What is a price limit? A price limit is the maximum price range permitted for a futures contract in each trading session. When markets hit the price limit, different actions occur depending on the product being traded. Markets may temporarily halt until price limits can be expanded, remain in a limit condition or stop trading for the day, based on regulatory rules.CME Group U.S. equity index price limits (and corresponding CME and CBOT rules) are designed to coordinate with circuit breakers provisions as applied by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
- 7%, 13%, and 20% price limits are applied to the futures fixing price and are effective from 8:30 a.m. CT – 2:25 p.m. CT. Mondays through Fridays. From 2:25 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. CT, only the 20% price limit will be applied to the futures price fixing.
- 5% up-and-down limits are effective 5:00 p.m. – 8:30 a.m. CT. Sundays through Fridays; and 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. CT, Mondays through Fridays. Between 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. the 5% price limit will not be allowed to breech the 20% daily limit.
- The fixing price is the volume weighted average price, VWAP, calculated during the 30 seconds of trading from 2:59:30 p.m. – 3:00:00 p.m. CT. Click here to view Equity Index Fixing Prices page.