Symbology

Futures symbology is the naming convention that futures symbols use. Traditionally, there are two parts:

  • Symbol Root The Symbol Root is generally a few characters at the start that identify the type of futures contract you're trading. This is sometimes called a Futures Stem or Contract Code, and sometimes can vary across platforms. Some examples are GC for Gold futures, ES for E-Mini S&P 500 futures, and CL for Crude Oil futures. SeeAvailable Products for a full list.

  • Contract Expiration The Contract Expiration shows when the future will expire. Traditionally the Month will be represented by a single letter:

    • January - F

    • February - G

    • March - H

    • April - J

    • May - K

    • June - M

    • July - N

    • August - Q

    • September - U

    • October - V

    • November - X

    • December - Z

    Followed by the expiration year as a single digit, e.g. 4 to represent 2024.

So as an example, for the E-Mini S&P 500 future (ES) expiring in December (Z) 2024 (4), the full symbol is ESZ4.

In Architect, futures are categorized by their symbol root as well as the full expiration date.

Additionally, Futures Spreads and Event Contracts contain further details that specify the relevant details of those trading instruments.

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