Enter a contract, an entry and an exit. You get the move in ticks and points, what it is worth per contract and for your size, and the same move on the mini and the micro side by side.
How it works
Ticks and points. A tick is the smallest step a price can move. NQ and ES move in 0.25 point ticks, so one point is 4 ticks. YM moves in whole points, RTY and gold in 0.1 and crude oil in 0.01.
Dollars per contract. Ticks times the tick value. One NQ tick is worth $5.00, so a 10 point move (40 ticks) is $200 per contract. Commission comes off every round turn.
Mini and micro. A micro is one tenth of its mini: MNQ ticks are worth $0.50 against $5.00 for NQ. Ten micros move like one mini, but each pays its own commission, so the same move costs more to trade in micros.
Example
NQ from 21,000 to 21,012.50 is 12.5 points, 50 ticks: 50 × $5.00 = $250.00 a contract, $247.20 after $2.80 commission. The same move on MNQ is worth $25.00 a contract, so 10 MNQ make $250.00 before commission and $242.60 after: the same move costs more to trade in micros.
Tick values for every contract
Per contract. Commission is a round turn, in and out.
Contract
Name
Tick size
Tick value
Point value
Commission
NQ
E-mini Nasdaq-100
0.25
$5.00
$20.00
$2.80
MNQ
Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100
0.25
$0.50
$2.00
$0.74
ES
E-mini S&P 500
0.25
$12.50
$50.00
$2.80
MES
Micro E-mini S&P 500
0.25
$1.25
$5.00
$0.74
YM
E-mini Dow
1
$5.00
$5.00
$2.80
MYM
Micro E-mini Dow
1
$0.50
$0.50
$0.74
RTY
E-mini Russell 2000
0.1
$5.00
$50.00
$2.80
M2K
Micro E-mini Russell 2000
0.1
$0.50
$5.00
$0.74
CL
Crude oil
0.01
$10.00
$1,000.00
$3.00
MCL
Micro crude oil
0.01
$1.00
$100.00
$1.00
GC
Gold
0.1
$10.00
$100.00
$3.00
MGC
Micro gold
0.1
$1.00
$10.00
$1.00
Questions
What is the tick value of NQ and MNQ?
NQ is $5.00 per 0.25 point tick, $20 a point. MNQ is $0.50 a tick, $2 a point.
What is the tick value of ES and MES?
ES is $12.50 per 0.25 point tick, $50 a point. MES is $1.25 a tick, $5 a point.
How much is a move in crude oil and gold worth?
Crude oil (CL) moves in 0.01 ticks worth $10.00, so a 1.00 move is $1,000 a contract. Gold (GC) moves in 0.1 ticks worth $10.00, so a 1.00 move is $100. MCL and MGC are one tenth of those.
Should I trade micros or minis?
Micros let you size in smaller steps, so the stop can sit where the chart says without risking too much. Minis pay less commission for the same exposure. Many traders start on micros and move up when the account and the results allow it.