How much is E-mini futures contract?
| Exchange | Chicago Mercantile Exchange, ES |
|---|---|
| Contract Size | $50 x the S&P 500 Index (Micro E-mini S&P 500 contracts also available) |
| Minimum Tick Size and Value | 0.25, worth $12.50 per contract. |
E-mini futures, especially the E-mini S&P 500 futures (ES) typically have the lowest day trading margins, $500 with some brokers. 4 That means the trader only needs $500 in the account (plus room for price fluctuations) to buy or sell one E-mini S&P 500 contract.
The contract size of an E-mini is the value of the contract based on the price of the futures contract times a contract-specific multiplier. The E-mini S&P 500 has a contract size of $50 times the value of the S&P 500. 2 So if the S&P 500 is trading at 2,580, the value of the contract would be $129,000 ($50 x 2,580).
How Many E-mini Contracts Can I Trade? Theoretically, you can trade as many E-mini contracts as your account balance allows you. Because E-mini contracts are traded on margin ($500/contract) you can trade more contracts with less money.
How much does it cost to trade futures? 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.
| Name | Price | Chg. |
|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 Futures | 3,976.50 | -3.50 |
Cash Settlement
Many financial futures contracts, such as the popular E-mini contracts, are cash settled upon expiration. This means on the last day of trading, the value of the contract is marked to market and the trader's account is debited or credited depending on whether there is a profit or loss.
E-Minis are futures contracts tied to a stock index, most popularly the S&P 500. These contracts are priced at one-fifth the value of a typical index futures contract. E-Minis let investors leverage their portfolios and hedge against changing stock prices. E-Minis are traded almost 24 hours a day.
Some small futures brokers offer accounts with a minimum deposit of $500 or less, but some of the better-known brokers that offer futures will require minimum deposits of as much as $5,000 to $10,000.
In the Emini S&P 500 (ES) futures market, a trader can easily get filled for even hundreds of contracts at a time due to the large amount of liquidity in the market. So assuming that a professional trader took the same trade but with 10 contracts, their profit would be $100 for each contract, so $1000 on the trade.
What is the current E-mini contract?
| Barchart Symbol | ES |
|---|---|
| Tick Size | 0.25 points ($12.50 per contract) |
| Margin/Maintenance | $11,000/10,000 |
| Daily Limit | 7.0%, 13.0% and 20.0% decline below the Settlement Price of the preceding session |
| Contract Size | $50 times Index |
Currency: U.S. dollar. Tick size: 0.25 points. Tick value: $12.50. Ticks per point: Four, making each point worth $50 per contract.
CME E-mini S&P 500 futures contract, ticker symbol ES, is one of the most liquid futures contracts in the world and one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to gain market exposure to the S&P 500 index.
The salaries of Futures Traders in the US range from $32,680 to $1,119,284 , with a median salary of $203,812 . The middle 57% of Futures Traders makes between $203,812 and $507,784, with the top 86% making $1,119,284.
Open an account with a broker that supports the markets you want to trade. A futures broker will likely ask about your experience with investing, income and net worth. These questions are designed to determine the amount of risk the broker will allow you to take on, in terms of margin and positions.
Each futures contract specifies is the quantity of the product delivered for a single contract, also known as contract size. For example: 5,000 bushels of corn, 1,000 barrels of crude oil or Treasury bonds with a face value of $100,000 are all contract sizes as defined in the futures contract specification.
Minimum Futures Trading Amounts
The amount of capital you need in your account to day trade a crude oil futures contract depends on your futures broker, but you can expect a minimum of around $1,000. Keep in mind that you will also need enough money in the account to accommodate for potential losses.
| Exchange | Chicago Mercantile Exchange, NQ |
|---|---|
| Contract Size | $20 x the Nasdaq 100 (Micro E-mini Nasdaq contracts also available) |
| Minimum Tick Size and Value | 0.25, worth $5.00 per contract. |
| Last Price | 3,980.00 |
|---|---|
| Day's Range | 3,969.75 - 3,996.00 |
| Volume | 167,594 |
| Ask | 3,980.50 |
The E-mini S&P 500 futures contract tracks the S&P 500 Index. It trades on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange under the ticker symbol ES. The contract tracks the stock prices of the largest U.S. companies listed on the S&P 500 Index.
What is the 60 40 tax rule?
Capital Gains Advantages. While short-term capital gains from stocks or ETFs are taxed at your ordinary income tax rate, futures are taxed using the 60/40 rule: 60% are taxed at the long-term capital gains tax rate of 15%, while only 40% of your short-term capital gains are taxed at your ordinary income tax rate.
Salary Ranges for Futures Traders
The salaries of Futures Traders in the US range from $32,680 to $1,119,284 , with a median salary of $203,812 . The middle 57% of Futures Traders makes between $203,812 and $507,784, with the top 86% making $1,119,284.
CME E-mini S&P 500 futures contract, ticker symbol ES, is one of the most liquid futures contracts in the world and one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to gain market exposure to the S&P 500 index.
