# E-mini S&P 500 options



## Fox (1 March 2010)

I have a few questions about ES futures options (ie. E-mini S&P 500 options), and would appreciate any help.

The attached screen shot shows that ES options are traded almost 24 hours a day, with the exception of approx. 2 hour break from 3.15pm to 5.00pm. 

These are my questions:
1. Are there active MM option price quotes during Oz office hours?
2. If so, is it viable to get in and out of positions during waking hours ie. not some ungodly hour like 3.00am?
3. In the screen shot, there are two fields "Trading Hours" and "Regular Trading Hours". Which of the two applies to ES futures options?

Thanks.


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## Mistagear (2 March 2010)

Hi,
See chart, 
Vertical red line represents AEDST Midnight Sun  and Midnight Mon night.
Each bar is 25000 contracts (not time chart), note volume in 24hrs between vertical lines and volume on right of second vertical line is the volume from Midnight Mon AEDST to 8.15am Today.(which equals the US cash close)
Subsequent days of the week do have more volume during the US night session but is significantly less liquid, as you would expect.

Hope this helps
Cheers, M


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## Naked shorts (2 March 2010)

The options on the ETF 'SPY' are far more liquid, you might want to look into them.


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## wayneL (2 March 2010)

Naked shorts said:


> The options on the ETF 'SPY' are far more liquid, you might want to look into them.



They only trade during the US day session though.


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## Fox (2 March 2010)

Thanks everyone for your replies. I managed to subscribe to the relevant data service and found that the earlier screen shot was incorrect. The correct trading hours for ES futures options is 8.30am to 3.15pm Central Standard Time.

Now that I have the data feed, I can see that options prices are not actively quoted outside those hours. This means that I have to learn to be a night owl to trade in the US.


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## Naked shorts (2 March 2010)

Fox said:


> Now that I have the data feed, I can see that options prices are not actively quoted outside those hours. This means that I have to learn to be a night owl to trade in the US.



pft nothing wrong with being a night owl, I do it basically every night even if im not trading... plus sleeping in every day is way cool


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## Trembling Hand (3 March 2010)

Naked shorts said:


> pft nothing wrong with being a night owl, I do it basically every night even if im not trading... plus sleeping in every day is way cool




How long you been doing that NS?

In my opinion it will catch up with you one way or another. Unless you really actively manage your life to get more "normal life" than the average 9-5 wage slave.


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## cutz (3 March 2010)

G'Day Fox,

Load up the ES futures on order management, highlight a futures contract ( not the index ) then hit the option trader button, quotes are lit up with reasonable action on the 3rd friday series.


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## Fox (3 March 2010)

cutz said:


> G'Day Fox,
> 
> Load up the ES futures on order management, highlight a futures contract ( not the index ) then hit the option trader button, quotes are lit up with reasonable action on the 3rd friday series.



Hi Cutz, How are you?

I was hoping that ES options trading hours would allow me to trade them from WA. Unfortunately, they start after I sleep and end before I wake up. Might be possible for me to trade them when the daylight savings is over.

BTW, I recall that you trade ESTX50. The hours seem quite good for me in WA. Can I ask you if you find that ESTX50 options are more liquid than XJO? How much are the commissions if you trade through IB? Do you have to pay to subscribe to the data service? Are there cancellation fees when you modify your order?

Thanks, Cutz.


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## Fox (3 March 2010)

cutz said:


> Load up the ES futures on order management, highlight a futures contract ( not the index ) then hit the option trader button, quotes are lit up with reasonable action on the 3rd friday series.



Thanks heaps Cutz. I followed your instructions and there was "reasonable action" alright. I made the mistake of looking at a WOTM option (call 1080 strike)  and since there were no active quotes, I assumed that trading hours were over.

How wrong I was. This is great news. It means that I can trade ES after all in WA. Fantastic !!!


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## Naked shorts (4 March 2010)

Trembling Hand said:


> How long you been doing that NS?
> 
> In my opinion it will catch up with you one way or another. Unless you really actively manage your life to get more "normal life" than the average 9-5 wage slave.




like 8 months. I dont do it as hardcore as I used to. up till 3am every morning was a waste.. now days its just bed at 1am, wake up whenever


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