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Table of Contents
CME Futures
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) is an American financial and commodity derivatives exchange based in Chicago. CME offers trading on many financial instruments, including commodities, currencies, equities, and interest rates.
Currency: US Dollar (USD)
Trading Summary
Trading is conducted via two methods: an open outcry format and the CME Globex electronic trading platform. Approximately 80% of total volume at the exchange occurs electronically on CME Globex.
Please make sure that you familiarize yourself with the expiration dates of the different contracts. You can find these by reviewing the contract specifications on the CME Group website. For example, for the S&P 500 E-Mini contract: Contract Specs
1. Canadian Dollar futures: contract size / BP = price * $100,000
2. E-mini Nasdaq 100 futures: contract size / BP = price * $20
3. E-mini S&P 500 futures: contract size / BP = price * $50
4. Euro FX futures: contract size / BP = price * $50
5. Eurodollar futures: contract size / BP = price * $125,000
6. Nikkei 225 (dollar) futures: contract size / BP = price * $5
Order Types
- Limit Buy/Sell→ShortSell
- Market Buy/Sell→ShortSell
Basic Market Rules
- Lot Size: 1 contract.
- Tick Size: varies, see the Group Product Slate for more information.
- Short Sale Rules: short selling is allowed, and no mark or locates are required for shorting.
- Circuit Breakers: for more information, you can see the Special Price Fluctuation Limits and Daily Price Limits Excel file.
For more information, see the CME Rulebook page.
Globex Opening
Prior to the opening of each Globex session, Globex will provide an indicative price or prices, based on the Globex equilibrium price algorithm as follows, and on all pending orders that may be executed on the opening.
During the 30-second period prior to the opening, no previously entered orders may be modified or cancelled, though new orders may be entered. Globex will establish an equilibrium price that will be the opening price. The equilibrium price is the calculated price between sell pressure and buy pressure where the largest volume of trading can occur. The equilibrium price is one of the following:
- a) The price within the equilibrium that has the largest trade volume and the lowest unmatched volume at that price remaining after the opening; or
- b) If more than one price has the same trade volume and the same unmatched volume at that price, the equilibrium price is the one nearest the previous day's settlement price.
Bids and Offers will be selected for matching at the opening price based on price-time priority.