Crude Oil (CL) Futures Contract Specifications

What Are Crude Oil (CL) Futures?

Crude Oil Futures (CL) provide traders with exposure to light sweet crude oil prices. These contracts are widely used for speculation on oil price movements, hedging energy costs, or diversifying investment portfolios.

Contract Size

Contract Size: 1,000 barrels

Example: This contract size allows traders to gain exposure to energy with controlled leverage and risk.

Tick Value and Increment

  • Tick Size: 0.01 USD per barrel
  • Tick Value: $10.00 per tick
  • Point Value: $1,000.00 per point

These specifications make Crude Oil (CL) Futures suitable for traders seeking exposure to energy markets.

Trading Hours

Crude Oil (CL) Futures trade with extended hours, providing flexibility for traders in different time zones.

  • Trading Hours: Sunday to Friday, nearly 24 hours a day with a short break
  • Time Zone: Central Time (CT)

Trading Symbol

Platform Symbol: CL

Margins

To trade Crude Oil (CL) Futures, you'll need to meet specific margin requirements. Check with your broker for the latest margin rates and details.

Why Trade Crude Oil (CL) Futures?

  • Exposure to the world's most traded commodity
  • High liquidity and tight bid-ask spreads
  • Effective hedging tool for businesses with energy exposure
  • Extended trading hours covering all global market sessions
  • Standardized contract specifications and regulated exchange

Position Sizing for Crude Oil (CL) Futures

Proper position sizing is crucial when trading Crude Oil (CL) Futures. Use our position size calculator to determine the optimal number of contracts based on your risk tolerance and account size.

Position Size Calculator Example

For Crude Oil (CL) Futures (CL):

  • Tick Size: 0.01 USD per barrel
  • Tick Value: $10.00 per tick
  • Point Value: $1,000.00 per point

If you want to risk $500 with a 10-point stop loss:

Risk per Contract = Stop Loss in Points × Point Value = 10 × 1,000.00 per point = $10

Maximum Contracts = Risk Amount ÷ Risk per Contract = $500 ÷ $10 = 50 contracts