Alirght, I've been interested in trading the e-mini futures and I've been watching them carefully for a couple of weeks now.... What I can't seem to figure out is not really about the e-minis at all, but it is instead about the indexs... I have noticed that the indexs such as NDX and INDU have showed change in the afterhhours trading sessions.. I wake up at 3:30 am EST and I have been watching my IB quotescreen... The indexs seem to be minimally active, and the futures seem to respond. Can anyone fill me in on why the indexs show change, and what they represent since most/all US exchanges are closed...? Thanks in advance!
wow ... 434 am ? time to go back to sleep ... ok ...our stock index futures ... will tend to follow the overseas movements of various markets ... If Europe falls out of bed beween 4-6 am EST we usually go that way. There are periods however that are really quiet ... so it is a good thing to get a good nights sleep
So, if I've got this correct, your INDU and NDX symbols are actually changing on your IB quote screen? Sorry to say I've also been awake at those wee hours and, on my machine running TS6, those indices do =not= change. Of course, I do see changes in various NAz stocks as well as Globex activity but indices such as the DJIA, NAZ COMP and 100, SP500, et al, do not budge until the market opens.
I think that they shouldn't change... but I could swear that I have seen the DJIA index ticker and the NASDAQ (NDX) changing when I wake up... I've never understood it. That's why I'm asking.
From what you've stated, I have to wonder whether it's some sort of "IB thing". I've never seen that behavior anywhere else.
I am with the " the indexes don't change, the mini's do" crowd....besides, gotta question anything you see at 330am
unless i am mistaken the exchanges added a ticker to reflect aftermarket movements in the indexes.. (i think i read about this in Active Trader a few months back).. some quote providers might be automatically switching to that after the market closes.. otherwise, i dunno.. -adam