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Futures Contract Specifications — Tick Value, Point Value & Contract Size

Q: What is the MES tick value?

One tick on the MES (Micro E-mini S&P 500) is $1.25, on a 0.25-point tick size. If ES moves from 5000 to 5001 (4 ticks), a single MES contract gains $5.00.

Q: What is the NQ point value?

One full point on NQ is worth $20 per contract; one tick (0.25 pts) is $5. On the Micro version (MNQ), a full point is $2 and a tick is $0.50.

Q: What is the difference between ES and MES?

MES is exactly 1/10th the size of ES. Both track the S&P 500 with the same 0.25-point tick size, but tick value differs — $1.25 (MES) vs $12.50 (ES). MES suits evaluations under $100k; ES fits 100k+ accounts where the drawdown room is proportionally larger.

Q: What is the GC (Gold) tick value?

Gold futures (GC) move in $0.10/oz increments on a 100 oz contract, so one tick is $10.00 and a full $1 move is $100 per contract. Micro Gold (MGC) uses a 10 oz contract — $1.00 per tick, $10 per dollar move.

Q: What futures contracts are best for prop firm evaluations?

For accounts under $100k: MES and MNQ. For 100k–150k accounts: ES and NQ. GC, MGC, CL, and MCL suit traders running a specific commodity setup. Most firms allow the full CME/COMEX/NYMEX list — always confirm the specific firm's allowed instruments first.

Tick size, tick value, point value, contract multiplier, trading hours, and exchange for every major futures contract used in prop firm trading — one table, no digging through exchange PDFs.

Updated June 2026 · CME Group data

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Symbol	Full Name	Exchange	Tick Size	Tick Value	Point Value	Multiplier	RTH Session (ET)	ETH Session
ES	E-mini S&P 500	CME	0.25 pts	$12.50	$50	$50 × price	9:30–16:15	Sun 6pm–Fri 5pm ET
MES	Micro E-mini S&P 500	CME	0.25 pts	$1.25	$5	$5 × price	9:30–16:15	Sun 6pm–Fri 5pm ET
NQ	E-mini Nasdaq-100	CME	0.25 pts	$5.00	$20	$20 × price	9:30–16:15	Sun 6pm–Fri 5pm ET
MNQ	Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100	CME	0.25 pts	$0.50	$2	$2 × price	9:30–16:15	Sun 6pm–Fri 5pm ET
RTY	E-mini Russell 2000	CME	0.10 pts	$5.00	$50	$50 × price	9:30–16:15	Sun 6pm–Fri 5pm ET
M2K	Micro E-mini Russell 2000	CME	0.10 pts	$0.50	$5	$5 × price	9:30–16:15	Sun 6pm–Fri 5pm ET
YM	E-mini Dow Jones	CBOT	1 pt	$5.00	$5	$5 × price	9:30–16:15	Sun 6pm–Fri 5pm ET
MYM	Micro E-mini Dow Jones	CBOT	1 pt	$0.50	$0.50	$0.50 × price	9:30–16:15	Sun 6pm–Fri 5pm ET
GC	Gold Futures	COMEX	$0.10/oz	$10.00	$100/pt	100 troy oz	8:20–13:30	Sun 6pm–Fri 5pm ET
MGC	Micro Gold Futures	COMEX	$0.10/oz	$1.00	$10/pt	10 troy oz	8:20–13:30	Sun 6pm–Fri 5pm ET
SI	Silver Futures	COMEX	$0.005/oz	$25.00	$5,000/pt	5,000 oz	8:25–13:25	Sun 6pm–Fri 5pm ET
CL	Crude Oil Futures	NYMEX	$0.01/bbl	$10.00	$1,000/pt	1,000 bbl	9:00–14:30	Sun 6pm–Fri 5pm ET
MCL	Micro Crude Oil Futures	NYMEX	$0.01/bbl	$1.00	$100/pt	100 bbl	9:00–14:30	Sun 6pm–Fri 5pm ET
ZB	30-Year T-Bond	CBOT	1/32 pt	$31.25	$1,000/pt	$1,000 × price	7:20–14:00	Sun 6pm–Fri 5pm ET

All values are per single contract. Tick values are in USD. RTH = Regular Trading Hours. ETH = Extended/Electronic Trading Hours. Sourced from CME Group product specs — verify with your broker before trading.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MES tick value?

One tick on the MES (Micro E-mini S&P 500) equals $1.25. The tick size is 0.25 index points. If ES moves from 5000 to 5001 (4 ticks), a single MES contract gains $5.00 — a tenth of what one ES contract would gain over the same move.

What is the NQ point value?

One full point on NQ is worth $20 per contract. One tick (0.25 pts) is $5. A 100-point move is $2,000 per contract. On the Micro version (MNQ), a full point is $2 and a tick is $0.50 — precise enough to size risk tightly against a firm's daily loss limit.

What is the difference between ES and MES?

MES is exactly 1/10th the size of ES. Both track the same underlying index with the same 0.25-point tick size, but tick value differs sharply: $1.25 (MES) versus $12.50 (ES). MES fits evaluations under $100k — a 10-point move earns $50 versus $500 on ES — while ES suits 100k+ accounts where the larger drawdown room supports the bigger swings.

What is the GC (Gold) tick value?

Gold futures (GC) move in $0.10/oz increments on a 100 troy oz contract, so each tick is worth $10.00 and a full $1 move is $100 per contract. Micro Gold (MGC) uses a 10 oz contract — $1.00 per tick, $10 per dollar move. Gold draws prop firm traders looking for volatility outside the equity indices around news events.

What futures contracts are best for prop firm evaluations?

It depends on account size:

Under $100k: MES and MNQ. Small tick values make it easier to manage risk against a tight daily loss limit.
100k–150k: ES and NQ. Bigger tick values mean faster progress toward a profit target — and faster movement toward a daily limit if the trade goes wrong.
Commodities: GC, MGC, CL, and MCL suit a specific commodity setup. CL can see wide spreads outside regular trading hours.

Most prop firms allow the full CME/COMEX/NYMEX product list, but always check the specific firm's allowed-instrument list and any restricted news-window rules before trading.

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