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Category: Index Futures

Introduced in the year 1982, Index futures or stock index futures are extremely popular among trading commodities today. While trading, an index future is settled in cash on the value of a certain stock market index. One of the most traded indices is the S&P500.

These are quoted on the basis of either an underlying or a spot price for an index value. There are a number of technicalities involved, most of which you should understand. However, even if you find it tough to comprehend what Index futures are, you can take assistance from the trade experts at Cannon Trading.

We at Cannon Trading want you to understand the basics and the details about Index Futures like our experts do. There are a number of blogs that we list here in our category archive. We recommend that you read these to know for yourself what Index Futures trading is all about.

Stock Futures suffer Eye-Opening Tumble as CPI Exceeds Expectations

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Jenny Collins

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Trading in Front of Reports – Like Today’s CPI – Stock Futures – a Word to the Wise

by Mark O’Brien, Senior Broker

This morning the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its scheduled Consumer Price Index and to the market’s surprise, it jumped more than anticipated, showing a higher-than-expected 0.5 percent increase from December. It was the fastest monthly increase since August 2023.

Stock Futures

The reaction by the major stock futures contracts was immediate and pronounced. Within a single minute of the report’s release, the E-mini Dow Jones stock futures contract dropped over 400 points, the E-mini S&P 500 stock futures contract dropped 60 points, a $3,000 move and within that same minute the E-mini Nasdaq stock futures contract dropped 311 points, a $6220 move.

CPI

CPI is one of several regularly scheduled reports that can have an impact on the futures markets. There are many such reports on things like crude oil stocks, crop conditions, interest rate decisions and several that look at aspects of the economy.

They all can impact related futures markets’ movement, even if for a span of time as short as a minute.

So, it’s important for traders to take care when trading into an approaching report, as well as afterwards if volatility continues. Even if you’re incorporating STOP orders to offset a position going into a report’s release, fast markets can “jump” over your STOP price and leave your trade exposed to further risk.

1 minute chart from this morning for illustration purposes below!

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Daily Levels for February 13th, 2025

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Economic Reports

provided by: ForexFactory.com

All times are Eastern Time (New York)

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Trading Futures, Options on Futures, and retail off-exchange foreign currency transactions involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. You should carefully consider whether trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge, and financial resources. You may lose all or more of your initial investment. Opinions, market data, and recommendations are subject to change at any time.

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Coffee, Cattle, and Crops: Market Swings Amid Powell & CPI Anticipation

Posted on February 11, 2025February 11, 2025 by Jenny Collins

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Coffee

Movers & Shakers by John Thorpe, Senior Broker

Movers and Shakers: Tomorrow (CPI) before the open, CSCO After the close

Fed Powell’s testimony in the Senate had the market moving today.

Gold started to sell off well before the testimony began, down $25.00 then as Powell spoke @ 10 EST, the market rallied from that point in somewhat of a slough to unchanged, but struggled to breakout and looks to close a shade off yesterday, down 8 bucks. Holding rates for quite some time longer didn’t add fuel to the current rally. Powell testifies tomorrow in the House, same time.

The S&P 500 rallied from Powell’s opening remarks 20 points, then fell back at the 2-hour mark to where it began:6070.00 only to rally NEARLY 30 POINTS FROM THERE AFTER THE CONCLUSION. However, they look to close unchanged at the time of this writing. 6088.00. This was a very tradeable day.

After scanning several markets Energies, Bonds, Dollar index. They all finished the day right about where they were prior to Powell’s opening remarks except for the US Dollar, which closed lower as Gold retained some of its luster.

Corn

WASDE was released this morning as well, whose results weighed on domestic Ag row crop prices, Beans down 6 cents, Corn down 7.5-6.25 for old crop, new crop Dec down a penny (will grains in the future be quoted in pennies with the dissolution of the one cent coin?) Wheat down between 2.5 to 7 cents across the board and protein spectrum. Cotton bucked the trend and had a strong rally after the numbers, up .74 basis the May contract.

Coffee

As for the softs, Coffee lost some caffeine today, down from its all-time highs, 15 + cents per pound @ 413.45. This drop comes after a strong rally in recent sessions, fueled by supply concerns and robust demand. However, profit-taking and shifting sentiment in the broader commodities market may have contributed to today’s pullback. Traders will be watching for any signs of renewed momentum or further correction in the days ahead, particularly with currency fluctuations and weather patterns in key coffee-growing regions influencing price action. That’s Coffee!

Market volatility is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

Choose your opportunities wisely.

Tomorrow: CPI (Consumer Price Index) before the open, Fed Powell Testimony in the House of Representatives 9 am CST, Fed Bostic 11:00 am CST. Earnings: Cisco After the close, CME Group, before the open

March Feeder Cattle

The January 21st QT Chart of the Day alerted readers that the March feeder cattle chart was approaching its third upside PriceCount objective. After reaching this target area, the chart corrected lower and activated downside PriceCounts in the process. At this point, if you can extend its break with new sustained lows, the second count would project a slide to the 261.59 area.

