i understand index futures (especially s&p 500) can be monitored for purposes of equities trading. sometimes huge shifts can indicate a tradeable shift in market sentiment... can someone please elaborate, suggest what futures are worth monitoring, how they can be monitored (good free services/pay services), post sugestions for how to read them, and suggest any good reading material on the subject? also, can someone explain what "premium minus cash" means? thanks for enduring the amateur nature of this question...