Energy Futures Contracts

What are energy futures contracts?

Energy futures are a highly liquid market where traders can take advantage of the uncorrelated diversification that energy futures offer over the more commonly traded financial futures like major market stock indexes and bonds.

In addition, energy futures can offer more opportunities and trading flexibility over energy stocks, ETFs, and CFDs with their many limitations.


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Capitalize on unique market opportunities through energy futures trading

gas pump

Crude oil futures

Crude oil futures are highly liquid contracts that allow traders to speculate directly on the price of crude oil. They serve as the cornerstone of the energy complex, attracting traders of all sizes. 

Gas barrel

Natural gas futures

Natural gas futures allow traders to speculate on the price of natural gas. Similar to crude oil futures, natural gas futures have significant liquidity throughout trading sessions. 

Car

Gasoline futures

Gasoline futures can be influenced by economic conditions, making them an efficient way to trade price fluctuations in gasoline. 

Houes

Heating oil futures

Heating oil futures can experience seasonal price volatility as demand for heating oil can increase in colder months.

Trade the world’s most popular oil contract at a fraction of the cost

At 1/10th the size of the standard contract, Micro crude oil futures allow traders to access the highly liquid crude oil marketplace with a reduced financial commitment. Other advantages of trading Micro crude oil futures include:

  • Ability to target opportunities in a popular energy market 
  • Highly leveraged investment for more buying power 
  • Reduced financial commitment vs. a larger crude oil contract 
  • Increased flexibility for position management 

Leverage also increases the risk associated with futures trading and only risk capital should be used for trading.

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Learn to leverage technical analysis to target futures trading opportunities and identify trends using chart types, indicators and more.

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Global futures markets at your fingertips

Futures trading encompasses a wide range of globally traded products that allow traders at all levels to speculate on the price of these dynamic markets. There are many diverse futures markets to explore, including: 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Energy futures contracts are a tradable instrument to buy or sell an energy-based product like crude oil, natural gas, gasoline, or heating oil. Each of these exchange traded contracts has a unique set of contract specifications for point value, expiration date, and delivery method.
Traders can actively buy or sell energy futures contracts at current market prices virtually 24 hours a day, through a well-regulated futures broker like NinjaTrader. Energy futures gives traders direct trading exposure to these important global markets.
Energy futures provide traders with many more advantages and flexibility than trading these same instruments using ETFs or energy stocks with their many limitations. Energy futures offer extended trading hours, the ability to go short easily, and lower capital requirements.
Crude oil futures are the most actively traded energy futures and are the benchmark price for crude oil globally. Natural gas futures are also heavily traded due to the wide utility of natural gas in transportation, electricity generation, and industrial uses.
Futures trading requires a funded account at a licensed futures broker. Traders can then buy and sell the desired futures contract by putting up a good faith margin deposit to cover potential losses.
Yes, you can trade energy futures with NinjaTrader. NinjaTrader is an industry-leading futures broker centralizing all the tools and services needed for both new and experienced traders to enter the global futures markets. NinjaTrader offers a comprehensive set of cutting-edge trading tools for both new and experienced futures traders. You can place orders and analyze the energy futures markets from multiple platforms including the award-winning NinjaTrader Desktop.
Trading energy futures comes with a number of potential risks. It is important for traders to always be aware of the
factors that can affect the price of the futures that they are trading and following a risk management plan should
be a critical component of all trading strategies. As futures trading offers greater leverage for potentially increased
profits, that leverage also increases the possibility of greater losses. Traders should only trade with risk capital. Risk capital is money you can afford to lose without affecting your lifestyle or changing your retirement horizon.