Micro E-Mini Futures FAQ
What are Micro E-mini future?
Micro E-mini futures are smaller-sized equity index futures contracts. At just 1/10 the size of a standard e-mini futures contract, Micro E-minis provide both a low-cost entry point for new traders looking to participate in markets with a reduced financial commitment. They are also very popular among seasoned futures traders who look for increased flexibility and position management.
- S&P 500 Index: Micro E-mini S&P 500 futures (MES)
- Dow Jones Industrial Average: Micro E-mini Dow futures (MYM)
- Nasdaq-100 Index: Micro E-mini Nasdaq futures (MNQ)
- Russell 2000 Index: Micro E-mini Russell futures (M2K)
When do Micro E-mini futures trade?
Just one benefit of trading Micro E-mini futures is the ability to trade around-the-clock. Compared to stocks & ETFs where you can only trade 6.5 hours a day, futures products trade nearly 24 hours a day, 6 days a week. Trading hours for futures contracts are determined by their respective exchanges. Each category, such as metals or equity index, has its own opening and closing times.
View the trading hours for each futures exchange below:
What is the ticker symbol for the Micro E-mini S&P 500 futures?
Micro E-mini S&P 500 futures offer access to Standard & Poor's 500 Index in a contract 1/10 the size of standard e-mini contract. The ticker symbol for Micro E-mini S&P 500 futures contracts is MES
When do Micro E-mini futures expire?
Micro E-mini futures contracts are only active for a specific amount of time before they expire. Each futures market has their own expiration dates. Prior to a contract expiring, futures traders must either exit their active position or “roll” their position to a later contract month of the same underlying asset.
Bookmark NinjaTrader's Trade Desk Calendar and stay current on Micro E-mini futures roll dates and contract expirations.
How much money do you need to trade Micro futures?
The amount of money needed to trade Micro E-mini futures vary from market-to-market and by trader-to-trader, based on their goals and strategies. When trading futures, market participants need to have enough money in their account to cover the margin as well as the commission for each trade. Micro E-mini commissions are as low as $.09 per contract with a NinjaTrader Lifetime License.
What are the margins required to trade Micro E-Mini futures?
Margin in futures trading refers to the amount of equity that a trader must deposit with a broker to cover any credit risk. It is essentially a line of credit used to trade.
NinjaTrader offers clients aggressive $50 intraday margins for Micro E-mini contracts & only $500 for popular futures markets including the E-mini S&P 500.
