How to select the correct contract
Month codes and symbol format so you always trade the right contract.
Futures contracts expire, so a symbol combines the instrument, a month code and a year: [Instrument][Month][Year], e.g. ESH6 is the March 2026 E-mini S&P 500.
| Code | Month | Code | Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | January | N | July |
| G | February | Q | August |
| H | March | U | September |
| J | April | V | October |
| K | May | X | November |
| M | June | Z | December |
Always trade the current front-month GLOBEX contract per the CME calendar. Never trade a continuous/rollover charting symbol. Those are for charting only, not execution.
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