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Daily Levels for February 12th, 2025

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Economic Reports

provided by: ForexFactory.com

All times are Eastern Time (New York)

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Hidden Market Trends: Copper Joins Coffee and Gold in Notable Moves

Posted on February 10, 2025February 10, 2025 by Jenny Collins

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Coffee Anyone? Gold? Copper?

COFFEE

While most day traders focus on markets like mini SP, MICRO NQ, bonds and few others, some of the other markets have made some noticeable moves. Coffee, Gold and now Copper.

March copper is activating upside PriceCount objectives off the January lows. The first count projects a possible run to the 4.80 area which is consistent with a challenge of the fall high.

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Daily Levels for February 11th, 2025

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Economic Reports

provided by: ForexFactory.com

All times are Eastern Time ( New York)

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Market Movers This Week: Options on Futures, Grains, Hedging, Powell Testimony, CPI & PPI, WASDE, and Earnings Reports

Posted on February 7, 2025February 7, 2025 by Jenny Collins

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Cannon Futures Weekly Letter

In Today’s Issue #1229

1099’s Are Available
The Week Ahead –
Futures 102 – Hedging With grains, Options on Futures
Hot Market of the Week – April Hogs
Broker’s Trading System of the Week – ES intraday System
Trading Levels for Next Week
Trading Reports for Next Week

1099’s:

1099 forms will be generated for all futures trading accounts held by US clients that placed any trades during the 2024 calendar year. Traders should expect to receive their 1099 forms via mail, email or through their portal in early February.

· 1099 forms will be provided directly from the FCM to the client.

· To login and retrieve your 1099 for your Cannon account via StoneX click here

· To login and retrieve your 1099 for your Cannon account via Ironbeam click here

· To login and retrieve your 1099 for your Cannon account via Dorman click here

For any other FCM’s please contact your broker directly.

Important Notices: The Week Ahead

By John Thorpe, Senior Broker

Humphrey Hawkins Testimony week, Fed Chair Powell gives testimony to the Senate Banking Committee beginning @ 9:00 am CST Tuesday the 11th, Wednesday he walks over to the House Financial Committee and answers questions for the congressional body. CPI,PPI! WASDE week! + 5Fed Speakers, 1000’s of midcaps reporting past earnings and future guidance.

Economic releases are relatively light this week with one exception: Consumer Price Index (CPI) pre-market Friday. The Fed Speakers will be at the podium for the foreseeable future as we don’t have another Fed rate decision until late March.

Earnings Next Week:

Mon. McDonalds
Tue. Coca-Cola, Softbank
Wed. Cisco
Thu. Applied materials
Fri. Quiet

FED SPEECHES:

Mon Quiet
Tues. Hammock 7:50 CST, Chair Powell Testimony 9amCST, Bowman and Williams 2:30pmCST
Wed. Chair Powell Testimony 9am CST, Bostic 11:00 am CST, Waller 4:05PM,
Thu. Quiet
Fri. Quiet

Economic Data week:

Mon. Consumer inflation expectations
Tue. WASDE Ag Numbers 9amCST, NIFB Optimism index
Wed. CPI
Thur. Initial Jobless Claims, PPI
Fri. Retail Sales, Capacity Utilization, Business Inventories

Futures 102: Hedging Grains with Options on Futures

Course Overview

Gain an understanding of how buyers and sellers of grains and oilseeds utilize futures and options to hedge their position to manage price risk. This course will enhance the hedger’s understanding of the different strategies available as well as how the basis affects prices.

Start Now

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Hot Market of the Week

Hot market of the week is provided by QT Market Center, A Swiss army knife charting package that’s not just for Hedgers, Cooperatives and Farmers alike but also for Spread traders, Swing traders and shorter time frame application for intraday traders with a unique proprietary indicator that can be applied to your specific trading and options on futures needs.

Free Trial Available

December 25 Corn

April Hogs satisfied a second upside PriceCount objective before turning sideways with a range bound trade. At this point, IF the chart can resume its rally with new sustained highs, the third count would project a potential run to the 100.96 area.

PriceCounts – Not about where we’ve been, but where we might be going next!

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The PriceCount study is a tool that can help to project the distance of a move in price. The counts are not intended to be an ‘exact’ science but rather offer a target area for the four objectives which are based off the first leg of a move with each subsequent count having a smaller percentage of being achieved. It is normal for the chart to react by correcting or consolidating at an objective and then either resuming its move or reversing trend. Best utilized in conjunction with other technical tools, PriceCounts offer one more way to analyze charts and help to manage your positions and risk. Learn more at www.qtchartoftheday.com

Trading in futures, options, securities, derivatives or OTC products entails significant risks which must be understood prior to trading and may not be appropriate for all investors. Past performance of actual trades or strategies is not necessarily indicative of future results.

