1. What Hard Red Spring (HRS) Wheat products are being offered?

CME Group launched physically delivered Hard Red Spring (HRS) Wheat futures and options on futures. HRS Wheat futures and options are available for trading on the CME Globex electronic trading platform and for submission for clearing via CME ClearPort.

The HRS Wheat futures contract size is 5,000 bushels and is quoted in U.S. cents per bushel. The futures contract's tick size is $0.0025 per bushel ($12.50 per contract). The HRS Wheat options contract size is 1 HRS Wheat futures. The option contract’s tick size is 1/8 of one U.S. cent ($0.00125) per bushel ($6.25 per contract).

The first trading day was April 14, 2025. July 2025, September 2025, December 2025, March 2026, May 2026, July 2026 and September 2026 will be the listed months available for trading and clearing on the first trading day.


2. What are the product codes?

The HRS Wheat futures product code is HRS and the HRS Wheat options product code is HSO.


3. What is the regulatory jurisdiction of these futures contracts?

The contract is listed in the U.S. by the CBOT DCM and cleared in the U.S. by CME Clearing. The regulator is the CFTC.


4. How are the Hard Red Spring Wheat futures settled?

The HRS Wheat futures contract is physically delivered using shipping certificates.

The main deliverable grades and qualities are:

  • U.S. No. 2 Northern and dark Northern spring wheat at par; U.S. No. 1 Northern and dark Northern at 3 cents per bushel premium
  • Protein percentage: 13.5% at par; 13.0 to 13.4% at 10 cents per bushel discount
  • Falling number: 250 or better at par; 225 or better at 25 cents per bushel discount; 200 or better at 50 cents per bushel discount
  • Test weight: 60 pounds or more deliverable at 2 cent per bushel premium
  • Moisture: Max 13.5%
  • Vomitoxin: 2.0 part per million or better at par; 3.0 part per million or better at 20 cents per bushel discount
  • Country of origin: U.S. or Canadian designated at delivery

The delivery locations are:

  • Minneapolis/St. Paul/Red Wing switching districts at 35 cents per bushel premium
  • Duluth/Superior switching district at 35 cents per bushel premium 
  • Eastern ND/Northwestern MN territory at 35 cents per bushel discount

5. Will there be HRS Wheat futures inter-commodity spreads?

Yes, implied inter-commodity spreads are available when trading between HRS Wheat futures and Chicago Wheat futures and HRS Wheat futures and KC HRW Wheat futures.


6. Are there margin offsets between Hard Red Spring Wheat, Hard Red Winter Wheat and Soft Red Winter Wheat futures?

There are margin offsets between the various contracts. Please see the clearing advisory.


7. What is the daily settlement procedure for HRS Wheat futures?

Daily settlement takes place on each contract business day at 13:15 Central Time (CT). It is based on CME Globex trading activity between 13:14 and 13:15. CT in the HRS Wheat futures contract.


8. When is the last trading day of the contracts?

HRS Wheat futures trading terminates on the business day prior to the 15th day of the contract month.

HRS Wheat options trading terminates on Friday which precedes, by at least 2 business days, the last business day of the month prior to the contract month.


9. Are there price limits?

HRS Wheat futures are subject to either initial or expanded daily price limits each trading day.


10. How can the HRS Wheat futures and options contracts be traded?

The contracts are available for trading on the CME Globex electronic trading platform and for submission for clearing via CME ClearPort.


11. The futures contracts are available to trade as a block. How does that work?

Subject to certain requirements, such as eligibility and minimum size, the futures contract can be privately negotiated via brokers as a block trade and submitted into CME ClearPort for clearing.


12. What are the requirements for block trades?

There are minimum quantity and reporting time requirements. The minimum block size is fifteen (15) lots and trades need to be reported within 15 minutes of execution.

Firms need to be classified as an eligible contract participant (ECP) to engage in block trades. The definition of ECP can be found in Section 1a(18) of the Commodity Exchange Act.


13. Is crossing permitted?

Yes. Committed cross (C-Cross) and Globex cross (G-Cross) are permitted futures crossing protocols and RFQ + RFC Cross (R-Cross) is a permitted options crossing protocol for participants who engage in pre-execution communications pursuant to Rule 539. Pre-execution communications allow for size, price and direction to be discussed prior to the entry of orders into CME Globex.


14. What are the hours for trade entry on CME ClearPort and on CME Globex?

Trades may be entered on CME Globex Sunday – Friday: 7:00 p.m. – 7:45 a.m. CT and Monday – Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 1:20 p.m. CT.

Trades may be entered on CME ClearPort Sunday 5:00 p.m. to Friday 5:45 p.m. CT with no reporting available Monday to Thursday from 5:45 p.m. CT to 6:00 p.m. CT.


15. Will trades executed at 1:30 p.m. CT be attributed to today or tomorrow’s trade date?

All trades executed through 4:00 p.m. CT will be considered today’s trade date.


16. What are the position limits?

HRS Wheat futures and options are subject to spot and single and all-month limits.

The applicable spot limit is 1,200 in net futures equivalents and comes into effect close of trading 2 business days prior to the first trading day of the delivery month.

The applicable single and all month limit is 12,000 in net futures equivalents.


17. What is the listing schedule?

HRS Wheat futures listing schedule: Two Septembers and all preceding March, May, July and December contracts listed annually following the expiry of the September contract.

HRS Wheat options listing schedule: Monthly contracts listed for 3 consecutive months, 6 monthly contracts of March, May, July, September and December, and an additional September contract month listed in September.


18. I am a bona-fide hedger and I need to exceed position limits. Can I apply for a hedge exemption?

Hedge exemptions will be available.


19. I have more questions. Who can I contact?

Contact us with questions at wheat@cmegroup.com.


All examples in this report are hypothetical interpretations of situations and are used for explanation purposes only. The views in this report reflect solely those of the author and not necessarily those of CME Group or its affiliated institutions. This report and the information herein should not be considered investment advice or the results of actual market experience.

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