Trading Symbol And Expiration
The NASDAQ emini, commonly known as the NQ, trades in quarter points with each quarter equating to a profit or loss of $5 and a full point yielding a profit or loss of $20.00. NQ futures are traded on the CME - Chicago Mercantile Exchange. NQ Emini contracts expire four times per calendar year. Scalp trading is used by experienced emini traders to enter and exit the market quickly, focusing only on scalping one or two points. Traders looking for larger gains on individual trades will use support and resistance, pivot points or proprietary indicators. NASDAQ emini trading offers an opportunity for disciplined and focused traders to earn consistent profits everyday in the financial markets.

Are you interested in learning to trade emini index futures?
First you will need a proven system that provides a legitimate edge. You will then need the patience and discipline required to learn the system as well as the trade execution side. Many emini traders agree that the NQ is one of the easiest emini markets to learn.

Why? There are multiple reasons but one very simple one is this - 30 components pushing and pulling versus 500 in the S&P Emini. There is less channelling back anf forth and more trending flow. Once a move is underway on the Dow Emini it tends to move to its target in a more directional manner with far less backing and filling which lends towards getting stopped out with a trailing stop.

Until such time that a trader has the experience and knowledge to design and implement their own systems, a proven trading system with a true statistical edge is recommended. Traders use different types of systems, with many building their own system based on indicators and chart patterns that have proven to be successful for them, while others utilize systems developed by others. Make sure the system you use is both proven and ethical. Better yet, find a system where you own the indicators and over time time you can use them as building blocks to create a high probability set-up that fits both your personality and risk profile.

The Dow emini is not quite as volatile as the other emini futures contracts. Once new traders learn that in order to be successful at futures trading they need a system in place that eliminates human emotion, they seek out proven trading systems used by others. When the YM or Dow emini contract was introduced a few years ago, many futures traders moved over to it and have turned it into their very own cash cow. Over the course of a day the Dow emini will make many 20+ point moves. If your high probability trade setup can identify those moves and take just 10 points out of the middle of the move, you will find yourself in an enviable position that many traders never find. A 10 point trade 2 times a day can become a considerable amount of daily income as you gain confidence and increase the number of contracts you can comfortably trade. 10 points on 1 contract only pays $50.00. That same move on 10 contracts pays $500.00. Always start with 1 contract and let your market earnings increase the size you trade. If you are disciplined and emotionally detached, over a period of years you might find yourself in a position to trade as many as 50 or 100 contracts. Go slow. Let the market give you your pay raise.

A proven system, designed by successful traders can be the key to success as the new trader learns the dynamics of the market and gains the expertise that will allow the trader to design and develop their own system based on their personality and risk tolerance levels. Proven systems will alert you when possible profitable trade setups are signaled by the market. Proven systems are used by professional traders to compete and win in the index futures market on a daily basis.

If you want to become a professional emini trader who trades for daily income, pick the right system. Make sure you get a free trial that allows you to not only follow and learn the setups, but also one that provides a demo platform which allows you to place those trades in a simulated environment in real time. In today's competitive market a reputable vendor will make this available at no charge.

Make sure it works, make sure you understand it, and the Dow Emini just might become your cash cow.

Struggling at Emini Day Trading?

Here's my
Top #1 Tip to Succeed as an Emini Futures Trader

Stop fretting over the Big Guys and focus on the real problem - YOU!

Emini index futures traders seldom realize that in order to be successful they must learn to compete not against the best Emini Traders in the financial markets, but against themselves. Anyone that has traded emini futures probably believes that there are big time players in the futures markets against whom they, the new futures trader must compete. Make no mistake, the hedge funds and institutions are not your enemy. They don't even know you exist. For them to "take the market down" just to stop out your 1 contract trade is ridiculous. It's a great excuse for your lack of success but it's simply not true. The sooner you get that out of your head the sooner you can learn to Trade Emini Futures for a Living.

The human emotions of hope, greed, desperation and  fear will do more to blow up your brokerage account than all the "big boys" in the world. The biggest hurdle for new traders to overcome is the emotional aspect of trading that is so closely associated with failure in trading. Complete removal of the emotional attachment to the outcome of any trade, good or bad, is the emini strategy that is most utilized by successful and profitable traders. That's how the hedge funds and institutions do it. Not by chasing your 1 lot trade. Learn this one secret and you are on your way to becoming a professional emini futures trader.

Trading with a proven system and following the rules associated with each individual set-up in your trade execution will greatly improve your winning ratios. Since trades are executed based on formulas and signals generated by the system rather than by your emotions or feelings, your results will change overnight. Once you have a system in place the fear is gone. You understand the criteria and you simply execute when the proper conditions exist. When you are stopped out of a trade you suffer no remorse. You simply wait for the next set-up and execute it flawlessly. The worst thing that can happen is you will get stopped out of the trade. You don't blow up your account. It's only one trade. It does not define who you are as a trader. If you follow the rules, it does define who you are as a trader - a successful one. As long as the system you are using presents a reasonable edge over a large sample size, you will come out ahead and you will be excited to put on the next trade whether your feelings agree or not.

