What Are Feeder Cattle Futures?
Feeder Cattle Futures (GF) are futures contracts based on the price of feeder cattle, which are young cattle that are raised for beef production. These contracts provide exposure to the livestock market, and are commonly used by ranchers, feedlot operators, and traders to hedge against price fluctuations or speculate on changes in the price of feeder cattle.
Contract Size
- Contract Size: 50,000 pounds of feeder cattle.
Trading Hours
The Feeder Cattle Futures contract trades nearly 24 hours a day, five days a week, providing consistent access to the global livestock markets.
- Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM to 1:05 PM CT
- Time Zone: Central Time (CT).
Tick Value and Increment
- Tick Size: $0.025 per pound.
- Tick Value: $1,250 per tick.
- Minimum Price Fluctuation: $0.025 per pound.
This makes Feeder Cattle Futures an excellent choice for traders seeking liquidity, leverage, and exposure to the livestock markets.
Trading Symbol
- Platform Symbol: GF
Margins
To trade Feeder Cattle Futures, you’ll need to meet specific margin requirements. Check out Ironbeam’s Margins Page for the latest margin rates and details.
Why Trade Feeder Cattle Futures?
- Liquidity: High liquidity ensures tight spreads and efficient execution.
- Hedging Opportunities: Used by cattle ranchers and feedlot operators to hedge against price fluctuations in the feeder cattle market.
- Global Influence: Feeder cattle prices are influenced by factors such as grain prices, beef demand, and weather conditions.
- Diversification: Add exposure to the livestock market to complement equity or agricultural investments.
- Price Discovery: Futures markets provide an effective mechanism for determining the fair price of feeder cattle.
Start Trading GF with Ironbeam
Ironbeam provides a robust trading platform and API to help you access Feeder Cattle Futures with ease. Trade confidently with free real-time Level 2 market data and personal broker support.
DISCLAIMER: There is a substantial risk of loss in trading commodity futures and options products. Losses in excess of your initial investment may occur. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Please contact your account representative with concerns or questions.