PRESS RELEASE

What are Mini-Dow Jones futures?

Published

4 weeks ago

March 2, 2023

Mini Dow futures represent a portion of the standard Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) futures. The DJIA is the world’s most widely followed stock index and the leading U.S. stock market benchmark. The high trading volumes and the leverage available have made Mini Dow futures and Micro E-mini Dow futures popular ways to trade the overall U.S. stock market.

Table of Contents

How to trade Mini Dow futures

The CBOT Mini Dow futures contract represents $5 times the Dow Jones Industrial Index. Mini Dow Jones futures are fully electronic, trading on the CME Globex^® trading platform nearly 24 hours per day on a quarterly cycle.

Mini Dow Jones futures contract specifications

Considering trading Mini Dow futures? Here are the Mini Dow futures contract specifications.

Exchange	Chicago Board of Trade, YM
Contract Size	$5 x the Dow Jones Industrial Index (Micro E-mini contracts also available)
Minimum Tick Size and Value	1.00, worth $5.00 per contract.
Trading Times	Mini Dow futures trade continuously on the Globex® trading platform, from 6:00 p.m. U.S. ET all the way until 5:00 p.m. U.S. ET the following afternoon.
Principal Trading Months	Mini Dow futures trade on a quarterly cycle, with the primary contracts being March, June, September, and December.

At Schwab, you also get access to advanced trading platforms and education, where you can take advantage of market research, real-time Mini Dow futures quotes, and other specialized tools.

Mini Dow futures provide investors and traders with an efficient way to gain speculative exposure to the U.S. stock market, or they may be used to hedge stock portfolios against overall market risk. Mini Dow futures may also be spread against other popular stock index futures.

It is important to understand the benefits and risks involved with Mini Dow futures before placing a futures trade. Compared to traditional investments, with Mini Dow futures you can trade nearly 24 hours a day during the trading week and take advantage of trading opportunities regardless of market direction. Mini Dow futures also provide the ability to trade with greater leverage and allow a more efficient use of trading capital. However, trading leveraged products like Mini Dow futures also involves the risk that losses can exceed the amount originally invested and may not be suitable for all investors.