Find an Emini Day Trading system that offers a real edge. Make sure you get a Free Trial with a Demo Platform, Live Data and a Simulator before you spend a dime. That's how you can succeed as an Emini Futures Day Trader. Trading's not easy, but it can be simple.

Scalp traders in the Emini Futures market are the most likely trader to use counter trend methods since they are primarily looking for only a few points or ticks on each trade. Emini futures trading utilizing contrarian methods is best implemented in a trading method where many small gains are the name of the game. This method of counter trend trading Emini Futures should only be reserved for veteran traders that have spent a great deal of time learning to first follow the trend. Other traders will use oscillators to time their trades, only initiating trades in severely over-bought or over-sold conditions, betting the market will reverse in an effort to catch it's breath after a big rally or sell-off. Using this method in a range bound and sideways market will yield better results. However, there are people that pursue Emini Futures Trading with a contrarian view on the markets and utilize counter trend methods, opposed to the crowd. It's called the "I'm the smartest guy in the room" trade, and picking tops and bottoms can be likened to catching a falling knife. Learn your strenght and only trade in that direction.

Emini traders utilizing counter trend methods will fade small moves above the last trend continuation signal. This works extremely well for the uber-talented Emini Futures trader. This puts the not so talented trader out of business rather quickly.

In the reverse, the trader will execute buy orders on small rallies based on a percentage move below the prior sell signal. Other traders will use market timing in conjunction with "contrary opinion" to time their entry and exit points.It should be understood, while day trading Emini Futures counter trend trading can be profitable, it is risky, and should only be implemented once a trader has a thorough grasp on market dynamics.

If you find yourself being stopped out to the tick repeatedly as you attempt to "follow the trend", perhaps you have a natural ability to spot the counter trend and you should trade into your strength and not your weakness. Take a free trial on our real time Emini Demo Platform and practice counter trend trading for 2 weeks with no risk. Maybe you are a natural and just don't know it. 

Find out today.

A free trial of the dtPro emini trading platform, and free use of CFRN's emini indicators is part of our limited time free offer.

DeWayne's trading TipsEmini market data is provided and regulated by the CME.

As with all data, reading them does not necessarily inform you.

Over the years these data have yielded a range of emini indicators. Emini indicators help you interpret the data and turn these emini data into actionable information.

What data are available to emini traders?

The live feed from the emini market exchange is made available to traders via brokers such as Daniels Trading.

What proprietary data on emini trading is worth paying for?

In emini markets, you only pay for raw price action data. Some data providers may charge $300-$500 for this, but with our recommended emini trading platform you receive data for all emini futures markets for free when you open an account or take a free trial.

DeWayne's trading Tips The three major differences between trading eminis vs other forms of stock trading are the amount required to trade, the ease of selling the stocks you have bought (liquidity) and the financial risks of trading.

With regular stocks vs emini stocks you might buy a stock and not be able to sell it (the regular stock is "illiquid").

If, for example, you trade the S&P emini - it is a very liquid market and (in normal market conditions) there are always buyers and sellers eager to take your trade for the emini stock.

What is $$ required to trade eminis vs other forms of trading?

A US-based daytrader in regular stocks is required to maintain a minimum balance of $25k US by the SEC. With an emini account you can day-trade with as little as $3k.

What are the risks of emini trading vs other forms of trading?

In regular trading you are usually trading selected stocks. With, for example, the S&P emini you are trading a basket of 500 stocks. With emini trading, if one ceo runs off with the money it doesn't skew the results, so your risk is reduced. With emini trading vs other forms of trading, there are no pump and dump schemes or front running in emini markets.

What are the rewards of emini trading vs other forms of trading?

In emini trading vs other forms of trading there is controlled use of margin. In emini trading, this means you can put on a trade with $500, risk only $100, and earn $100 in just a matter of minutes compared to the slower returns and illiquidity of regular stocks or real estate.

DeWayne's trading TipsEmini indicators perform complex mathematical equations to create a graphical representation of current emini market activity:

Emini indicators can show the average price, they can show if an emini market is oversold or overbought.

However, by their very nature, all emini indicators lag what is actually happening.

 Emini indicators outline the body at the crime scene but they can't prevent the crime. Emini indicators can suggest when and where a crime might happen though...

How do emini indicators differ from auto-emini-trading systems?

Auto emini trading systems execute your trade based on whatever emini indicators are in the strategy. Auto emini trading systems are very seductive but can also be very dangerous.

How can emini indicators help novice traders?

Emini indicators allow the novice to "learn how to trade" eminis.  The art of emini trading is the ability to interpret or "read" price action.

Emini indicators are a bit like training wheels, some folks never take them off..... some folks never learn to read the emini market, they only learn to read the emini indicators.

How can emini indicators help experienced traders?

Emini indicators help experienced traders by helping to confirm the assumptions behind an emini strategy.

Are emini indicators value for money?

Emini indicators are proprietary, and just like casino systems no single set of emini indicators can work all of time.

Emini indicators are just that: indicators. No algorithm can predict the future with complete accuracy.

Provided emini indicators are used to inform a strategy and not dictate a strategy they are an essential tool for successful emini trading.

