What Are Soybean Meal Futures?
Soybean Meal Futures (ZM) are futures contracts based on the price of soybean meal, a by-product of soybean oil production. Soybean meal is primarily used as animal feed and is a key ingredient in the global agriculture and livestock sectors. These contracts are ideal for traders looking to hedge or speculate on soybean meal prices, which are influenced by factors such as global agricultural production, demand for animal feed, and oilseed prices.
Contract Size
- Contract Size: 100 short tons (approximately 200,000 pounds) of soybean meal.
Trading Hours
The Soybean Meal Futures contract trades nearly 24 hours a day, five days a week, providing consistent access to the global agricultural markets.
- Sunday – Friday: 7:00 PM to 7:45 AM CT
- Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM to 1:20 PM CT
- Time Zone: Central Time (CT).
Tick Value and Increment
- Tick Size: $0.10 per ton.
- Tick Value: $10.00 per tick.
- Minimum Price Fluctuation: $0.10 per ton.
This makes Soybean Meal Futures an excellent choice for traders seeking liquidity, leverage, and exposure to agricultural markets.
Trading Symbol
- Platform Symbol: ZM
Margins
To trade Soybean Meal Futures, you’ll need to meet specific margin requirements. Check out Ironbeam’s Margins Page for the latest margin rates and details.
Why Trade Soybean Meal Futures?
- Liquidity: High liquidity ensures tight spreads and efficient execution.
- Hedging Opportunities: Widely used by producers and traders of animal feed to hedge against price fluctuations.
- Global Influence: Soybean meal prices are influenced by crop yields, feed demand, and global commodity markets.
- Diversification: Add exposure to the agricultural sector to complement equity or energy investments.
- Price Discovery: Futures markets offer an effective mechanism for determining the fair price of soybean meal.
Start Trading ZM with Ironbeam
Ironbeam provides a robust trading platform and API to help you access Soybean Meal 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.