total risk for the trade up to $100. If you buy three contracts, you will be violating your maximum-risk rule. If you only buy one contract, you are only risking half of your maximum allowable loss, which means you are also limiting your profit potential.

How to Calculate the Size of a Futures Market Trade (2024)

FAQs

How do you calculate the size of a futures contract? ›

Use the formula:
  1. Maximum risk in dollars ÷ (trade risk in ticks x tick value) = position size.
  2. $100 / (4 x $12.50) = 2 contracts.
Oct 31, 2021

How do you calculate futures trade? ›

To calculate the notional value of a futures contract, the contract size (in units) is multiplied by its current price. Notional value helps you understand and plan for the risks of trading futures contracts.

How do you calculate trade size? ›

The potential trade size can be calculated by dividing your risk tolerance amount by the number of pips you are willing to risk. The amount you get through this calculation will be the total value that you should risk per pip.

What is the calculation of futures? ›

It is a mathematical representation of how futures price change if any of the market variable change.
  • Futures Price = Spot price *(1+ rf – d) ...
  • Futures Price = Spot price * [1+ rf*(x/365) – d] ...
  • Mid-month calculation. ...
  • Far-month calculation. ...
  • Buying vs.

What is the size of one futures contract? ›

One futures contract represents a face value at maturity of $100,000. S&P 500 Index. One E-mini futures contract traded on CME Group represents $50 times the S&P 500 Index (so if the S&P 500 is at 4,000, one E-mini contract would be worth $200,000, or 4,000 x $50).

What does size mean in futures? ›

The term contract size refers to the deliverable quantity of a stock, commodity, or financial instrument that underlies a futures or options contract. It is a standardized amount that tells traders the exact quantities that are being bought or sold based on the terms of the contract.

What is the futures contract size multiplier? ›

Contract multiplier: The weight that is multiplied by the contracted price when calculating the contracted value. With HSI and H-Shares Index futures, the contract multiplier is $50 per index point, whereas in a mini-HSI futures contract, it is $10 per index point.

How is futures basis calculated? ›

Basis is defined as the cash price minus the futures price and is calculated by subtracting the appropriate futures market quote from the spot price (current cash market price). If the spot price for corn is $2.85 per bushel and the nearby futures contract is $2.75, then the basis is $2.85- $2.75 = +$. 10.

How do you calculate size? ›

Multiply the length by the width and you'll have the square feet. Here's a basic formula you can follow: Length (in feet) x width (in feet) = area in sq. ft. Tip: If you can't picture what a square foot is, try drawing a square that is 1 foot tall by 1 foot wide—you've got one square foot!

How do you calculate lot size per trade? ›

A lot size can be calculated by considering risk percentage, stop loss, and account balance. Determining the risk limit: Traders specify the risk in the dollar amount on each trade as an important step in determining the forex position. Usually, the risk factor is 1% of the account balance.

What is the size of a trade? ›

Trade size refers to the quantity of currency that a trader buys or sells in a single trade. In forex trading, currency pairs are traded in lots. A lot is a standard unit of measurement used to determine the size of a trade. Typically, a standard lot represents 100,000 units of the base currency.

What is the full formula of future value? ›

In its most basic form, the formula for future value (FV) is FV= PV*(1+i)^n, where “PV” equals the present value, “i” represents the interest rate and “n” represents the number of time periods.

What is the 60 40 rule in futures trading? ›

Take advantage of preferred tax rates on futures trades, based on the 60/40 rule. That means 60% of net gains on futures trading is treated like long-term capital gains. The other 40% is treated as short-term capital gains and taxed like ordinary income.

What is futures margin size? ›

Futures margin generally represents a smaller percentage of the notional value of the contract, typically 3-12% per futures contract as opposed to up to 50% of the face value of securities purchased on margin.

What is the lot size in futures? ›

A lot size in futures is a minimum ticket size of shares that you can trade in futures. When trading futures and options, you can only buy and sell these products in a minimum of one lot or multiples of the lot size. For example, the lot size of Nifty is 75 units so you can only trade Nifty in multiples of 75.

Do futures have lot size? ›

The permitted lot size for futures contracts & options contracts shall be the same for a given underlying or such lot size as may be stipulated by the Exchange from time to time. The price step in respect of Nifty 50 futures contracts is Re.0.05.

What tick size for futures trading? ›

Futures markets typically have a tick size that is specific to the instrument, with $1 minimum tick sizes known as "points". For instance, one of the most heavily traded futures contracts is the S&P 500 E-mini. Its tick size is 0.25, or $12.50.

How many shares is 1 futures contract? ›

A single stock futures (SSF) contract is a standard futures contract with an individual stock as its underlying security. Each contract typically provides for the delivery of 100 shares of the stock.

What does 20x mean in futures trading? ›

A 20x leverage means your broker will multiply your account deposit by 20 when trading on leverage.

Is contract size the same as multiplier? ›

The contract multiplier (also called contract size) is different for most classes of options and is determined by each exchange. In the US, the contract size for options on shares is 100. This means that every 1 option contract gives buyer the right to buy 100 shares from the option seller.

How do you calculate futures margin requirements? ›

For example, if you want to trade $10,000 worth of futures contracts that have an initial margin requirement of 25%, then you multiply 10,000 by 0.25 to arrive at your initial margin requirement of $2,500.

How is margin calculated in futures trading? ›

Margin is set by the futures exchange and is typically 3% to 12% of the contract's notional value. Some brokers may choose a higher requirement; therefore, initial margin can change at any time.

