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Home / Education / Futures & Options 101 / Trading Pit

Trading Pit

Even though more and more futures contracts are being traded online, there’s still plenty of action in the trading pits at Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and other U.S. exchanges. That’s where traders determine futures prices, which change from minute to minute as trading goes on.

Is there only one pit?
No, there’s a pit for each commodity traded. CME has a lumber trading pit, a Eurodollar trading pit, an S&P 500 trading pit and so on.

What is trading?

In the futures industry, trading means buying and selling futures contracts. If you buy a futures contract at one price and sell it at a higher price, you make money. If you sell it at a lower price than what you paid for it, you lose money. Some people who trade futures are in it to make a profit by trading. Others are producers or users of commodities who are trading futures to protect a sale or purchase price.

The highest bid or lowest offer (the most competitive price) sets the true market value. A trader must “best” or beat that price in order to set a new “best” bid or offer. The seemingly frantic nature of the open outcry system is really about brokers and traders constantly bidding or offering prices that the market will perceive as the true value; and trades will then occur. This process is called “price discovery,” and it is based on the belief that in a free market system the optimum price will emerge as the result of the pressures of supply and demand.

What does this mean?

  • Palm in means an offer to buy
  • Hand away and in front of body means show price
  • Hand touching or near face shows quantity. Touching forehead and hand sideways means buy 70 contracts.

In pit trading, hand signals, as well as vocal open outcry, relay quantity and price information between traders and brokers across the pit. As in any auction situation, a trader’s action or word is a bond. With billions of dollars at stake, each action in the pits is actually a carefully recorded and executed trade agreement. Though seemingly chaotic, what you are witnessing in a futures trading pit are market professionals conducting business at lightning speed for either customers or for personal profit. In markets where prices move rapidly within short periods of time, the speed of trade execution and timely delivery of orders to customers is essential, because every minute (or second) that goes by can mean a large difference in how much money is gained or lost in that trade.

Additional Lessons

  • Futures Contract
  • Futures Exchange
  • Contracts Traded
  • Supply and Demand
  • Fundamental Analysis
  • Technical Analysis
  • Orders in the Pit
  • Risk Management
  • Hedgers & Speculators
  • Options on Futures
  • Reading Quotes
  • GLOBEX
  • Hand Signals
  • Expiration Months

Contents Courtesy of CME Group.

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Risk Disclosure

This material is conveyed as a solicitation for entering into a derivatives transaction.

This material has been prepared by a Daniels Trading broker who provides research market commentary and trade recommendations as part of his or her solicitation for accounts and solicitation for trades; however, Daniels Trading does not maintain a research department as defined in CFTC Rule 1.71. Daniels Trading, its principals, brokers and employees may trade in derivatives for their own accounts or for the accounts of others. Due to various factors (such as risk tolerance, margin requirements, trading objectives, short term vs. long term strategies, technical vs. fundamental market analysis, and other factors) such trading may result in the initiation or liquidation of positions that are different from or contrary to the opinions and recommendations contained therein.

Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance. The risk of loss in trading futures contracts or commodity options can be substantial, and therefore investors should understand the risks involved in taking leveraged positions and must assume responsibility for the risks associated with such investments and for their results.

Trade recommendations and profit/loss calculations may not include commissions and fees. Please consult your broker for details based on your trading arrangement and commission setup.

You should carefully consider whether such trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances and financial resources. You should read the "risk disclosure" webpage accessed at www.DanielsTrading.com at the bottom of the homepage. Daniels Trading is not affiliated with nor does it endorse any third-party trading system, newsletter or other similar service. Daniels Trading does not guarantee or verify any performance claims made by such systems or service.

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