Welcome to Soybean Futures

CBOT Soybean futures (ticker symbol ZS) give you an easy, liquid tool to seek to profit from or hedge against price movements for one of the world’s most widely grown crops.

Individuals traders, grain elevators, farmers, investors and commercial firms are among those around the world using this fully electronic contract to manage risk, seek rewards and/or diversify portfolios.

Today, our futures offer the most active, liquid and vibrant global markets for soybeans.

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Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), home of the global grains and oilseeds marketplace, is one of four U.S. exchanges operated by CME Group, the world’s largest derivatives marketplace.

Soybean Futures (ZS)

View Full Contract Specs

Contract Month	F, H, K, N, Q, U, X (Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Aug, Sep, Nov)
Product Symbol	ZS
Price Quotation	U.S. dollars and cents per bushel
Trading Hours	Sunday–Friday, 7:00 p.m. – 7:45 a.m. CT and Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 1:20 p.m. CT
Options Available	Yes
Contract Size	5,000 bushels
Minimum Tick	0.0025
Dollar Value of One Tick	$12.50

ZS Market Snapshot

Product	Last	Change	Chart	Globex Vol

Why Trade Soybean (ZS) Futures?

The world produced over 12 billion bushels of soybeans in the 2017/18 crop year, yet 21 times that traded on the futures exchange.

The USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) report gives traders an opportunity to take a market view around the report release and take action in the futures market, around two main crops.

Trade around the ‘new crop’ of the Northern Hemisphere in November and the South American new crop in May.

Benefits of Trading Soybean (ZS) Futures

Leading liquidity
With over 200,000 contracts traded on average per day and peaks in OI nearing 900,000, enter/exit positions with ease

Flexible trade execution
Access liquidity via central limit order book, block trades, or RFC

Safety and security
Mitigate counterparty credit risk in a centrally cleared, CFTC-regulated marketplace

Overnight electronic access
Manage positions during EMEA and APAC business hours as market-moving global news & events unfold

Futures leverage
Control a larger notional value for a relatively small amount of money, enhancing your buying power

Key Reports/Factors That Move Markets

Weather With the two major world crops that are harvested six months apart, weather is of significant concern year-round

Monthly USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) Report This comprehensive forecast often shifts the soybean market in an unexpected direction

USDA Prospective Plantings Report The first indication of whether planted acres will go to corn versus soybeans in the Midwest

Grain Stocks Reports Issued 4 times per year by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS); offer updates on stocks of soybeans and other major grain & oilseed crops by state and by position (on- or off-farm storage)

Crop Production reports Outlining acreage, area harvested, and yield; soybean traders use this report to stay attuned to large fluctuations in supply

Check out the "Learn about Key Economic Events" course and economic release calendar at the CME Institute to learn more.

Learn to Trade Soybean (ZS) Futures

Find all the resources to get started – introductory courses, trading tools and simulators, latest research and market commentary:

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CME Group is the world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace. The company is comprised of four Designated Contract Markets (DCMs). Further information on each exchange's rules and product listings can be found by clicking on the links to CME, CBOT, NYMEX and COMEX.

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