# Futures Contract Calculator (Profit and Loss)

URL: https://speedycalculator.com/calculators/finance/futures-contract/
Last updated: 2026-10-25

> The futures contract calculator works out the profit or loss on a futures trade – long or short – from the entry and exit prices, the number of contracts and the contract's point value, with presets for popular E-mini, micro, oil and gold contracts.

## Inputs

- Which way are you trading?
- Futures contract
- Custom point value
- Entry (buying or selling) price
- Exit price
- Number of contracts
- Commission per contract (round trip)

## Results

- Points gained or lost
- Point value used
- Profit or loss

## Formula

```
Points gained = (exit − entry) for a long, (entry − exit) for a short
P/L = points × point value × contracts
Point value = tick value × ticks per point
```

## Explanation

Futures are leveraged: small price moves create large gains or losses relative to the margin deposited. A Micro E-mini S&P 500 contract moves $5 for every index point; the full E-mini moves $50.

### How to use the Futures Contract Calculator

- **Which way are you trading?**
- **Futures contract**
- **Custom point value**
- **Entry (buying or selling) price**
- **Exit price**
- **Number of contracts**
- **Commission per contract (round trip)**

Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.

### How it works

Choose the direction and contract, then enter the entry and exit prices and number of contracts.

### Tips

- Use annualised volatility and interest rates as decimals per year.
- Remember that one standard option contract usually covers 100 shares.
- Options lose time value as expiry approaches – re-run the numbers as dates change.
- Derivatives can lose more than you expect; understand the maximum loss before trading.

### Common mistakes to avoid

- Mixing days and years for time to expiry.
- Ignoring commissions and the bid–ask spread.
- Forgetting dividends when pricing options on dividend-paying stocks.

### Inputs explained

FieldWhat to enterWhich way are you trading?Choose one: Long (buy first), Short (sell first)Futures contractChoose one: Micro E-mini S&P 500 (MES) – $5/point, E-mini S&P 500 (ES) – $50/point, Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100 (MNQ) – $2/point, E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) – $20/point …Custom point valueAmount in your currencyEntry (buying or selling) priceA numberExit priceA numberNumber of contractsA numberCommission per contract (round trip)Amount in your currency

### What each result means

- **Points gained or lost** = [Which way are you trading?]×([Exit price] - [Entry (buying or selling) price])
- **Profit or loss** = [Points gained or lost]×[Point value used]×[Number of contracts] - [Commission per contract (round trip)]×[Number of contracts]

### Example values

How the main result changes when **Custom point value** changes and everything else stays at the example values above:

Custom point valueProfit or loss54967.54961049612.54961549620496

## Worked example

Inputs — Which way are you trading?: Long (buy first); Futures contract: Micro E-mini S&P 500 (MES) – $5/point; Custom point value: $10; Entry (buying or selling) price: 5,800; Exit price: 5,850; Number of contracts: 2; Commission per contract (round trip): $2.

Results — Points gained or lost = 50; Point value used = $5.00; **Profit or loss = $496.00**.

## FAQ

**How is futures profit calculated?**
Price change in points × point value × number of contracts.

**What is a tick?**
The minimum price move; its dollar value is the tick value.

**Can I lose more than my margin?**
Yes – futures losses can exceed the initial margin.

**What formula does the Futures Contract Calculator use?**
Points gained = (exit − entry) for a long, (entry − exit) for a short.


## Sources

- [CME Group – Contract specifications](https://www.cmegroup.com/)