Source: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/index-futures

# Index futures (E-mini S&P 500)
URL: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/index-futures
Last modified: 2026-10-17

Index futures are futures on a stock index, like the E-mini S&P 500 on [the CME](https://mochatrade.com/learn/us-market-structure/us-stock-market-explained). They trade almost round the clock, so between the US close and open [they are the price of the whole US market](https://mochatrade.com/learn/us-market-structure/how-us-stock-prices-form), they [move first on an inflation print](https://mochatrade.com/learn/us-market-structure/us-inflation-explained), and the weekly file shows [how hard hedge funds are betting against them](https://mochatrade.com/blog/mocha-markets-weekly-12-oct).

## Related terms

- S&P 500: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/sp-500
- Futures contract: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/futures-contract
- Commitments of Traders (COT) report: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/commitments-of-traders-report
- Expected move: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/expected-move
- IV crush: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/iv-crush
- GICS sectors: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/gics-sectors

Educational content only. Not investment advice. Leveraged products magnify losses as well as gains.