Contracts Suite

Professional Futures Tick Calculator

Calculate futures tick value, point value, ticks moved, and trade profit/loss for CME futures including NQ, MNQ, ES, MES, RTY, M2K, Gold and Crude Oil.

Trade Direction
Pts
Pts
#
Calculator Results
Ticks Moved 400.00 Ticks
Points Moved 100.00 Pts
P&L Per Contract $200.00
Dollar Per Tick $0.50
Dollar Per Point $2.00
Total Trade P&L +$400.00
Trade P&L Status
+$400.00 Profit
Active Setup Summary
Contract Type MNQ (Micro Nasdaq)
Net Movement 100.00 Pts / 400 Ticks
Contracts Loaded 2 Contract(s)
Gross P&L Return +$400.00

CME Futures Tick Value Chart & Contract Specifications

Contract Contract Name Exchange Tick Size Tick Value Point Value Multiplier
MNQ Micro Nasdaq 100 CME 0.25 $0.50 $2.00 x2
NQ E-mini Nasdaq 100 CME 0.25 $5.00 $20.00 x20
MES Micro S&P 500 CME 0.25 $1.25 $5.00 x5
ES E-mini S&P 500 CME 0.25 $12.50 $50.00 x50
MYM Micro Dow Jones CBOT 1.00 $0.50 $0.50 x0.5
YM E-mini Dow Jones CBOT 1.00 $5.00 $5.00 x5
M2K Micro Russell 2000 CME 0.10 $0.50 $5.00 x5
RTY E-mini Russell 2000 CME 0.10 $5.00 $50.00 x50
MGC Micro Gold COMEX 0.10 $1.00 $10.00 x10
GC Gold COMEX 0.10 $10.00 $100.00 x100
MCL Micro Crude Oil NYMEX 0.01 $1.00 $100.00 x100
CL Crude Oil NYMEX 0.01 $10.00 $1,000.00 x1000
Presets Scenarios

CME Presets Examples

MNQ Example Micro Nasdaq
Load Setup
NQ Example Nasdaq 100
Load Setup
MES Example Micro S&P 500
Load Setup
ES Example S&P 500
Load Setup
GC Example COMEX Gold
Load Setup
CL Example NYMEX Crude
Load Setup
Best Practices

Futures Trading Tips

Know tick value before entering

Always calculate the absolute dollar value of a tick and a point for your contract. This ensures you know your exact monetary risk per contract before execution.

Micro contracts reduce risk

Use Micro contracts (MNQ, MES, MYM, M2K, MGC, MCL) which are exactly 1/10th of the size of standard E-mini contracts. They are ideal for smaller accounts and risk sizing.

Never oversize positions

Limit your total trade contracts to keep point risk within your maximum daily loss threshold. Leverage is high in futures; size carefully based on dollar stop distance.

Respect market volatility

CME index contracts like NQ/MNQ move extremely fast. Widen your stops and reduce contract counts during high volatility releases (CPI, FOMC) to avoid immediate stop outs.

Educational Guide

How the Futures Tick Calculator Works

Mastering futures contract specifications, tick increments, and dollar point values is essential for calculating trade risk, sizing stop losses, and managing leverage across CME Group markets.

Understanding Futures Ticks, Tick Size, and Point Value

In futures contracts regulated by CME Group, prices move in standardized increments called ticks. A futures tick calculator translates these fluctuations into exact dollar values and profit/loss outcomes.

Tick Size vs. Tick Value

Tick Size is the minimum allowable price change of a contract (e.g., 0.25 on NQ/ES, 0.10 on Russell 2000/Gold, or 0.01 on Crude Oil). Tick Value is the dollar amount gained or lost per contract with each tick movement.

Point Value & Multiplier

A point represents one full integer change in price quotation (e.g., 18,000.00 to 18,001.00 on Nasdaq). The Point Value is the dollar equivalent of a complete 1.00 move, determined by the contract multiplier.

A point is composed of multiple ticks: on contracts with a 0.25 tick increment (NQ, MNQ, ES, MES), there are 4 ticks in 1 point. On contracts with a 0.10 tick size (RTY, M2K, GC, MGC), there are 10 ticks in 1 point. On contracts with a 0.01 tick size (CL, MCL), there are 100 ticks in 1 point. Knowing this distinction prevents miscalculating position size and stop loss risk.

Futures Tick Calculator Formulas

Ticks Moved = Price Movement ÷ Contract Tick Size Trade Gross P&L = Ticks Moved × Tick Value × Number of Contracts Alternative: Trade Gross P&L = Points Moved × Point Value × Number of Contracts

Tick Value vs. Point Value vs. Contract Notional Value

It is essential to distinguish between trade P&L fluctuations and full contract economic exposure:

  • Tick Value: The monetary gain or loss for each minimum 0.25 tick increment ($5.00 on NQ, $0.50 on MNQ).
  • Point Value: The dollar move for 1 full index integer point ($20.00 on NQ, $2.00 on MNQ).
  • Contract Notional Value: The full underlying market valuation governed by one futures contract.
Contract Notional Value = Futures Price × Contract Multiplier

For example, at a Nasdaq-100 price of 18,500.00, one Micro Nasdaq contract (MNQ with a verified ×2 multiplier) has an underlying notional value of $37,000 (18,500 × 2). In contrast, one standard E-mini Nasdaq contract (NQ with a verified ×20 multiplier) controls $370,000 (18,500 × 20). S&P 500 contracts reflect the same 10:1 ratio with MES (×5 multiplier) and ES (×50 multiplier). Notional value reflects total market exposure, while daily trade P&L reflects points moved multiplied by point value.

