Pork Belly Futures Options TradingChicago Merchantile Exchange (CME) began trading Frozen Pork Belly futures in 1961 -the first futures contract based on frozen, stored meats. Trading in Frozen PorkBellies contracts was developed as a risk management device to meet the needs ofmeat packers who processed pork and had to contend with volatile hog prices as wellas price risks on processed products held in inventory. Thus, the futures contract was designed to help processors and warehouse operators manage these price risks. Hence, the Frozen Pork Bellies futures contracts performs the same two primary functions common to many futures contracts, that of: guiding inventories and establishing forward pricing.
Pork Belly Futures and Options Contract SpecificationsTrading Unit Frozen Pork Belly Futures: 40,000 pounds of frozen pork bellies cut and trimmed Frozen Pork Bellies Options: One Frozen Pork Belly Futures Contract Fresh Belly Options: One Fresh Pork Belly Futures Contract Pork Cutout Futures: 40,000 lbs times Pork Cutout Index Pork Cutout Options: One Pork Cutout Futures Contract Trading Hours Frozen Pork Belly Futures: 9:10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. LTD (12:00pm) Frozen Pork Belly Options: 9:10a.m. to 1:02 p.m. LTD (1:00pm) Fresh Belly Options: Monday/Friday 7:00 a.m.- 1:02 p.m. Pork Cutout Futures: Monday/Friday 7:00 a.m. - 1:10 p.m. Pork Cutout Options: Monday/Friday 7:00 a.m. - 1:12 p.m. Trading Months British Pound Futures: Six months in the March quarterly Cycle March, June, Sep, Dec. British Pound Options: Four months in the March cycle and two months not in the March cycle(serial months), plus 4 weekly Expiration options Point Description Frozen Pork Belly Futures and Options: 1 point = $.0001 per pound = $4.00 Fresh Belly Options: 1 point = $.0001 per hundred weight = $4.00 Pork Cutout Futures: 1 point = $0.01 index points = $4.00 Pork Cutout Options: 1 point = $.0001 per index points = $4.00 Contract Listings Frozen Pork Belly Futures: Five months of February, March, May, July, and August. Frozen Pork Belly Options: Eight months of February, March, May, July, and August, and Flex Options. Fresh Belly Options: Two month of January, March, May, July, August, September, November and Flex Options. Pork Cutout Futures: Four months in a monthy cycle Pork Cutout Options: Two months on a monthly cycle Limits Frozen Pork Belly Futures: $0.03/lb, 300 points, Expandable price limits see Rule 8302 Pork Cutout Futures: $0.02/lb See Rule 9702.D Pork Cutout Options: $0.02/lb Minimum Price Fluctuation Frozen Pork Belly Futures: 0.00025 = $10.00 Frozen Pork Belly Options: 0.00025 = $10.00 Regular, 0.000125 = $5.00 Cab Fresh Belly Options: 0.00025 = $10.00 Regular, 0.000125 = $5.00 Cab |