The Chicago Mercantile Exchange will launch E-Nano Stock Index Futures on August 24, expanding investment channels for retail investors in four major benchmark indices.

CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, recently announced that it will launch E-Nano Stock Index Futures on August 24, further expanding its suite of small contract products, pending regulatory review. These newly introduced ultra-small contracts are set at 1/10 the size of micro E-mini futures, enabling institutional and retail investors to optimize their exposure to mainstream stock benchmarks. Customers can now trade the S&P 500 Index, Nasdaq 100 Index, Russell 2000 Index, and Dow Jones Industrial Average Index for 23 hours a day, expressing market views and deploying risk management strategies with greater precision. "As stock markets continue to rise to historic highs, the entry threshold for retail investors has also increased, driving demand for smaller contracts to enhance cost efficiency and flexibility," said Tim McCourt, CME Group's Global Head of Equity, FX, and Alternative Products. "E-Nano Stock Index Futures will allow customers to hedge their portfolios with unprecedented precision, supported by CME Group's reliable infrastructure and centralized liquidity." Martin Franchi, CEO of NinjaTrader Group, stated, "The U.S. stock market has recently experienced a historic rally, which is good news for investors; however, direct investment in the stock market inherently lacks certain advantages compared to futures, such as capital efficiency, margin offsets, and the ability to respond almost around the clock to macro events. The introduction of ultra-small stock futures by CME Group changes this dynamic. We see this as another significant expansion of the channels for investing in U.S. stock futures, and NinjaTrader is proud to introduce these new products to our community." JB Mackenzie, Vice President and General Manager of Futures and International Business at Robinhood Markets, commented, "The launch of ultra-small stock index futures at the end of this summer marks another important milestone in Robinhood's commitment to democratizing investing. As key U.S. stock market benchmarks reach all-time highs, some retail traders have been excluded from existing futures products due to high contract prices. We are excited to partner with CME Group to provide our clients with greater convenience in trading these benchmark indices through new contracts that are only one-tenth the size of current futures products." Since the launch of CME Group's Micro E-mini Futures in May 2019, the cumulative trading volume has approached 4.5 billion contracts. In recent years, with the growing demand for small stock index futures, the trading volume and participation in this product series have continuously set historical records, including: Micro E-mini Nasdaq 100 Index Futures - with a June average daily trading volume reaching a monthly record of 3.2 million contracts. Micro E-mini S&P 500 Index Futures - with a first-quarter average daily trading volume reaching a quarterly record of 1.5 million contracts.