Dow Futures
Note: With futures trading, CFD trading and spread trading, the Dow Jones / Dow 30 index is often referred to as the 'USA 30', the 'US 30' and 'Wall Street'.
Indicative Dow prices:
Click on the tabs for key stock market indices, forex and equities markets.
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Above, indicative prices from Financial Spreads: 2,500+ live prices available to Spread Trading and CFD clients.
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Dow Jones Price Comparison |
The following table compares the 'spread size' and minimum stakes for a number of popular stock market indices including the Dow Jones. Readers should note that we have compared the 'daily' Dow Jones market rather than the futures market because this is normally more popular with investors.
| FTSE 100 (UK 100) Daily - Spread Size |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| FTSE 100 (UK 100) Daily - Min Stake |
£1 |
£0.50 |
£2 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
| FTSE 100 (UK 100) Future - Spread Size |
4 |
4-8 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
| FTSE 100 (UK 100) Future - Min Stake |
£1 |
£0.50 |
£2 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
| Dow Jones (Wall St) Daily - Spread Size |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2-4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| Dow Jones (Wall St) Daily - Min Stake |
£1 |
£0.50 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
| DAX 30 Daily - Spread Size |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| DAX 30 Daily - Min Stake |
£1 |
£0.50 |
£2 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
| S&P 500 Daily - Spread Size |
3 |
4 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
8 |
| S&P 500 Daily - Min Stake |
£1 |
£0.50 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1^ |
| NASDAQ 100 Future - Spread Size |
3 |
4-10 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
| NASDAQ 100 Future - Min Stake |
£1 |
£0.50 |
£4 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
£1 |
Comparison Notes.
- this table is not meant to be inclusive, stock market index trading may be available with other brokers.
Where to Trade Dow Futures |
You can trade both the Dow Futures market and the Daily Dow market through a spread trading account with the following firms:
Financial Spreads » "With FinancialSpreads.com you get all the advantages of
Spread Trading as well as commission free CFD Trading on 2,500+ markets, 24 hour trading, professional level charts and..." read
Financial Spreads review.
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Where to Trade Dow Futures for Free? |
Trading stock market futures is not a simple task and always comes with an element of risk. Having said that, if you'd like to open a Demo Account (free), which lets you try out the futures markets, then see below for more details.
Assuming you would like a tax efficient option, remember that, in the UK and Ireland, if you speculate on the stock market using a spread trading account then your trading is tax-free*. Financial spread trading is exempt from capital gains tax, income tax and stamp duty.
If you are interested in a low cost platform, keep in mind that you can trade the Dow without paying any commissions or brokers' fees through these platforms:
If you want a free Demo Account which lets you get a better feel for futures trading, and speculating on markets like the Dow Jones, DAX, FTSE 100 etc., then you could consider a test account with:
Each of the above provides a risk free Demo Account which investors can use to test trading ideas and gain experience with the futures markets.
Where to Find Live Dow Futures Prices and Charts |
We feature some pretty accurate prices for the 'daily' Dow Jones market, please see Dow Jones Daily price.
Note that the daily markets will normally have a tighter spread than the equivalent futures market.
The live Dow Jones futures chart and prices below will give readers a good overview of the US index.
The above CFD chart is from Plus500 and typically follows the near-term Dow Jones futures contract (not the daily market).
If you want to access live spread trading prices and charts for the Dow Jones, you may need a spread trading account.
A spreads account will also give you access to the shorter term daily markets for American indices like the Dow Jones, S&P 500, NASDAQ and Russell 2000. Note: Opening an account is subject to credit, suitability and status checks.
If your account application is accepted, you can log on and access the live charts and the current pricing. On most platforms, including the ones above, these will be provided for free.
If you decide to trade then you should remember that financial spread trading and contracts for difference trading involve a significant level of risk and can result in losses that are greater than your initial deposit.
Advanced Charts for Trading Dow Jones Futures |
Although charting software/packages differ across the industry, in order to assist you with your technical analysis of the Dow, the charts usually come with:
- A number of different intervals - 15 minutes, 2 hours, 4 hours, 1 day, 1 week etc.