How do you calculate futures hedge? ›

Just like a long hedge, the prediction of the basis is a crucial factor for determining the price a producer will receive before hedging the commodity. This price can be calculated using the following formula: Futures price + basis – broker commission = net selling price.

What is the formula for the sample size? ›

What is the formula for sample size? There are many formulas used for calculating sample size. One of the most common formulas used is Yamane's formula: n = N/(1+N(e)2.

What is size and example? ›

Shape describes the appearance or the form of an object. Size describes the dimensions. Example: Suppose a box has the shape of a cube. Its size is determined by its dimensions like length, breadth, height.

How do you determine lot size? ›

Measure Lot Size

Measure rectangle and square lots and multiply the width boundary by the length. To find the area of a triangle, multiply the height of the triangle by its base and then divide the result by 2. Add up the area of each shape to arrive at the total size of the property lot.

How do you calculate leverage and lot size? ›

Calculating Pips and Leverage

As an example, with a standard lot size of $100,000, pip value is $10 ($100,000 x 0.0001). If your account contains $10,000 and you have a leverage of 150:1, then you will have $1.5 million ($10,000 x 150) or 15 lots ($1,500,000/$100,000) that you can use for investing.

How do I find my lot size? ›

Read the property line map, or 'plat'

When you buy a house, you typically receive a plat or property line map. If you don't, you can find it at the county clerk's office. The plat will give you the exact dimensions of your lot related to other lots on your block.

How do you calculate lot size and pip? ›

To calculate pip value, divide one pip (usually 0.0001) by the current market value of the forex pair. Then, multiply that figure by your lot size, which is the number of base units that you are trading.

What is the minimum trade size? ›

Definition of Minimum Trading Amount

The minimum amount of funds that can be allocated for a long or short position according to the trading requirements of a certain security or financial instrument.

What is future value formula with examples? ›

Formula and Calculation of Future Value

For example, assume a $1,000 investment is held for five years in a savings account with 10% simple interest paid annually. In this case, the FV of the $1,000 initial investment is $1,000 × [1 + (0.10 x 5)], or $1,500.

How do you calculate future value in Excel? ›

Make a future value calculator in Excel

Rate (periodic interest rate): B2/ B7 (annual interest rate / periods per year) Nper (total number of payment periods): B3*B7 (number of years * periods per year) Pmt (periodic payment amount): B4. Pv (initial investment): B5.

What is the formula for future value with growth rate? ›

Future Value (FV) = PV × (1 + r) ^ n

Where: PV = Present Value. r = Interest Rate (%) n = Number of Compounding Periods.

What is 80% trading rule? ›

Based on the application of famed economist Vilfredo Pareto's 80-20 rule, here are a few examples: 80% of your stock market portfolio's profits might come from 20% of your holdings. 80% of a company's revenues may derive from 20% of its clients.

What is the 80-20 rule in trading? ›

When building a portfolio, you could consider investing in 20% of the stocks in the S&P 500 that have contributed 80% of the market's returns. Or you might create an 80-20 allocation: 80% of investments could be lower risk index funds while 20% might could be growth funds.

Do you need $25,000 to day trade futures? ›

One of the most common requirements for trading the stock market as a day trader is the $25,000 rule. You need a minimum of $25,000 equity to day trade a margin account because the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) mandates it. The regulatory body calls it the 'Pattern Day Trading Rule'.

What is the size of a 30 day federal funds futures contract? ›

30-day fed funds futures

Tick Size Nearest month: one-quarter of one basis point (0.0025), or $10.4175 per contract. All other contract months: one-half of one basis point (0.005), or $20.835 per contract.

What is the size on the S&P 500 futures contract? ›

E-mini S&P 500 futures contracts are valued at $50 times the S&P 500. 2 So if the S&P is trading at 2,000, the contract value is $50 x 2,000, or $100,000. CME Group. "Timeline of CME Achievements."

What is size and margin in futures? ›

Futures margin is the amount of money you must have in your brokerage account to protect both the trader and broker against possible losses on an open trade. It generally represents a much smaller percentage of the contract, typically 3-12% of the notional futures contract value.

What is the size of a 10 year Treasury futures contract? ›

Price Increments and Their Values

Since futures on Treasury bonds and 10- and 5-year notes are all contracts with a $100,000 face value, the value of a full point is $1,000 for each of these contracts.

How many gallons is a futures contract? ›

NYMEX Brent crude oil futures are traded in units of 1000 barrels (42000 gallons) and contract prices are quoted in dollars and cents per barrel.

How much does 1 futures contract cost? ›

Fees for futures and options on futures are $2.25 per contract, plus exchange and regulatory fees. Note: Exchange fees may vary by exchange and by product. Regulatory fees are assessed by the National Futures Association (NFA) and are currently $0.02 per contract.

What does 20x mean in futures? ›

A 20x leverage means your broker will multiply your account deposit by 20 when trading on leverage.

What is optimal number of futures contracts? ›

After calculating the optimal hedge ratio, the optimal number of contracts needed to hedge a position is calculated by dividing the product of the optimal hedge ratio and the units of the position being hedged by the size of one futures contract.

How do you calculate margin size? ›

To calculate profit margin, start with your gross profit, which is the difference between revenue and COGS. Then, find the percentage of the revenue that is the gross profit. To find this, divide your gross profit by revenue. Multiply the total by 100 and voila—you have your margin percentage.

What is the rule on margin size? ›

Margins and spacing: All margins should measure one inch. Page numbers will appear within the top margin, but no other text should extend past the one-inch margins. Indent five spaces to begin paragraphs. Double-space the text of your paper.

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