Why Contract Selection Matters
Selecting the correct contract is crucial for successful trading. Trading expired, illiquid, or incorrect contracts can result in:
Poor fill prices and excessive slippage
Difficulty entering or exiting positions
Unexpected execution delays
Suboptimal trading performance
Understanding Contract Months and Codes
Month Code System
All futures contracts use standardized month codes:
Month | Code | Month | Code |
January | F | July | N |
February | G | August | Q |
March | H | September | U |
April | J | October | V |
May | K | November | X |
June | M | December | Z |
Contract Naming Convention
Contracts follow this format: [Symbol][Month Code][Year]
Year Code Formats by Platform:
Tradovate, Rithmic, WealthCharts & NinjaTrader: Use last digit only (6 for 2026)
TradingView & Tradesea: Use full year (2026)
Examples:
Tradovate/Rithmic/WealthCharts/NinjaTrader: ESH6, NQM6, GCZ6
TradingView/Tradesea: ESH2026, NQM2026, GCZ2026
Important TradingView Note
Never use "continuous contract" symbols on TradingView (symbols ending in "1!" like ES1!, NQ1!, etc.). These are for charting only and don't represent actual tradeable contracts. Always use the specific month and year format shown above.
How to Find the Correct Contract
Simple Rule: Always trade the current "GLOBEX CODE" contract shown on the CME calendar.
Use the CME Group contract calendars below to identify the active contract for each instrument. The "GLOBEX CODE" column shows exactly which contract you should
be trading.
CME Contract Calendars - Tradeify Supported Products
Equity Index Futures
ES (E-mini S&P 500) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/equities/sp/e-mini-sandp500.calendar.html
NQ (E-mini NASDAQ) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/equities/nasdaq/e-mini-nasdaq-100.calendar.html
RTY (E-mini Russell) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/equities/russell/e-mini-russell-2000.calendar.html
EMD (E-mini S&P Midcap 400) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/equities/sp/e-mini-sandp-midcap-400.calendar.html
Currency Futures
6A (Australian Dollar) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/fx/g10/australian-dollar.calendar.html
6B (British Pound) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/fx/g10/british-pound.calendar.html
6C (Canadian Dollar) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/fx/g10/canadian-dollar.calendar.html
6J (Japanese Yen) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/fx/g10/japanese-yen.calendar.html
6S (Swiss Franc) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/fx/g10/swiss-franc.calendar.html
Energy Futures
QM (E-mini Crude Oil) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/energy/crude-oil/e-mini-crude-oil.calendar.html
QG (E-mini Natural Gas) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/energy/natural-gas/e-mini-natural-gas.calendar.html
Metal Futures
QO (E-mini Gold) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/metals/precious/e-mini-gold.calendar.html
QI (E-mini Silver) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/metals/precious/e-mini-silver.calendar.html
Agricultural Futures
ZM (Soybean Meal) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/agriculture/oilseeds/soybean-meal.calendar.html
GF (Feeder Cattle) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/agriculture/livestock/feeder-cattle.calendar.html
Micro Futures
MES (Micro E-mini S&P 500) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/equities/sp/micro-e-mini-sandp-500.calendar.html
MNQ (Micro E-mini NASDAQ) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/equities/nasdaq/micro-e-mini-nasdaq-100.calendar.html
MYM (Micro E-mini Dow) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/equities/dow-jones/micro-e-mini-dow.calendar.html
M2K (Micro E-mini Russell) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/equities/russell/micro-e-mini-russell-2000.calendar.html
MGC (E-micro Gold) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/metals/precious/e-micro-gold.calendar.html
MCL (Micro Crude Oil) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/energy/crude-oil/micro-wti-crude-oil.calendar.html
M6A (E-micro Australian Dollar) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/fx/g10/e-micro-australian-dollar.calendar.html
M6E (E-micro Euro) - https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/fx/g10/e-micro-euro.calendar.html
Quick Steps
Find your instrument in the list above
Click the CME calendar link for that product
Look for the "GLOBEX CODE" column in the calendar
Use that exact contract code in your trading platform
Example: If the CME calendar shows ESH25 in the GLOBEX CODE column, that's the contract you should trade for E-mini S&P 500.
Important Notes
Always verify the contract before placing trades
Bookmark the calendars for instruments you trade regularly
Check weekly for any contract changes
Never trade expired contracts - they will have poor liquidity
For additional assistance with contract selection, contact Tradeify Support through your dashboard.