Futures Month Codes

The 12 futures month codes, from F for January to Z for December, how to read a contract symbol like ESZ2026, and how TradingView names specific and continuous contracts. Type any ticker into the decoder.

FJanuary
GFebruary
HMarch
JApril
KMay
MJune
NJuly
QAugust
USeptember
VOctober
XNovember
ZDecember
Decode a futures ticker
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Month code tableHow to read a tickerOn TradingViewContract cycles

Futures month codes table

Every futures contract has an expiry month, and exchanges such as CME Group use a single letter for it. These codes are the same across almost all US futures: equity indices, energy, metals, grains, currencies and interest rates.

CodeMonthShort
FJanuaryJAN
GFebruaryFEB
HMarchMAR
JAprilAPR
KMayMAY
MJuneJUN
NJulyJUL
QAugustAUG
USeptemberSEP
VOctoberOCT
XNovemberNOV
ZDecemberDEC

A common way to remember them: the first quarter is F G H, and the four quarterly months are H M U Z (March, June, September, December).

How to read a futures ticker

A full contract symbol is root + month code + year:

Exchanges often use a single year digit, because only contracts within the next few years are listed. Data vendors and charting platforms may use two or four digits.

Futures symbols on TradingView

TradingView uses a four-digit year with the exchange prefix, for example CME_MINI:ESZ2026 or NYMEX:CLF2027. It also has continuous contracts, which stitch together successive expiries so you get one long chart:

Use the front-month continuous contract for day-to-day charting and a specific month (like ESZ2026) when you need the exact contract you’re trading. More on symbols in our TradingView symbol format guide and the pages for S&P 500, oil and gold.

Which months each contract trades

Not every product lists all twelve months. Some common patterns:

ProductListed months
Equity index futures (ES, NQ, YM, RTY)Quarterly: H, M, U, Z
Currency futures (6E, 6B, 6J)Quarterly: H, M, U, Z for the most active contracts
Treasury futures (ZN, ZB)Quarterly: H, M, U, Z
Crude oil and natural gas (CL, NG)Every month
Gold (GC)Most active in even months: G, J, M, Q, V, Z

Check the exchange’s contract specification for the exact listing cycle and last trading day. For tick sizes and values per contract, see the futures tick value calculator.

Month codes are the standard CME Group convention. ChartWatch is independent and not affiliated with CME Group or TradingView.

FAQ

What are the futures month codes?
F January, G February, H March, J April, K May, M June, N July, Q August, U September, V October, X November, Z December.
What does Z mean in futures?
Z is the code for December. ESZ2026 is the December 2026 E-mini S&P 500 contract.
What month is H in futures?
H is March. With M (June), U (September) and Z (December) it makes up the quarterly cycle used by equity index futures.
What does ES1! mean on TradingView?
ES1! is TradingView's continuous front-month E-mini S&P 500 contract. ES2! is the next expiry.
Why are futures months letters?
Exchanges use one-letter month codes so contract symbols stay short, for example CLF7 for January 2027 crude oil.

More free TradingView tools

Futures CalculatorTick value and profit for ES, NQ, CL, GC and more. Symbol Format GuideExchange prefixes, .P perpetuals, share-class dots and other import traps. S&P 500 SymbolsSPX, ES1!, SPX500 and SPY on TradingView compared. Oil SymbolsUSOIL, CL1!, UKOIL and BRN1!: WTI and Brent on TradingView.
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