Futures Symbol Decoder
Type a futures symbol to see what market, month, and year it means.
How futures symbols are built
Most futures symbols follow a simple pattern: root symbol + month code + year. In ESZ6, ES is the E-mini S&P 500, Z is December, and 6 is 2026. Not every market lists every month; stock index futures, for example, trade quarterly in March, June, September, and December. Read the full guide: How to read futures symbols.
Common questions
Why is March "H"?
The single-letter month codes are a long-standing exchange convention, chosen to avoid letters that could be confused with other symbols. They're simply memorized: F G H J K M N Q U V X Z.
Why do some platforms show /ES or ESZ26?
Some platforms add a slash for futures, and some use two-digit years. ESZ6, ESZ26 and /ESZ6 all refer to December 2026 E-mini S&P 500 (in this decade).