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Commodity Trading
Intro to Commodities
Single Stock Futures
Options on Futures
Contract Months & Description
Spreads, Margins, Interest & Commissions
Types of Orders
Glossary
 

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COMPANY INFORMATION CURRENCY TRADING COMMODITY TRADING TRADING PLATFORM EDUCATION
COMPANY INFORMATION CURRENCY TRADING COMMODITY TRADING TRADING PLATFORM EDUCATION
 
SPREADS, MARGINS, INTEREST & COMMISSIONS

MARGIN INFORMATION
as of January 31, 2005

Net Position Spreads
Grains & Oilseeds

CONTRACT

EXCH.

NET POSITIONS

SPREADS

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Corn*
Wheat*
Oats*
Soybeans*
KC Wheat*
Minn.Wheat*
Rough Rice*
Soy Meal*
Soy Oil*

CBOT
CBOT
CBOT
CBOT
KCBOT
MGE
CBOT
CBOT
CBOT

439
608
405
1,215
725
650
878
743
642

325
450
300
900
600
500
650
550
475

**135
**169
**270
**473
100
-
102
**203
**270

**100
**125
**200
**350
100
-
75
**150
**200

Margins are subject to change without notice.
* Margins involving the spot month may be significantly higher.
** Margins are for interyear spreads.

Net Position Spreads
Meats

CONTRACT

EXCH.

NET POSITIONS

SPREADS

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Live Cattle*
Lean Hogs*
Pork Bellies*
Feeder Cattle
GSCI Index

CME
CME
CME
CME
CME

1,080
878
1,620
1,823
4,500

800
650
1,200
1,350
3,000

810
743
**743
810
600

600
550
**550
600
400

Margins are subject to change without notice.
* Margins involving the spot month may be significantly higher.

Net Position Spreads
Metals

CONTRACT

EXCH.

NET POSITIONS

SPREADS

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Gold
Mini Gold
Silver
Mini Silver
Copper
Platinum
Palladium*

COMEX
CBOT
COMEX
CBOT
COMEX
NYMEX
NYMEX

2,025
405
2,700
405
2,700
2,700
2,700

1,500
300
2,000
300
2,000
2,000
2,000

68
-
108
-
108
405
405

50
-
80
-
80
300
300

Margins are subject to change without notice.
* Margins involving the spot month may be significantly higher.

Net Position Spreads
Energy

CONTRACT

EXCH.

NET POSITIONS

SPREADS

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Crude Oil*
Unleaded Gas*
Heating Oil*
Lumber*
Natural Gas*

NYMEX
NYMEX
NYMEX
CME
NYMEX

4,725
4,725
5,400
2,700
9,450

3,500
3,500
4,000
1,800
7,000

540
675
338
1,050
1,350

400
500
250
700
1,000

Margins are subject to change without notice.
* Margins involving the spot month may be significantly higher.

Net Position Spreads
Tropicals

CONTRACT

EXCH.

NET POSITIONS

SPREADS

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Coffee*
Cocoa*
Sugar*
Cotton*
Orange Juice*

NYBOT
NYBOT
NYBOT
NYBOT
NYBOT

3,080
1,680
700
1,400
1,050

2,200
1,200
500
1,000
750

280
350
210
1,700
210

200
250
150
1,700
150

Margins are subject to change without notice.
* Margins involving the spot month may be significantly higher.

Net Position Spreads
Currencies

CONTRACT

EXCH.

NET POSITIONS

SPREADS

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Aust Dollar
British Pound
Canadian Dollar
Dollar Index
Euro Currency
Japanese Yen
Mexican Peso
Swiss Franc

IMM
IMM
IMM
NYBOT
IMM
IMM
IMM
IMM

2,363
1,890
1,688
1,729
2,970
2,565
1,875
2,565

1,750
1,400
1,250
1,300
2,200
1,900
1,500
1,900

135
68
34
200
68
34
250
34

100
50
25
150
50
25
200
25

Margins are subject to change without notice.

