FTSE futures explained
FTSE futures are a popular way of speculating on the collective price of a group of stocks – usually the FTSE 100. Discover everything you need to know about FTSE futures, including how to trade FTSE 100 futures and when FTSE futures trading hours are.
Share this:
What are FTSE futures?
FTSE futures are contracts in which two parties agree a set price and date on which to exchange the value of a FTSE index – usually the FTSE 100. Unlike other futures contracts, FTSE futures aren’t based on an underlying asset, but rather a number that represents the collective value of a group of stocks.
Discover how to trade futures
FTSE futures are used by brokers, specialist traders and market makers to manage risk on the UK equity market by locking in a price ahead of time, minimising the impact of market fluctuations.
FTSE futures are also thought to help predict an index’s market movements in the near-term. As they’re traded nearly 24 hours a day, index futures can be an indication of how the stock market might move at the start of the next session.
Learn more about indices trading
What are FTSE futures trading hours?
FTSE futures trade between 8am to 9pm (UTC). However, outside of these hours, FTSE futures contracts are priced based on estimates from movements in Dow futures and other global stock indices. This means FTSE futures can be traded nearly 24-hours a day.
FTSE 100 futures
FTSE 100 futures contracts are based on a capitalisation-weighted index of the 100 largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. Top constituents include AstraZeneca, Unilever, HSBC and Diageo.
Learn more about the FTSE 100 and how to trade it
FTSE 100 futures are cash settled upon expiration, as there is no physical asset to exchange. FTSE 100 futures have expiries in a quarterly cycle – March, June, September and December.
Let’s say you thought the price of the FTSE 100 was going to rise from its current price of 7000. You buy a FTSE futures contract, which is valued at £10 per index point. So, your contract value would be £70,000. As futures are leveraged, you wouldn’t need this full amount, but rather a deposit – known as margin – to open the position.
If the price of the FTSE 100 did increase, up to 7500, the contract would now be worth £75,000 and you would’ve made £5,000 profit. But if the index fell to 6500, you’d have lost £5,000.
When you trade the FTSE 100 futures via derivatives, you’d simply ‘buy’ if you thought the price would rise, and ‘sell’ if you thought it would fall. Your profit or loss would depend on how much the market moved in your favour.
Want to trade the FTSE 100? Open an account or practise trading first in a demo account.
FTSE 250 futures
FTSE 250 futures are based on the capitalisation-weighted index of the 250 largest companies on the LSE, after the top 100 listed on the FTSE 100. The shares listed on the FTSE 250 are classed as mid-cap stocks. Top constituents include Morrison Supermarkets, Electrocomponents, Pennon Group and Howden Joinery Group.
FTSE 250 futures contracts expire in the same quarterly cycle of March, June, September and December. Unlike FTSE 100 futures, the contract value is only set at £2 per point. So, if the FTSE 250 was trading at 22,000, the FTSE 250’s contract value would be worth £44,000.
FTSE MIB futures
FTSE MIB futures are based on the underlying FTSE MIB index, which consists of the 40 largest and most liquid companies on the Italian national stock exchange – the Borsa Italiana. It’s also known as the MIB 40 or Italy 40.
FTSE MIB index futures are traded from 8:00 am to 10 pm Central European Time (CET). As with other FTSE futures, MIB futures are cash settled as there is no underlying asset to exchange.
FTSE MIB futures are priced using a multiplier of €5 per index point. So, if the FTSE MIB was trading at 25,000, a futures contract on the index would be worth €100,000.
Do FTSE futures pay dividends?
FTSE futures don’t pay dividends, as you never really take ownership of the shares of companies on the stock index in question.
How to start trading index futures
You can start trading index futures – such as FTSE futures – with us in just a few easy steps:
- Open a FOREX.com account, or log in if you’re already a customer
- Search for the index you want to trade in our award-winning platform
- Choose your position and size, and your stop and limit levels
- Place the trade
Related tags:
Latest market news
The complete CFD trading experience
Award-winning platforms, competitive spreads, low commissions and dedicated support.
We live and breathe the markets and are dedicated to helping traders realise their ambitions as we continue to set the industry bar.
Economic calendar
Web Trader platform
Our sophisticated web-based platform is packed with features.
Related articles
Gold Q4 2026 outlook: Resilience in the face of rallying dollar and yields
As we headed towards the latter stages of Q3 and into Q4, the Fed had just hiked rates in a hawkish FOMC meeting, while the likes of the ECB and BoJ had also tightened their respective policies. Oil prices remained elevated amid the prolonged US-Iran conflict. Meanwhile, bond yields were breaking out, and the dollar was higher across the board. Yet, remarkably, gold was still holding in the positive territory for the third quarter, even if it had weakened somewhat in September.
S&P 500 forecast: Stocks extend drop as correction risks grow
US and global equity markets have extended Wednesday’s sell-off, with Wall Street opening lower after a weak handover from Asia and Europe. The deterioration in risk appetite has been spreading across global markets. The dollar was firmer, Treasury yields were holding onto yesterday’s gains, while gold, silver and bitcoin were all under pressure alongside equities and major currencies.
Nikkei threatens breakout as tech rebound broadens
Breakouts across the SOX and Nasdaq are being matched by rebounds across Asia, with the Nikkei now threatening to join the move.
StoneX Europe Ltd may make third party material available on this website which may contain information included but not limited to the conditions of financial markets. The material is for information purposes only and does not contain, and should not be construed as containing, investment advice and/or investment recommendation and/or an investment research and/or an offer of or solicitation for any transactions in financial instruments; any decision to enter into a specific transaction shall be made by the client following an assessment by him/her of their situation.
StoneX Europe Ltd makes no representation or warranty and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, nor any loss arising from any investment based on a recommendation, forecast or other information supplied. You should always seek independent advice as to your suitability to speculate in any related markets and your ability to assume the associated risks, if you are at all unsure. We are not under any obligation to update any such material. Any opinion made may be personal to the author and may not reflect the opinion of StoneX Europe Ltd.