NinjaTrader offers clients aggressive $50 intraday margins for Micro contracts & only $500 for popular futures markets including the E-mini S&P 500.
New to Futures? Learn How Margins Work.
Intraday Margin rates are effective from the product open until 15 minutes prior to the session close when Initial Margin is required. Initial Margins are set by the exchange and represent the amount required to hold a position into the next trading session. View Initial Margins for available contracts or learn more.
Accounts that do not meet margin requirements are subject to liquidation & applicable fees.
Exchange | Contract | Description | Intraday Margin End Time | Session Close Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
CME | E-mini S&P 500 (ES) | Equities | 15:45 CT | 16:00 CT |
CME | Micro E-mini S&P 500 (MES) | Micro Equities | 15:45 CT | 16:00 CT |
CME | Euro (6E) | Currencies | 15:45 CT | 16:00 CT |
NYMEX | Crude Oil (CL) | Commodities | 15:45 CT | 16:00 CT |
COMEX | Gold (GC) | Metals | 15:45 CT | 16:00 CT |
CBOT | US Treasury Bonds (ZB) | Bonds | 15:45 CT | 16:00 CT |
CBOT | Wheat (ZW) | Agriculture | 1:05 CT | 1:20 CT |
Eurex | Mini-Dax (FDXM) | Equities | 2:45 CT | 3:00 CT |
Please Note:
Intraday Margins are always subject to change with limited or no prior notice to account for volatility. Check here for updates.
If an account does not meet the margin requirement at all times during the trade:
Trading in physically deliverable futures contracts is prohibited beginning on the business day preceding the earlier of the Last Trade Date or the 1st Notice Date through the Last Trade Date. Any account that has a position or places an order after this roll date is subject to liquidation and associated fees. Learn More About Futures Delivery.
Can I monitor margin requirements through the NinjaTrader platform?
Yes, NinjaTrader 8 provides direct visibility to your available excess margin helping you manage your positions to meet margin requirements. Update to the latest version of NinjaTrader here & learn how to add visibility to your available margin here.
Is the intraday margin requirement the minimum amount I need to open a futures position?
While true that having an account balance equal to the intraday margin requirement will allow you to open a position, we strongly encourage traders to view this as the minimum required to maintain a futures position.
What is considered appropriate Excess Margin?
Excess margin can be defined as the amount of equity in a brokerage account above the minimum margin requirements. Managing excess margin is an important concept in futures trading as failure to maintain sufficient levels of margin can result in the liquidation of your position and fines.
If you fail to maintain the required margin, you may receive a margin call and requiring the deposit of additional funds or potentially have your positions liquidated by the Trade Desk.
Can I carry a position overnight?
Yes, you can carry a position overnight as long as your account meets the initial margin requirements. Also referred to as exchange margin, this is the minimum amount, per contract, required by the exchange that must be maintained in your account to hold a position overnight.
The margin requirement for carrying a position between trading sessions is significantly greater than the margin required to hold a position only during regular trading hours. As a reminder, your account must meet the initial margin requirements 15 minutes prior to the session close if you plan to carry the position.
It is important to understand the risk associated with holding a position overnight such as exposure to potential adverse price movement occurring outside of normal trading hours. Learn more about carrying a position overnight.
What are position limits & how should this impact my trading decisions?
A position limit is a preset number of contracts a trader may hold, long or short, at any one time. These limits are in place to control the exposure of any one trader. View position limits here.
Specific to each futures contract, position limits are determined primarily based on the liquidity and volatility of that market.
How should I manage my positions with an upcoming roll over date?
Futures contracts are only active for a specific amount of time before they expire. Prior to a contract expiring, futures traders must either 1) exit their active position or 2) “roll” their position to a later contract of the same underlying asset which extends the expiration period. Learn more about roll dates.
What is “trading at full leverage”?
Trading at “full leverage” means leaving no excess margin and therefore no room for error. While trading at full leverage, if a trade moves one tick against you, your position is subject to risk of forced liquidation from the Trade Desk. As this type of trading significantly increases your risk of forced liquidation (and incurring a loss), it is strongly discouraged. Learn more about maintaining the appropriate excess margin.
How are margins handled around holidays or when there is an early close?
How are session close times for Eurex impacted by daylight savings time?
Due to daylight savings time differences in March & November, Eurex session times will shift by 1 hour until both regions are on the same schedule.
Please use the Trade Desk for emergencies and live orders only. Be prepared to provide your NinjaTrader Brokerage account number. For trades that are closed, we encourage you to email [email protected] and provide your account number and a summary of the trade in question.
It is always best to contact the Trade Desk with non-emergencies by emailing [email protected].