Futures Contract
A standardized, exchange-traded agreement to buy or sell an asset at a fixed price on a set future date, settled daily via mark-to-market.
Formula
Notional Value = Contract Multiplier × Futures Price
A futures contract is a legally binding agreement between a buyer (long) and a seller (short) to exchange an underlying asset — or its cash equivalent — at a predetermined price on the expiration date. Every term is standardized by the exchange: contract size, tick size, settlement method, and trading hours.
The defining feature is daily mark-to-market settlement: gains and losses are credited or debited to the margin account each session, so no large uncollateralized exposure accumulates. This is fundamentally different from a forward contract, which settles only at maturity.
Financial futures (indices, treasuries, currencies) almost always settle in cash; commodity futures (crude oil, metals) can require physical delivery if held through the first notice day.
Example
A trader buys 1 ES contract at 5,400. Notional value = 5,400 × $50 = $270,000. The next day ES closes at 5,415 — a 15-point gain worth $750 ($50 × 15) credited to the margin account before the open.
Related Terms
Contract Multiplier
The dollar amount assigned to each index point (or unit) of a futures contract, converting price moves into P&L.
BeginnerContract Size
The fixed quantity of the underlying asset controlled by one futures contract, set by the exchange.
BeginnerDerivative
A financial contract whose value is derived from the price of an underlying asset such as a stock, index, commodity, or currency.
IntermediateExpiration
The date on which a futures contract reaches the end of its life and is either cash-settled or triggers physical delivery.
BeginnerForward Contract
A private, over-the-counter agreement to buy or sell an asset at a predetermined price on a specified future date.
IntermediateInitial Margin
The minimum deposit required to open one futures contract, set by the exchange clearing house (CME, CBOT, NYMEX).
BeginnerLimit Up / Limit Down
Exchange-imposed maximum daily price move for a futures contract. Trading halts or is restricted when the price hits the limit.
IntermediateLong Futures
Buying a futures contract — agreeing to take delivery (or cash settlement) at expiry, and profiting as the price rises.
BeginnerMark-to-Market
The daily revaluation of open futures positions to the settlement price, with gains and losses settled in cash each session.
IntermediateNotional Value
The full economic exposure of a futures position: Futures Price × Contract Multiplier (or Contract Size).
IntermediatePoint Value
The dollar P&L impact of a full one-point move in a futures contract. Equal to the contract multiplier.
BeginnerShort Futures
Selling a futures contract — agreeing to deliver (or cash settle) at expiry, and profiting as the price falls.
BeginnerTick
The minimum price increment a futures contract can move, set by the exchange in its contract specification.
BeginnerTick Size
The numeric value of the minimum price increment for a given futures contract (e.g. 0.25 index points for ES).
BeginnerTick Value
The dollar P&L impact of one minimum price move in a futures contract. Tick Size × Contract Multiplier.
BeginnerTreasury Futures
CBOT futures on US government bonds — including 2-year, 5-year, 10-year notes and 30-year bonds — used to trade interest rate risk.
Intermediate