Capitalize on the around-the-clock liquidity of E-mini S&P 500 futures (ES), and take advantage of one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to gain market exposure to the S&P 500 Index, a broad-based, capitalization-weighted index that tracks 500 of the largest companies of the US economy and a key indicator of the stock market’s health. With ES futures, you can take positions on S&P 500 performance electronically.
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Features and benefits
Leading liquidity
Deep liquidity & tight bid-ask spreads can reduce your costs.
Central marketplace
Trade a global equity index portfolio from one marketplace.
Flexibility
Flexible execution gives you multiple ways to find liquidity.
Margin savings
Save on potential margin offsets with other equity index futures.
Safety and security
Central clearing helps mitigate your counterparty risk.
Futures leverage
Use leverage to trade a large contract value with a small amount.
Explore this product in depth
PRODUCTS
E-mini S&P 500 options
Enjoy greater choice and flexibility for trading E-mini S&P futures and options with more expiries and new enhancements, including the introduction of ES options blocks.
Compare E-mini S&P 500 with other trading methods
In nearly every trading scenario, ES futures offer a more cost-efficient way to manage S&P 500 exposure compared to ETFs.
- Pay no management fee when you trade ES futures vs. S&P 500 ETFs
- Fully-funded institutional investors can save 8.9 - 13.3bps trading ES vs. ETFs*
- Day traders can save between $80 - $119 using ES futures vs. ETFs over a one-day holding period*
- Nearly 24-hour access means no waiting for the ETF market open when market events (Brexit, U.S. elections) happen post-close
- ES futures offer significantly more daily liquidity, at 8x the value of all S&P 500 ETFs combined, including SPY, IVV and VOO*
- Diversify your risk versus other holdings in your portfolio
*All scenarios are hypothetical and should be treated as such. Data is as of October 31, 2016, and calculations are based on the framework found at cmegroup.com/thebigpicture.
ES futures give you an easier, faster, more flexible way to harness S&P 500 performance.
- Trade and track one ES future vs. 500 stocks to get nearly identical exposure
- Nearly 24-hour access means your hands aren’t tied when off-hour news and events occur
- ES gives you 60x buying power of cash stocks – less capital, to control a larger value
- Easily sell short with ES - no uptick rule or special requirements
- Spread trading vs. another sector like small caps takes less time, capital and trades
Key economic reports and factors that move markets
View the latest insights on trends in the Equities market.
Courses
Take self-guided courses on E-mini S&P 500 futures and options products.
If you're new to futures, the courses below can help you quickly understand the E-mini S&P 500 market and start trading.
Contact an Equity Index expert
Connect with a member of our expert Equity team for more information about our products.
About E-mini S&P 500
An electronically traded futures contract one fifth the size of standard S&P futures, E-mini S&P 500 futures and options are based on the underlying Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index. Made up of 500 individual stocks representing the market capitalizations of large companies, the S&P 500 Index is a leading indicator of large-cap U.S. equities.