- Drawing options - Trendlines, Fibonacci Arcs, Time Zones and Fans
- Technical indicators and overlays - Moving Average, MACD, RSI, TSI etc.
The charts with CapitalSpreads also have more advanced features:
- BackTesting and Optimisation functions
- Custom alerts for when a market hits a pre-set level
A Dow Jones Chart from FinancialSpreads
The companies listed below all provide their clients with live charts:
As with many stock market futures, you can speculate on the Dow Jones, to rise or fall.
Looking at a site like InterTrader, we can see they are currently offering the Dow Jones December Futures market at 13408 - 13414. This means an investor could speculate on the Dow Jones index:
 Closing above 13414, or
 Closing below 13408
On the expiry date for this 'December' market, 21-Dec-12.
With spread trading, you trade the Dow Jones index in £x per point. So if your stake is £5 per point and the Dow moves 27 points then that would make a difference to your profits (or losses) of £135. £5 per point x 27 points = £135.
For short term trading on the Dow Jones also see Dow Jones Rolling Daily Spread Trading.
Dow Jones Futures Trading Example |
Now, if we consider the spread of 13408 - 13414 and make the assumptions that:
- You have done your analysis of the American futures market, and
- Your analysis suggests the US index will settle above 13414 by 21-Dec-12
Then you could decide to buy the market at 13414 and risk, for the sake of argument, £2 per point.
With this contract you make a gain of £2 for every point that the US index moves higher than 13414. Nevertheless, you will make a loss of £2 for every point that the Dow Jones market goes lower than 13414.
Put another way, with spread trading, your profits (or losses) are worked out by taking the difference between the closing price of the market and the price you bought the market at. You then multiply that price difference by the stake.
So, if on the expiry date, the Dow Jones closed at 13488, then:
Profit / loss = (Closing Value - Opening Value) x stake
Profit / loss = (13488 - 13414) x £2 per point stake
Profit / loss = 74 x £2 per point stake
Profit / loss = £148 profit
Of course trading the American stock market is rarely that straightforward. In the above example, you wanted the Dow to rise. Of course, the stock market index could fall.
If the Dow Jones had fallen and settled at 13334 on the expiry date, then you would end up losing this trade.
Profit / loss = (Closing Value - Opening Value) x stake
Profit / loss = (13334 - 13414) x £2 per point stake
Profit / loss = -80 x £2 per point stake
Profit / loss = -£160 loss
Note - Dow Jones December Futures market taken as of 27-Sep-12.
Financial Spreads » "With FinancialSpreads.com you get all the advantages of
Spread Trading as well as commission free CFD Trading on 2,500+ markets, 24 hour trading, professional level charts and..." read
Financial Spreads review.
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Risk Warning: CFD trading and spread trading carry a high level of risk to your capital and you may lose more than your initial investment. CFD trading and spread trading may not be suitable for all investors. Only speculate with money that you can afford to lose. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved and seek independent financial advice where necessary.
'Dow Futures' by DB, updated 08-May-13
For related pages also see:
Stock Market Futures, updated 08-May-13
Stock market futures trading guide with live stock market futures prices and charts. Plus, where to trade stock market futures, how to trade the stock market, tax free* futures trading and...read article: Stock Market Futures.
FTSE Futures, updated 08-May-13
FTSE futures trading guide with live FTSE 100 futures prices and charts. Plus, where to trade FTSE 100 futures, how to trade the FTSE, tax free* futures trading and ...read article: FTSE Futures.
Dow Futures, updated 08-May-13
Dow futures trading guide with live Dow Jones futures prices and charts. Plus, where to trade Dow Jones futures, how to trade the Dow, tax free* futures trading and...read article: Dow Futures.
S&P 500 Futures, updated 08-May-13
S&P 500 futures trading guide with live S&P futures prices and charts. Plus, where to trade S&P futures, how to trade the S&P 500, tax free* futures trading and...read article: S&P 500 Futures.
DAX Futures, updated 08-May-13
DAX futures trading guide with live DAX 30 futures prices and charts. Plus, where to trade DAX 30 futures, how to trade the DAX, tax free* futures trading and ...read article: DAX Futures.
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