What are micro E-mini futures?

Micro E-mini futures products are a line of futures contracts on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). Micro E-mini futures work just like classic E-mini index futures in that they allow you to effectively buy or sell a well-diversified portfolio of stocks, depending on your opinion of the overall stock market. The difference in the two products is their size; Micro E-mini futures are 1/10 the size of a classic E-mini. The CME offers Micro E-mini futures as a cost-efficient way for traders and investors to gain exposure to these four major U.S. indexes: S&P 500, NASDAQ-100, Dow Jones, and Russell 2000. 

Start trading micro E-mini futures for just $2.25 per contract pricing.

How to trade micro E-mini futures

Micro E-mini futures trade on the CME Globex® trading platform. An account approved to trade futures is required in order to trade micro E-mini futures.

Micro E-mini futures contract specifications

Considering trading micro E-mini futures? Here are the micro E-mini futures contract specifications.

With a Schwab futures account, you also get access to advanced trading platforms and education, where you can take advantage of actionable research, real-time micro E-mini futures quotes, and other specialized tools.

Micro E-mini futures contract specifications.
Exchange Chicago Mercantile Exchange 
  • S&P 500 futures, MES 
  • NASDAQ-100 futures, MNQ 
  • Dow Jones futures, MYM 
  • Russell 2000 futures, M2K 
Contract Size
  • S&P 500 futures: $5 x the S&P 500 Index 
  • NASDAQ-100 futures: $2 x the Nasdaq 100 
  • Dow Jones futures: $0.50 x the Dow Jones 
  • Russell 2000 futures: $5 x the Russell 2000 
Minimum Tick Size and Value
  • S&P 500 futures: 0.25, worth $1.25 per contract. 
  • NASDAQ-100 futures: 0.25, worth $0.50 per contract. 
  • Dow Jones futures: 1.00, worth $0.50 per contract. 
  • Russell 2000 futures: 0.10, worth $0.50 per contract. 
Trading Times Micro E-mini futures trade nearly 24 hours per day on the Globex® trading platform, from 6:00 p.m. U.S. ET all the way until 5:00 p.m. U.S. ET the following afternoon, Sunday-Friday. 
Principal Trading Months Micro E-mini futures trade on a quarterly cycle. Trading months include March, June, September, and December.

At Schwab, you also get access to advanced trading platforms and education, where you can take advantage of market research, real-time micro E-mini futures quotes, and other specialized tools.

Why trade micro E-mini futures?

Micro E-mini futures are tailored toward retail traders and investors, providing a number of benefits for both hedging and speculation. As a risk management tool, the smaller size of micro E-mini contracts provides more precise tailoring of exposure to major stock indices so you can help mitigate risk to some or all equity exposure without disturbing an underlying stock portfolio. Smaller size also provides greater capital efficiency, which is a valuable feature for speculating on index price moves, as the initial margin requirement on both long and short positions is just 5-7% of the notional value of the contract.

It is important to understand the benefits and risks involved with micro E-mini futures before placing a futures trade. Compared to traditional investments, with micro E-mini futures you can trade nearly 24 hours a day during the trading week and take advantage of trading opportunities regardless of market direction. Micro E-mini futures also provide the ability to trade with greater leverage and allow a more efficient use of trading capital. However, trading leveraged products like micro E-mini futures also involves the risk that losses can exceed the amount originally invested and may not be suitable for all investors.

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