Gold Futures
Gold is traded in dollars and cents per ounce. For example, when gold is trading at $600 per ounce, the contract has a value of $60,000 (600 x 100 ounces). A trader that is long at 600 and sells at 610 will make $1,000 (610 – 600 = $10 profit, 10 x 100 ounces = $1,000). Conversely, a trader who is long at 600 and sells at 590 will lose $1,000.


The minimum price movement or tick size is 10 cents. The market may have a wide range, but it must move in increments of at least 10 cents.


Both the eCBOT and COMEX specify delivery to New York area vaults. These vaults are subject to change by the exchange.


The most active months traded (according to volume and open interest) are February, April, June, August, October and December.


To maintain an orderly market, the exchanges will set position limits. A position limit is the maximum number of contracts a single participant can hold. There are different position limits for hedgers and speculators.