TRADING TIPS

What the Symbols for Bonds Mean

Hubert Senters here. Let’s go over the bond months that you can trade so you got – heads, up before we get into this video every brokerage firm is slightly different. Okay. So when I say the 2nd Tuesday in the month that maybe the exchange set up they can always go a little bit earlier than that. So when you’re looking at the bond and I’m just going to be talking about the 30 year bond in this in this example. So they trade in three month increments and the months are H, M, U and Z and I don’t know what guy or gal came up with the naming nomenclature but it’s crazy it makes no sense. But it’s not that complicated you just have to know how to use it. So what we’re looking at here is when we’re looking at the bond months and in this one particular we’re looking at the 30 year bond. Okay 30 year bond. US for me in trade station nomenclature that means the 30 year bond. Okay. The US equals the 30 year bond. And then the H equals the month and then the 18 equals the year. Pretty simple, right. So you know H equals March. So 30 year H which equals March, the 2018. And I can trade that until the 2nd Tuesday of March. Okay. Now, here’s where it gets just the slightly different because every brokerage firms is a little bit different like all of them are going to have to roll by the 2nd Tuesday of the month. But some of them will go a week before that. Some of them will go two weeks before that because they can always increase that. Same way with the margin rates like the margin rate will be set by the exchange but they can always charge more but never less. So 2nd Tuesday of March you can no longer trade March. And so then you jump down to the June contract. So in June the month is M so it’s a 30 year bond USM for June and then 18 and then you can you can trade that one until the 2nd Tuesday in June so. Right now, you should be shifting over from the June contract to the September contract which is you USU18 and we’re going trade that one until the 2nd Tuesday in September. And then we’ll shift down to December. Let’s take a look at a quote machine real quick. Around here is where you and I needs to focus US is at US, I always use that as a cheater mechanism and it’s saying a 138,775 contracts. That’s perfect. And I can see that the USM18 which is the June contract only has 3,171 contracts so I know I should probably be trading this one because number one when I’m doing this video at 6/6/2008 I’m in the first week in June I only got another week that I can trade that thing. Makes no sense for me to trade that thing if I’m in this trade for a couple of days so I’m going to go down to the September contract and I’m going to trade the USU18 because it has 139,000 contracts. This one has 139,000 contracts. Now, different brokerage firms use different symbols so for me it’s US. If you’re an infinity user or thinkorswim user instead of it being us it’s going to be ZB which makes no sense at all but whatever. ZB, so that’s going to equal your 30 year we’re all going to be trading the same thing at the same price. It’s just instead of you putting in US you’re going to be putting while all going to be trading on the same exchange and really going to think it’s you’re guaranteed in any trading thing is all of us are going to be trading at the same bidding nice price, right. Now, one of the thicker markets is the 10 year note in the year. Here’s the 10 year. It’s got a lot more contract volume. It moves slightly different but it’s still a really good move or so when you’re looking at that best thing you can do is you can look up obviously the stuff on the exchange on the CME. Best thing to do just call your broker if you’re clearing through toss and you don’t understand something just call toss and go. ‘’Hey, I’m not sure what my symbol is for the 30 year bond. What is it?’’ And they’ll say ‘’well, you can use forward slash ZB, you can you can use ZBU8 and if your trade station it’ll be USU18. So if you’re confused just call your broker that’s what they’re for. Heck, we all pay them enough commission. They ought to pick up the phone and talk to you. Good luck. Hope it helps. And I’ll see you on the next video. Hubert.

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