Crude Oil Futures Trading:
Educational Resources For Trading Futures & Options

The following information provides basic contract specifications for crude oil futures contracts.  Please feel free to contact us via Phone, Live Chat, or Email for any further inquiries.

Crude oil is currently the world’s most actively traded commodity, and the NYMEX crude oil futures contract is the world’s most liquid medium to trade crude oil.  There are two contract denominations available for trade:

SYMBOL:

• CL trades in units of 1,000 barrels (42,000 gallons)
  The minimum price fluctuation is $0.01 (1¢) per barrel ($10.00 per contract).
  
  
• QM (e-miNY) trades in units of 500 barrels (21,000 gallons)
  The minimum price fluctuation is $0.025 (2.5¢) per barrel ($12.50 per contract

Maximum Daily Price Fluctuation is $10.00  per barrel for open-outcry, and $20.00 per barrel for electronic trading.

Margin requirements are subject to change, and are required for open futures positions.

Both Crude Oil futures contracts are available for trade on the CME Globex electronic trading platform and clears through the New York Mercantile Exchange.  Open outcry trading is conducted from 7:00AM PT until 11:30AM PT.  Electronic trading is conducted from 3:00PM PT through 2:15PM PT the next day, with only a 45-minute break in trading each day.

Trading example:  If you purchase 1 contract of CL at $100 and the next day it moves to $102, you have a profit of $2,000.  Inversely, if the price dropped to $98 the next day, you would have a loss of $2,000. For less risk/volatility you can trade the e-miNY contract which is ½ the size.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

To make sense of the information provided and learn how to trade futures please read through our futures education.

This information is from sources believed to be reliable, but Expo Futures will not be held responsible for either its accuracy or completeness.  Please note that all times posted are in Pacific Standard Time and are subject to change.

Energies:	Crude Oil | Natural Gas | Heating Oil | RBOB Gasoline
Metals:	Gold | Silver | Copper | Platinum | Palladium
Grains:	Corn | Wheat | Soybeans | Soybean Oil
Softs:	Coffee | Cocoa | Cotton | Sugar | Orange Juice
Currencies:	Australian Dollar | British Pound | Canadian Dollar | Euro Currency | Japanese Yen | Swiss Franc

For information on a particular contract not listed, please feel free to contact us.