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    • Intro to futures
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    You read a futures trading chart by reviewing the bars. A futures trading chart is a representation of historical price data; each bar in the chart is built based on a user-specified timeframe or interval. Each bar can represent one minute, one day, one week, or any timeframe of price and volume action depending on what the trader needs for their analysis. Each bar in the trading chart has four data points: the open, the high, the low, and the close of the bar. Reading a futures trading chart allows traders to derive trend direction, key support, and resistance levels to make better, more informed trading decisions.
    There are many trading charts that are useful in futures trading, one of which is a tick chart. A tick chart is useful in futures trading as it is a type of bar interval based on the number of trades that occur in a bar.

    Tick charts are a more dynamic way to build bars in a chart. When the market is active, more bars are built in the chart; when the market is less active, fewer bars are built. This allows indicators to react more dynamically to the price action than time-based bar intervals.

    To learn more about futures trading charts, tune in to our livestreams or review your customization options to make your futures trading practice more unique to you.
    With a large variety of charting software on the market, the best is one that provides you the tools to trade futures effectively. NinjaTrader’s award-winning desktop trading platform has advanced charting that allows you to customize your futures trading indicators and build trading strategies that can be tested, plus a wide range of other powerful features that can grow with a trader like you as your experience expands.
    Real-time and historical futures market data is distributed by futures exchanges and other third parties. You can connect real-time market data to your NinjaTrader account by subscribing to those exchanges for the symbols and markets you want to trade and analyze. These subscriptions also include extensive historical market data, which means you can see your charts update to follow real-time market conditions. You can get started with a free 14-day trial of live futures data through NinjaTrader by creating your free account here.
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© 2026 NinjaTrader Group, LLC. All rights reserved.

NinjaTrader is a group of affiliated companies operating under NinjaTrader Group, LLC (“NTG”), including NinjaTrader, LLC (“NT”) and NinjaTrader Clearing, LLC d/b/a NinjaTrader, Kraken Derivatives US, and Tradovate (“NTC”). NT owns and supports the proprietary NinjaTrader trading platform as a software development company, while NTC provides brokerage services. View Disclosures.

NTC is registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) as a futures commission merchant (“FCM”) and is a National Futures Association (“NFA”) Member (NFA ID: 0309379). Questions related to brokerage accounts should be directed to your broker.

Futures, options, foreign currency, digital asset, and event contract trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for everyone. An investor may lose all or more than the initial investment. Trading should be undertaken only with risk capital—funds that can be lost without jeopardizing one’s financial security or lifestyle—and only by those who can afford such losses. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Prior to trading digital assets, review the CFTC and NFA advisories for additional information regarding the significant risks involved. View Risk Disclosure Statement.

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