How Do I Know Which Futures Contract Month Is Available for Trading?
In futures trading, each instrument trades in specific contract months designated by standardized codes (like H, M, U, Z, etc.). These contracts have individual expiry dates, and the months available for trading may vary based on liquidity.
However, contract availability isn’t consistent year-round. Each instrument follows a different expiry cycle. Some are monthly, while others are quarterly. This often causes confusion among traders trying to understand which contract to select or why a particular month is not listed on the platform to trade.
Where Can I Check the Active Contract Month?
To stay aligned with the latest contract month codes and expiry dates, you can visit the official CME Group page. This ensures you’re viewing the same data that informs what month code is actively being traded and liquid.
From this page, simply search for the symbol code you want to trade. You’ll see data like the following:
Which month is currently the most traded (highest volume)
Monitor the expiry dates of symbol codes
The next available contract and its current volume
Additionally, by navigating through the “Calendar” section, you can see the settlement and last tradable day for each contract, like below
Tips for Traders
Monitor liquidity, as contracts nearing expiry may experience reduced volume and wider differences between bids and asks, or simply insufficient orders.
Stay updated via the CME website to avoid confusion about why a certain month is unavailable in your trading platform.
If a symbol or month appears to be missing, it likely has insufficient liquidity or has been delisted due to lack of tradability.