Markets
Markets
Markets walks through the major families of futures contracts and what makes each one different: equity index futures that trade nearly around the clock, interest rate futures priced as 100 minus a rate, crude oil with a physical delivery point in Oklahoma, gold, grains and their crop calendars, currency futures, cash-settled bitcoin futures, and the micro contracts aimed at smaller accounts. Every piece uses the exchange's own contract specifications, so the arithmetic matches what a trader actually sees.
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Stock Index Futures Explained: E-mini S&P 500, Micro E-mini, Nasdaq-100, and S&P/TSX 60 (SXF)
How stock index futures work, with real CME and Montreal Exchange specs, tick arithmetic for ES, MES, NQ and SXF, fair value, and overnight trading.
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Interest Rate Futures Explained: SOFR, Treasury Futures, CORRA, and Canadian Bond Futures (CGB)
How interest rate futures work: why SOFR and CORRA futures are priced as 100 minus the rate, how Treasury and CGB bond futures tick, with real exchange specs.
Read the explainer →Crude Oil Futures Explained: WTI, Brent, Cushing Delivery, and the Futures Curve
How WTI and Brent crude oil futures work, with real NYMEX and ICE specs, tick arithmetic, Cushing delivery, expiry rules, and what shapes the oil futures curve.
Read the explainer →Gold Futures Explained: COMEX Contract Specs, Delivery, Contango, and the Spot Price
How COMEX gold futures work: the 100-ounce GC contract, Micro and 1-Ounce gold, tick arithmetic, vault delivery, and why futures usually sit above spot.
Read the explainer →Agricultural Futures Explained: Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crop Calendars, and USDA Reports
How grain and oilseed futures work: real CBOT specs for corn, soybeans and wheat, ICE canola, tick arithmetic, crop calendars, and why USDA reports move prices.
Read the explainer →Currency Futures Explained: CME FX Futures, the Canadian Dollar Contract, and Futures vs Spot Forex
How currency futures work: CME FX contract specs, the Canadian dollar future (6C) with tick arithmetic, interest rate parity pricing, and how futures differ from spot forex.
Read the explainer →Bitcoin Futures Explained: CME Bitcoin and Micro Bitcoin Futures, Cash Settlement, and the Basis
How CME bitcoin futures (BTC) and micro bitcoin futures (MBT) work: real specs, tick arithmetic, cash settlement to the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate, basis, and 24/7 trading.
Read the explainer →Micro Futures Explained: Notional Value vs Margin, and Why Small Size Does Not Mean Small Risk
What micro futures are, with real CME specs for Micro E-mini, Micro WTI, Micro Gold, Micro Bitcoin, micro grains and more, plus the leverage arithmetic behind them.
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