Tick Value & P/L Calculator
Enter entry and exit price and the calculator returns points moved, ticks moved, and profit or loss in the contract's own currency. Pick any contract in the specification database.
The formula
P/L = (exit − entry) ÷ tick size × tick value × contracts
For a short position the sign flips.
Worked example — one E-mini S&P 500 contract
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Price move | 5010 − 5000 | 10.00 index points |
| Move in ticks | 10.00 ÷ 0.25 | 40 ticks |
| Value per tick | 0.25 × $50 | $12.50 |
| Profit, 1 contract | 40 × $12.50 | $500.00 |
Ten points on ES is $500, not $50. This is the most common arithmetic error new futures traders make.
Quoting conventions that break the formula
Treasuries quote in 32nds
ZB (30-year US Treasury bond) does not trade in decimals. A price of 110-16 means 110 and 16/32 = 110.5. Enter 110.5 in the calculator. One 1/32 move is $31.25 per contract. See how 32nds work for the full explanation.
Some contracts quote in the currency, not in USD
Eurex, SGX, HKFE and JPX contracts settle in EUR, GBP, JPY or HKD. The result is shown in that currency.
Interest rate micros move in fractions of a basis point
The 10YY, 5YY and 2YY micro yield contracts have a tick of one tenth of a basis point worth $1.00.
Why traders check this before every trade
A tick value tells you what your stop actually costs. A 5-point stop on ES is $250 per contract. The same 5-point stop on MES is $25. Position sizing without tick value is guesswork.
Most-looked-up contracts
- E-mini S&P 500 (ES)
- E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ)
- Crude Oil (CL)
- Gold (GC)
- Euro FX (6E)
- Corn (ZC)
- Silver (SI)
- Natural Gas (NG)
- Copper (HG)
Complete list of all 135: futures contract specifications.