Best Futures to Trade for Beginners: A Complete Guide

Futures markets offer incredible opportunities, but not all contracts are created equal — especially for beginners. Some contracts are volatile enough to blow up a new trader's account in minutes, while others offer a more manageable learning environment. Here's a breakdown of the best futures to start with.

Understanding Futures Contracts

A futures contract is a standardised agreement to buy or sell an asset at a specific price on a future date. Futures are traded on regulated exchanges (like CME Group) and cover indices, commodities, bonds, currencies, and more.

Each contract has a tick size (the minimum price movement) and a tick value (how much money each tick is worth). Understanding these numbers is essential for calculating risk and position sizing.

Micro vs E-mini Futures

The CME Group offers two main tiers of index futures:

• • E-mini Contracts — The standard size. Each point move is worth $20–$50 depending on the contract. These are what professional traders and prop firm traders typically trade.
• • Micro Contracts — 1/10th the size of E-minis. Each point move is worth $2–$5. Perfect for learning and developing strategies with smaller risk.

Top Futures Contracts for Beginners

1. Micro E-mini Nasdaq (MNQ)

MNQ is arguably the best starting point for new futures traders. It has excellent volatility (plenty of moves to trade) but the small tick value means mistakes don't cost much. A 10-point stop loss is only $20 per contract.

2. Micro E-mini S&P 500 (MES)

MES tracks the S&P 500 index and moves more slowly than the Nasdaq. It's an excellent choice if you find MNQ too choppy or fast. The slightly higher tick value ($1.25 vs $0.50) still keeps risk very manageable.

3. E-mini Nasdaq 100 (NQ)

NQ is the king of prop firm trading. It moves fast and offers excellent opportunities every session. However, at $20 per point, it requires proper position sizing. A 10-point move is $200 per contract — so this is better for traders who've already practiced on micros.

4. E-mini S&P 500 (ES)

ES is the highest-volume futures contract globally. At $50 per point, it's not for beginners in terms of risk, but it offers incredibly clean price action and tight bid-ask spreads.

5. Micro Gold (MGC)

Gold futures offer a different trading personality than stock indices. Gold tends to have sustained trends and reacts strongly to economic data, making it a good complement to index trading.

Contracts to Avoid as a Beginner

• ✗ Crude Oil (CL) — Extremely volatile with $10/tick. Large gaps and whipsaws can destroy accounts quickly.
• ✗ Natural Gas (NG) — Known as "the widow maker" for its extreme volatility. Not suitable for learning.
• ✗ Treasury Bonds (ZB) — Low volatility and very different trading dynamics. Not ideal for building active trading skills.

Start Small, Scale Up

The best approach is to start with micro contracts, build a track record in your trading journal, and graduate to E-minis once you're consistently profitable. Many prop firms allow a mix of minis and micros, giving you flexibility to size your risk appropriately.