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What is a Tick in Futures Trading
What is a “tick”? If you’re thinking of trading Futures, or trading anything, really, you’ll need to know that a tick is the minimum price investment that your chosen can move up, or down. Here is a list of the minimum tick values for several markets, listed, below:
- E-mini SP500 = $12.50
- Wheat = $12.50
- Oats = $12.50
- Gold (100 oz) = $10.00
- Silver (5000 oz) = $5.00
- Crude Oil = $10.00
- Euro Currency = $12.50
- Yen Currency = $12.50
- Beans = $12.50
- Mini Dow = $5.00
- Mini NASDAQ = $5.00
- Mini Russell 2000 = $10.00
- 30-Year Bonds = $31.25
- 10-Year Notes = $15.63
- 5-Year Notes = $7.82
- Corn = $12.50
Definitions are fine and dandy, but a quick real-world example is always a good way to demonstrate how something works:
If you buy one E-mini SP500 Futures contract at $1411.00 and sell it at $1411.25, you will have made a profit of $12.50, as that is equal to one tick price movement in the E-mini SP500 market (as listed above). If you sell one at $1411.00 and buy it back at $1410.75, you will have made $12.50.
Ready to learn more? Check out our 5 Reasons to Trade Futures video below for a more detailed introduction to the futures market including some of the unique advantages to trading these markets.