What are soybean futures?

Soybean futures are fully electronic, exchange-traded contracts on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). Soybeans have a seemingly limitless range of uses. They serve as a central ingredient in many food products, and are increasingly being seen as a renewable resource with many industrial applications. Soybean futures give traders a highly liquid tool to manage risk and diversify their portfolios with this popular agricultural commodity.

Start trading soybean futures for just $2.25 per contract pricing.

How to trade soybean futures

CBOT soybean futures are traded on the Globex® platform from 8:00 p.m. U.S. ET to 2:20 p.m. U.S. ET on the following day, at 5,000 bushels per contract. An account approved to trade futures is required in order to trade soybean futures.

Soybean futures contract specifications

Considering trading soybean futures? Here are the soybean futures contract specifications.

Soybean futures contract specifications.
Exchange Chicago Board of Trade, S
Contract Size 5,000 bushels
Minimum Tick Size and Value 0.25, worth $12.50 per contract.
Trading Times Soybean futures are traded electronically on the Globex® platform from 8:00 p.m. U.S. ET to 2:20 p.m. U.S. ET on the following day. Please note that there is a maintenance period from 8:45 a.m. U.S. ET until 9:30 a.m. U.S. ET during which trading is halted.
Principal Trading Months Principal trading months for soybean futures include January, March, May, July, August, September, and November.

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

Why trade soybean futures?

Investors can use oilseeds like soybean futures to hedge or diversify their portfolio using investments that have a low correlation with their financial assets. Since soybean futures are priced in U.S. dollars, the performance of the U.S. economy plays a crucial role in their pricing, providing a way for investors to use soybean futures as a hedge against inflation concerns.

Traders can use soybean futures to speculate on the price of soybean, which can change based on a number of different factors including fluctuations of crop output by farmers due to weather events, changes in demand from developing countries that use soybean feeds for livestock and in oils, and the value of the U.S. dollar.

It is important to understand the benefits and risks involved with soybean futures before placing a futures trade. Compared to traditional investments, with soybean futures you can trade outside of the traditional market hours associated with equities and take advantage of trading opportunities regardless of market direction. Soybean futures also provide the ability to trade with greater leverage and allow a more efficient use of trading capital. However, trading leveraged products like soybean 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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