Back to Futures
EnergyNGNYMEX (CME Group)
Natural Gas
Category
Energy
Exchange
NYMEX (CME Group)
Contract Size
10,000 million British thermal units (mmBtu)
Symbol
NG
About Natural Gas
Henry Hub Natural Gas futures (NG) are the benchmark for US natural gas prices and are among the most volatile major futures. Seasonal weather patterns, storage reports, and LNG export demand drive significant price swings. The standard contract represents 10,000 mmBtu — even small price moves create large dollar swings.
Natural Gas Price Chart
Loading chart…
Contract Specifications
- Contract Size
- 10,000 million British thermal units (mmBtu)
- Tick Size / Value
- $0.001/mmBtu = $10.00 per tick
- Exchange
- NYMEX (CME Group)
Trading Hours
Sun 18:00 – Fri 17:00 ET with daily halt 17:00–18:00 ET.
Margin Notes
Day trading margins ~$1,500–$3,000. Exchange maintenance margin ~$3,000–$5,000. Highly volatile — risk per contract can be substantial.
More Energy Futures
Micro WTI Crude Oil
MCL · NYMEX (CME Group)Micro WTI Crude Oil (MCL) makes crude oil accessible at one-tenth the standard contract size. Ideal for retail traders who want crude oil exposure without the capital intensity of the full CL contract.
Brent Crude Oil
BZ · NYMEX (CME Group) / ICEBrent Crude Oil futures are the international benchmark for crude oil pricing, used to price roughly two-thirds of the world's traded oil. While WTI is landlocked (Cushing, OK delivery), Brent reflects seaborne crude pricing. The Brent-WTI spread is one of the most actively traded energy spreads.
Crude Oil WTI
CL · NYMEX (CME Group)WTI Crude Oil futures (CL) are the world's most actively traded energy contracts and a global benchmark for oil prices. Each tick ($0.01/barrel) is worth $10 on a 1,000-barrel contract. WTI is essential for energy traders, macro traders, and anyone trading inflation or geopolitical risk. Average daily volume exceeds 1 million contracts.
RBOB Gasoline
RB · NYMEX (CME Group)RBOB Gasoline futures represent the wholesale gasoline market and are a key component of the crack spread (refining margin). Prices are influenced by seasonal driving demand, refinery outages, and crude oil prices. Often used alongside CL for spread trading.