Brokers Trading System of the Week

With algorithmic trading systems becoming more prevalent in portfolio diversification, the following system has been selected as the broker’s choice for this month.

ES NZL

PRODUCT

Mini SP500

SYSTEM TYPE

Day Trading

Recommended Cannon Trading Starting Capital

$36,000

COST

USD 199 / monthly

Get Started

Learn More

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Would you like to get weekly updates on real-time, results of systems mentioned above?

Yes

Trading Levels for Next Week

Daily Levels for February 10, 2025

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Would you like to receive daily support & resistance levels?

Yes

Trading Reports for Next Week

First Notice (FN), Last trading (LT) Days for the Week:

www.mrci.com

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US January Non-Farm Payroll Report: Key Forecasts and Market Impact

Posted on February 6, 2025 by Jenny Collins

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NFP Tomorrow – Non Farm Payrolls Tomorrow

Non Farm Payrolls

US January Non-Farm Payrolls data will be released Friday morning at 7:30 am CT. Economists are forecasting non-farm payrolls +170,000 compared to the previous month’s +256,000. The January jobless rate is expected at 4.1%, unchanged compared to the previous month. Average hourly earnings are expected up +0.3% month over month.

With Non-Farm Payroll coming in tomorrow, We suspect a busy, volatile Friday as other reports and speakers will be out. Make sure to check calendar below.

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Daily Levels for February 7th, 2025

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Economic Reports

provided by: ForexFactory.com

All times are Eastern Time ( New York)

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Find us on Trustpilot

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Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Listen to our podcast: Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Amazon

or wherever you listen to podcasts!

First and Last Commodity Trading Days February 2025

Posted on February 3, 2025 by Jenny Collins

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First Notice & last trading Days for February

Please see below First Notice and Last Commodity Trading days for February! Make it a disciplined trading month.

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Daily Levels for February 4, 2025

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Economic Reports

provided by: ForexFactory.com

All times are Eastern Time ( New York)

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Find us on Trustpilot

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April Gold Futures Hit Record High Amid Tariff Concerns and Weaker Dollar

Posted on January 30, 2025 by Jenny Collins

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Gold Futures Trading at All Time Highs!

April gold futures – the most-active futures contract – hit a new all-time high as the dollar pushed lower and traders sought safety amid concerns over the new U.S. administration’s tariff measures. April gold settled up 2.7% at $2,845.20 per ounce, after hitting a record intraday high of $2,853.20 earlier in the day. The prior record of $2,800.80 was set in late October.

Gold Weekly Chart with Possible targets for your Review Below:

Trade gold futures and select from three different contract sizes – 100-oz., 50-oz. and 10-oz. – with a FREE, top-of-the-line trading platform that includes built-in charts, hundreds of indicators, a great DOM and super low day trading margins.

Don’t have time to do it yourself? Work with an experienced broker!

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Daily Levels for January 31st, 2024

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Economic Reports

provided by: ForexFactory.com

All times are Eastern Time ( New York)

Good Trading!

About: Cannon Trading is an independent futures brokerage firm established in 1988 in Los Angeles. Our mission is to provide reliable service along with the latest technological advances and choices while keeping our clients informed and educated in the field of futures and commodities trading.

Fed Holds Rates Steady Amid Persistent Inflation; Markets React with Volatility

Posted on January 29, 2025 by Jenny Collins

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What you need to know before trading futures on Jan. 30th:

By Mark O’Brien, Senior Broker

General:

Going into the fed’s meeting this month, financial markets widely expected the central bank to hold interest rates steady, breaking a streak of three consecutive rate cuts. Pointing to stubborn inflation readings and an economy hardly in need of rescuing, the Fed. did just that: nothing. “We feel like we don’t need to be in a hurry to make any adjustments,” Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said. The Fed’s policymaking committee voted unanimously to maintain their target for the federal-funds rate today, at a range of 4.25%-4.5%. The FOMC announcement noted unemployment “has stabilized at a low level” and “inflation remains somewhat elevated,” which noticeably removed a reference from its prior rate decision of inflation making “progress” toward the 2% target. Inflation has remained above the Fed’s 2% target for 45 consecutive months and counting.

Stock Indexes:

Stock index futures started oscillating immediately after the fed announcement at 1:00 Central Time, and through Fed chairman Jerome Powell’s 1:30 press conference with the March E-mini S&P 500 trading to daily contract lows just shy of 6040.00 between those events then swinging up over 40 points above 6080 within 30 minutes.