NQ & MNQ Points-to-Ticks Conversion

Because CME Nasdaq contracts move in verified 0.25-point increments, every 1 full point contains exactly 4 ticks (1.00 ÷ 0.25 = 4). Standard NQ trades at $5.00 per tick ($20.00 per point), while Micro MNQ trades at $0.50 per tick ($2.00 per point).

Points Ticks NQ Value ($5/tick) MNQ Value ($0.50/tick)
1 point 4 ticks $20 $2
5 points 20 ticks $100 $10
10 points 40 ticks $200 $20
20 points 80 ticks $400 $40
50 points 200 ticks $1,000 $100

How Many Ticks is 20 Points on NQ?

On CME E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) and Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100 (MNQ), the verified tick size is 0.25 index points:

  • Step 1 Minimum tick size: 0.25 index points
  • Step 2 Calculation: 20 Points ÷ 0.25 Tick Size = 80 Ticks
  • Standard NQ P&L 80 ticks × $5.00 tick value = $400.00 gross P&L per contract (20 pts × $20/pt)
  • Micro MNQ P&L 80 ticks × $0.50 tick value = $40.00 gross P&L per contract (20 pts × $2/pt)

A 20-point move on NQ or MNQ is always exactly 80 ticks, simplifying bracket orders, trailing stops, and profit targets.

Why Contract Sizing Matters: Standard E-mini vs. Micro Futures

Contract size determines your financial leverage and dollar risk per tick. Standard E-mini contracts (NQ, ES, YM, RTY, GC, CL) cater to larger accounts, while Micro E-mini futures (MNQ, MES, MYM, M2K, MGC, MCL) trade at exactly one-tenth (1/10th) the financial size.

For example, a 15-point stop loss on 1 contract of standard E-mini S&P 500 (ES) risks $750.00 (15 pts × $50.00/pt). Taking that same 15-point stop on Micro E-mini S&P 500 (MES) risks only $75.00 (15 pts × $5.00/pt). This 10:1 ratio enables traders to scale positions in precise increments while managing daily drawdown limits.

For an in-depth breakdown of contract specs, trade examples, and risk sizing, read our comprehensive NQ & MNQ Tick Value Guide. To evaluate margin, dollar-per-point exposure, and stop loss sizing across US index futures, explore our ES vs MES vs NQ vs MNQ Futures Comparison.

Contract-Specific Specifications and Tick Values

Below is a breakdown of the CME, CBOT, NYMEX, and COMEX contracts supported on this calculator:

MNQ Tick Value

CME • Micro Nasdaq
Tick Size 0.25
Tick Value $0.50
Point Value $2.00

Micro Nasdaq-100 has a $2 multiplier. Each 0.25 tick is $0.50, meaning a 50-point move equals 200 ticks and $100.00 gross P&L per contract.

NQ Tick Value

CME • E-mini Nasdaq
Tick Size 0.25
Tick Value $5.00
Point Value $20.00

Standard Nasdaq-100 has a $20 multiplier. Each tick is $5.00, meaning a 50-point move equals 200 ticks and $1,000.00 gross P&L per contract.

MES Tick Value

CME • Micro S&P 500
Tick Size 0.25
Tick Value $1.25
Point Value $5.00

Micro S&P 500 has a $5 multiplier and $1.25 tick value. Ideal for precise risk management and steady scaling.

ES Tick Value

CME • E-mini S&P 500
Tick Size 0.25
Tick Value $12.50
Point Value $50.00

Benchmark equities contract with a $50 multiplier. A 10-point move equals 40 ticks and $500.00 per contract.

M2K and RTY Tick Value

CME • Russell 2000
Tick Size 0.10
M2K Tick $0.50
RTY Tick $5.00

Russell 2000 futures move in 0.10 increments. Micro M2K tick value is $0.50 ($5.00/pt); standard RTY tick value is $5.00 ($50.00/pt).

Gold Futures Tick Value

COMEX • Gold (MGC / GC)
Tick Size 0.10
MGC Tick $1.00
GC Tick $10.00

COMEX Gold tracks troy ounces with 0.10 tick size. Micro Gold (MGC) is $1.00 per tick ($10.00/pt); standard Gold (GC) is $10.00 per tick ($100.00/pt).

Crude Oil Futures Tick Value

NYMEX • WTI (MCL / CL)
Tick Size 0.01
MCL Tick $1.00
CL Tick $10.00

NYMEX WTI Crude Oil moves in 1-cent increments ($0.01/bbl). Micro MCL is $1.00 per tick ($100.00/dollar); standard CL is $10.00 per tick ($1,000.00/dollar).

Accounting for Trading Reality: Commissions, Fees, and Slippage

This calculator displays theoretical gross trade P&L based on CME contract specifications. In live trading, your realized net return is affected by exchange clearing fees, NFA regulatory assessments, broker round-turn commissions, and execution slippage during news releases. Factoring these costs into trade planning ensures your targets yield positive net expectancy.

Knowledge Base

Frequently Asked Questions

Clear answers to common questions about futures tick values, point calculations, contract specifications, and trade risk.

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