Net Position Spreads
Interest Rates

CONTRACT

EXCH.

NET POSITIONS

SPREADS

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

U.S. T-Bonds
10 Year Notes
5 Year Notes
Muni Bond Index
Eurodollars
T-Bills
EuroYen (in Yen)

CBOT
CBOT
CBOT
CBOT
IMM
IMM
IMM

1,890
1,148
743
1,215
945
405
6,075

1,400
850
550
900
700
300
4,500

-
-
-
-
135
405
4,050

-
-
-
-
100
300
3,000

Margins are subject to change without notice.

Net Position Spreads
Indices

CONTRACT

EXCH.

NET POSITIONS

SPREADS

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

S&P 500 Index
E-Mini S&P Index
NASDAQ 100
E-Mini NASDAQ 100
NASDAQ Composite
Mid Cap 400
Russell 2000
Nikkei Index
CRB Index
Dow Jones Index

CME
CME
CME
CME
CME
CME
CME
CME
NYBOT
CBOT

19,688
3,938
18,750
3,750
4,500
16,875
16,875
4,063
2,000
4,875

15,750
3,150
15,000
3,000
3,600
13,500
13,500
3,250
2,000
3,900

63
13
63
13
313
188
250
63
460
-

50
10
50
10
250
150
200
50
350
-

Margins are subject to change without notice.

Intermarket Spreads
Grains and Oilseeds

 

RATIO

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Beans/Meal & Oil
Soybeans/Meal
Soybeans/Oil

1/1&1
1/1
1/1

390
783
928

289
580
688

Margins are subject to change without notice.

Intermarket Spreads
Energy

 

RATIO

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Crude Oil/Heating Oil
Unleaded Gas/Heating Oil
Heating Oil/Natural Gas
Crude Oil/Unleaded Gas

451/1
1/1
1/1
1/1

3,544
4,050
8,910
3,308

2,625
3,000
6,600
2,450

Margins are subject to change without notice.

Intermarket Spreads
Metals

 

RATIO

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Gold/Platinum

1/2

1,600

1,100

Margins are subject to change without notice.

Intermarket Spreads
Currencies

 

RATIO

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

Australian/Canadian $
Australian Dollar/S-Franc
B-Pound/Canadian Dollar
B-Pound/Euro FX
B-Pound/J-Yen
B-Pound/S-Franc
Canadian Dollar/Euro FX
Canadian Dollar/J-Yen
Canadian Dollar/S-Franc
Euro FX/J-Yen
Euro FX/S-Franc
J-Yen/S-Franc

1/1
3/2
3/4
3/2
1/1
1/1
2/1
3/2
4/3
3/4
2/3
1/1

2,025
4,887
4,968
6,386
1,782
1,337
2,221
4,587
5,056
8,627
1,958
1,796

1,500
3,620
3,680
4,730
1,320
990
1,645
3,398
3,745
6,390
1,450
1,330

Margins are subject to change without notice.

Intermarket Spreads
Interest Rates

 

RATIO

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

5 Yr Notes/Bonds
10 Yr Notes/Bonds
Muni/Bonds
T-Bill/Eurodollar

1/1
2/1
1/1
1/1

921
1,046
891
169

683
775
660
125

Margins are subject to change without notice.

Intermarket Spreads
Indices

 

RATIO

Initial
margin

Maint.
margin

MidCap 400/Nasdaq 100
S&P/MidCap 400
S&P/Nikkei 225
S&P/NASDAQ 100
Mini S&P/Nasdaq Composite
Mini S&P/Mini Nasdaq
Mini DOW/Mini S&P

2/3
1/1
1/5
1/2
1/1
1/2
1/1

9,000
3,656
6,000
5,719
6,75
2,859
122

7,200
2,925
4,800
4,575
5,40
2,288
98

Margins are subject to change without notice.