Futures

Before the equity markets open for trade, this figure is frequently broadcast on financial news networks and shown online. The fair value might give you a sense of how the market is feeling. Because of the short-term influences of supply and demand for the futures contract, the futures price may deviate from the fair value. […]

A perpetual futures contract, also known as a perpetual swap in finance, is an agreement to buy or sell an asset at an undefined date in the future without the choice to do so. Perpetual futures are cash-settled and differ from conventional futures in that they do not have a pre-determined delivery date, allowing them

Index futures prices are frequently a good predictor of opening market direction, but the signal is only valid for a short time. The opening bell on Wall Street is notoriously turbulent, accounting for a disproportionate chunk of total trading volume. The market impact can overpower whatever price movement the index futures imply if an institutional

Individual equities or an index, such as the S&P 500, can be used to purchase stock futures. A futures contract buyer is not required to pay the entire contract price up front. An initial margin, which is a proportion of the price, is paid. An oil futures contract, for example, is for 1,000 barrels of

In general, investors who want to engage in gold directly have three alternatives: they can buy the actual metal, invest in shares of a mutual or exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tracks the price of gold, or trade commodities futures and options. Average investors, for example, might buy gold coins, whereas experienced investors might use gold

E-mini Nasdaq futures trade on the CME Globex trading platform nearly 24 hours a day, starting at 6:00 p.m. All times are in U.S. Eastern Time (ET) until 5:00 p.m. The following afternoon, U.S. ET. When does the futures market start trading? While the stock market in the United States begins at 9:30 a.m. EST

An oil futures contract is a contract to buy or sell a specific quantity of barrels of oil at a specific price on a specific date. When buying futures, the buyer and seller execute a contract that is secured by a margin payment that covers a percentage of the contract’s entire value. What is the

Thinkorswim, a robust trading tool for futures trading and other investments, is available with a TD Ameritrade account. This feature-rich trading tool allows you to keep track of the futures markets, prepare your strategy, and execute it all in one easy-to-use, integrated location. Custom futures pairing is one of thinkorswim’s standout features. You can trade

Depending on the commodity, most futures contracts begin trading on Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern time and close on Friday afternoon between 4:30 and 5 p.m. Eastern. Trading When do the S&P futures open on Sunday? CME Globex trading hours are Sunday through Friday. Monday through Friday, 6:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. 4:00

You can buy options with your futures brokerage account. You buy put options to protect yourself against declining prices. You are protected against increasing pricing by using call options. Each call enables you to purchase a futures contract at the strike price, whereas puts enable you to sell futures contracts at the strike price. Buying