| Month | Code |
|---|---|
| January | F |
| February | G |
| March | H |
| April | J |
| May | K |
| June | M |
| July | N |
| August | Q |
| September | U |
| October | V |
| November | X |
| December | Z |
How to Read a Contract Symbol
A futures ticker combines the product code, the month code, and the year. ZCZ26 is CBOT corn (ZC) for December (Z) 2026 (26). CLN26 is NYMEX WTI crude oil (CL) for July (N) 2026. When you place an order, the month code is what separates the contract you want from the contract you do not — and delivery months matter. Call us before your first trade and we will make sure you are quoting the right month.
What is the month code for December futures?
Z. Futures month codes are single letters: F January, G February, H March, J April, K May, M June, N July, Q August, U September, V October, X November, Z December.
How do you read a futures contract symbol?
A futures symbol combines the product code, month code, and year digit. For example, ZCZ26 is CBOT corn (ZC), December (Z), 2026 (26).
Why do futures month codes skip letters?
The single-letter codes were assigned historically by the exchanges to be unambiguous on trading floors and ticker systems; the sequence F G H J K M N Q U V X Z is the long-standing industry standard.