Futures Contract Specifications

Agricultural Futures Contracts - Corn, Oats, Soybeans, Soybean Meal, Soybean Oil

Currencies Futures Contracts - Australian Dollar, British Pound, Canadian Dollar, Euro - European Currency, Japanese Yen, Swiss Franc, US Dollar Index

Energy Futures Contracts - Crude Oil, Heating Oil, Unleaded Gasoline, Natural Gas

Food and Fiber Futures Contracts - Cocoa, Coffee, Orange Juice, Sugar, Lumber, Cotton

Index Futures Contracts - S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrials, NASDAQ 100

Interest Rate Futures Contracts - US Treasury Bonds, 10 Year US Treasury Bonds, 90 Day Treasury Bills (T-Bills), Eurodollars

Livestock Futures Contracts - Feeder Cattle, Live Cattle, Lean Hogs, Pork Bellies

Metals Futures Contracts - Gold, Silver, Copper, Platinum, Palladium

Consumer Price Index

The Consumer Price Index is a monthly measure of the average price level of a fixed basket of common goods and services, including food, housing and energy, purchased by consumers.  The monthly changes in the CPI represent the rate of inflation which is a general increase in the prices of goods and services.  The Consumer Price Index is the most widely followed indicator of inflation.  It is the gauge by which we can measure the cost of living and the CPI is also known as a cost of living index.

Producer Price Index

The Producer Price Index (PPI) is considered a leading indicator of inflation and therefore an indication of how interest rates and bond futures prices will react.  The Producer Price Index tracks changing domestic prices for wholesale producers of commodities and gives an indication if there will be higher costs passed onto the consumer.  Higher consumer prices can lead to an increase in the inflation rate.

Economic Books for Futures Traders

We did not use many books to write the articles for this section on Economic Indicators for Futures Trading and there are some very good books out there on Economics.  We had a hard time going through the books out there, but we believe that we found some very useful books.  The ones we choose to work with were clear, simple and concise, they did not bore us to death with PHD level Economics.  We have also included a list of books that we referred to occasionally that we found very helpful.

Reporting Dates for Economic Indicators and How to Use Economic Reports for Futures Trading

This is a very simple overview of how the various economic reports that come out throughout the year MAY effect the markets.  This is not a guide to follow.  These reports can and will influence market direction, and it may be in a way that was not predicted, or wanted.  The best course of action for a futures trader to take is to be aware of when these reports come out, and to be out of the markets when they do.  Especially if you do not have the trading capital to withstand a move against the direction of your open position.  This is a business, protect your assets.