How much should you expect to pay for emini indicators?

Shark Alert: You can pay $10 or $10,000 for the use of emini indicators, and the upper end of the market is shark infested. Emini indicators are tools, and no single tool is suitable for all emini market conditions.

There are a range emini trading tools that work in all markets and all time frames. With skill and knowledge, you can learn to use the right emini indicators tools.

Click here to experience emini indicators in live trading conditions.

DeWayne's trading TipsIn emini trading, we often hear "the trend is our friend", but emini markets only trend (go in 1 direction) 20% of the time. The other 80% of the time emini markets are range bound (trading back and forth within a range).

What is breakout trading?

In emini trading, once the price moves above support or below resistance, and confirms - you enter the trade - that is termed a emini breakout trade.

In emini trading, it takes a lot of energy to "break-out", so if the breakout succeeds it may retrace a bit (to gather strength and catch a second wind) at which point most traders get "stopped out" which acts to propel the market in the direction of the breakout.

Breakout trading in emini markets can signal inexperience or recklessness: What do you call breakout traders? Greeters at Walmart

What is macd crossover trading?

In emini trading, MACD is one of the simplest and most effective emini momentum indicators available. MACD turns two trend-following indicators, moving averages, into a momentum oscillator by subtracting the longer moving average from the shorter moving average. As a result, MACD offers the best of both worlds: trend following and momentum. MACD fluctuates above and below the zero line as the moving averages converge, cross and diverge. Emini traders can look for signal line crossovers, centerline crossovers and divergences to generate signals.

What is moving average crossover trading?

In emini trading, a popular use for moving averages is to develop simple trading systems based on moving average crossovers. An emini trading system using two moving averages would give a buy signal when the shorter (faster) moving average advances above the longer (slower) moving average. A sell signal would be given when the shorter moving average crosses below the longer moving average. The speed of the systems and the number of signals generated will depend on the length of the moving averages. Shorter moving average systems will be faster, generate more signals and be nimble for early entry. However, they will also generate more false signals than systems with longer moving averages.

What is stochastics cross trading?

The stochastics indicator is best used in emini trading in a ranging environment; as a result the best results are gained by employing the crossover strategy in the presence of clear support or resistance lines, breakout patterns. On the other hand, the stochastics indicator is very prone to generating many useless crossovers when the price is consolidating, and it must be confirmed by other kinds of preferably non-oscillating indicators or patterns before reliable signals are generated. When the blue line (slower component of the stochastics indicator), crosses over the red line (the faster component) the crossover is bullish, and it is bearish in the opposite situation.

Typical emini trading strategies:

Buy and sell pullbacks to the CF MA1 as confirmed by the CF Cycle and CF DMT

The cfma1 determines the general direction of the market; the cf cycle is a graphic representation of of the manner in which price channels back and forth in any time frame; the dmt shows us direction momentum and trend / this it the final indicator to confirm.

Buy and sell based on simple price action on a 5 minute chart

Price action is a shadow of the decisions traders make in real time, indicators are a shadow of the shadow, learning to read the first shadow (price action) is the first step towards learning to "read" the market....

Confused? Join us to experience real emini trades in live markets.

DeWayne's trading TipsA lot is said about emini trading strategies, usually in the context of emini trading strategy 'secrets' that (for a sum of money) a 'guru' will show you.

An emini strategy is not simply an emini system. Remember, a strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal.

Having an emini strategy should not be confused with the (futile) search for a 'Holy Grail' emini system.

An emini system may be part of an emini strategy, but your strategy should be based upon your needs, circumstances and risk profile.

How do emini strategies differ from regular trading strategies?

Emini trading strategies differ from regular trading strategies only in that they are designed specifically to accommodate the characteristics and nuances of the emini. Click here for a definition of emini.

What types of emini strategies are typically employed?

There are many elements to an emini strategy, and a lot of jargon that may be confusing to novice emini traders, such as trend trading, breakout trading, macd crossover, moving average crossover and stochastics cross.

Click here for more information on these emini trading strategies.

Which emini strategies actually work?

All of the emini trading strategies listed above (and others) can work under the appropriate market conditions when used in a disciplined manner.

Which emini strategies do you use yourself?

An emini trading strategy, like any strategy has to be flexible and responsive to market conditions. Emini strategies I typically employ are:

• Buy and sell pullbacks to the CF MA1 as confirmed by the CF Cycle and CF DMT
• Buy and sell based on simple price action on a 5 minute chart

Click here for more on these emini strategies. Click here to experience these emini strategies in action.

What skills do successful traders have to develop to implement emini strategies?

To employ an emini strategy requires knowledge and skills. A knowledge of emini strategy can be learned but most people, ideally through learning about emini trading from seasoned traders.

I'd say the most important factors in successful emini trading are discipline and psychology: you have to learn to be the casino and not the degenerate gambler.

Are there emini strategies that are suitable for beginners?

Trial and error in emini strategy is not recommended. You can sign up for a course of study, or try your hand on a trading platform - but this can be expensive or you will not benefit from being with experienced traders. Learning from experienced emini traders in real time trades is the quickest and most effective way to figure out which emini strategies will work for you.