Energy:

Oil prices fell today, with the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate touching a multi-week low after today’s weekly API report showed crude stockpiles rose more than expected last week.

The March crude oil futures contract fell to $72.33 a barrel intraday today, a ±$7.00 per barrel / $7,000 per contract move over just nine trading sessions and the lowest level since Jan. 2.

Grains:

Tightening global corn supplies have had investors’ attention for months and March corn futures have steadily made a bullish move. Today’s intraday high of $4.97½ per bushel marks a ±80-cent gain since its $4.14 intraday low back on Oct. 17.

Daily Levels for January 30th, 2024

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Economic Reports

provided by: ForexFactory.com

All times are Eastern Time ( New York)

Good Trading!

Weekly Newsletter: Week Ahead+ World Cup Championship, Trading Levels for Jan 13th

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Ilan

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In this issue:

StoneX/E-Futures Platform Updates
Important Notices – Earnings, CPI, PPI, Housing
Futures 102 – World Cup Trading Championship
Hot Market of the Week – March 10 Year Notes
Broker’s Trading System of the Week – ES intraday System
Trading Levels for Next Week
Trading Reports for Next Week

To our clients whose accounts are with StoneX and currently using the E-Futures Platform:

The new StoneX Futures platform will be up and running Monday, Dec. 16th.

Your existing LIVE user name and password will be accepted.

Your existing exchange data subscriptions will migrate to the new platform.

To login to the new trading interface please login here:

https://m.cqg.com/stonexfutures

If you like a demo ( and did not have a demo of StoneX Futures yet) CLICK HERE

In the mean time, your E-Futures platform will stay active until a date no earlier than Fri., Dec. 27th, with a firm decommission date to be announced

Important Notices – Next Week Highlights:

The Week Ahead

By John Thorpe, Senior Broker

766 corporate earnings reports as the season swings into action with the largest U.S. Banks! A number of meaningful Economic data releases including CPI, PPI and There will be a series of FED Speakers throughout the week.

Earnings Next Week:

Mon. Quiet (59rpts mid and smallcaps)
Tue. Quiet (25rpts Mid and smallcaps)
Wed. (162 rpts) Pre-Open JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Black Rock, Citigroup, Bank of NY, Oracle after the close
Thu. ( 186 rpts) Pre-open Tiawan Semiconductor, United HealthCare, BofA, Morgan Stanley, US Bank.
Fri. Quiet (108 mid and small caps rpts)

FED SPEECHES:

Mon. Quiet
Tues. Schmid 9 am CST, Williams 2:05 CST
Wed. Barkin 8:20 CST, Kashkari 9 am CST, Williams 10 am CST, Goolsbee 11 am CST
Thu. Quiet
Fri. Quiet

Economic Data week:

Mon. Consumer Inflation Expectations,
Tues. RedBook, PPI
Wed. CPI, NY Empire State Manufacturing Index
Thur. Jobless claims, Philly Fed, Retail Sales, Business Inventories, NAHB Housing Market Index
Fri. Building Permits, Housing Starts, Industrial Production

Futures 102: World Cup Trading Championship

Minimum Starting Balance

The minimum starting account balance is $10,000 for Futures and $5,000 for Forex.

Win a Bull & Bear Trophy

1st place finishers win a coveted pewter bull and bear trophy. 2nd and 3rd place finishers win beautiful crystal bull and bear trophies.

Global media exposure.

Prove your abilities on the world’s stage and build credibility.

Launch Your Trading Career

Top finishers may be invited to have their trading featured on WorldCupAdvisor.com. Subscribers may pay to follow their trades automatically.

ENTER NOW

Hot Market of the Week

FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE

March 10 Year Treasury Notes

The March 10 year treasury notes have resumed their break into a new low. At this point the chart is taking aim at its third downside PriceCount objective to the 106^24 area.

PriceCounts – Not about where we’ve been , but where we might be going next!

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Broker’s Trading System of the Week

With algorithmic trading systems becoming more prevalent in portfolio diversification, the following system has been selected as the broker’s choice for this month.

ES NZL

PRODUCT

Mini SP500

SYSTEM TYPE

Day Trading

Recommended Cannon Trading Starting Capital

$36,000

COST

USD 199 / monthly

Get Started

Learn More

The performance shown above is hypothetical in that the chart represents returns in a model account. The model account rises or falls by the average single contract profit and loss achieved by clients trading actual money pursuant to the listed system’s trading signals on the appropriate dates (client fills), or if no actual client profit or loss available – by the hypothetical single contract profit and loss of trades generated by the system’s trading signals on that day in real time (real‐time) less slippage, or if no real time profit or loss available – by the hypothetical single contract profit and loss of trades generated by running the system logic backwards on back adjusted data. Please read full disclaimer HERE.

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Daily Levels for January 13th, 2025

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