Futures Calendar

The StoneX futures calendar is a date-based reference tool that tracks every significant milestone in a futures contract's lifecycle alongside broader market schedule events. This includes first trade and first notice dates, first and last delivery windows, last trade dates, option expirations, government report releases, and exchange holidays — all organized by contract, market, and month. The practical purpose is to give traders a single view of the timing events that affect position management, roll decisions, and trading schedule planning, without having to check each exchange or contract individually.

First notice day is the first date on which a holder of a long futures position in a physically delivered contract may receive a delivery notice — meaning the seller of the contract can formally notify them that they intend to make delivery of the underlying commodity. For traders in physically settled contracts who are not in the business of taking physical delivery, first notice day is the practical deadline to exit or roll a long position. The exact date varies by contract and exchange, which is why it appears prominently in the calendar. For account-specific questions about delivery procedures or what to do if you are approaching first notice day with an open position, contact StoneX support.

Last trade day is the final day on which a futures contract can be bought or sold. After this date, trading in that contract month closes. Open positions move toward settlement, either through physical delivery (for physically settled contracts) or cash settlement (for cash-settled contracts such as equity index futures). Last trade day is the hard deadline for any trader who needs to exit or roll: after it passes, there is no longer a market in that contract to trade out of. The calendar displays last trade dates prominently for exactly this reason.

First notice day and last trade day are separate milestones in a futures contract's lifecycle that are sometimes confused because they both relate to a contract's expiration period. First notice day is the first date on which a long holder in a physically delivered contract can be assigned for delivery — it marks the beginning of the delivery window. Last trade day is the final date on which that contract can be actively traded. In many contracts, first notice day falls before last trade day, meaning a long holder in a physically settled contract can be assigned for delivery while the contract is still technically tradable. Both dates are visible in the calendar. Understanding the gap between them is important for managing physically settled positions.

Rollover dates matter because futures contracts expire and traders who want continuous market exposure need to transition from the expiring contract to the next active month in an orderly way. The timing of that transition affects execution quality — liquidity in the expiring contract declines as last trade day approaches, with volume typically shifting to the next front month well before expiration. Rolling too late means trading in thinner markets at wider spreads. The calendar shows you where last trade dates fall so you can plan the roll on your schedule. For a more complete view of when to roll, pair the calendar with the futures quotes tool, which shows volume and open interest by contract month. 

An option expiration calendar focuses narrowly on the dates on which options contracts expire — it is a useful reference for options traders but does not cover the broader contract lifecycle events that futures traders need to monitor. The StoneX futures calendar covers option expirations as one category among many, alongside first notice days, last trade dates, delivery windows, government report releases, and exchange holidays. If you are trading futures, the futures calendar gives you a more complete planning reference than an option expiration calendar alone.

Yes. Holidays and government reports are essential components that directly influence trading conditions. These events can affect session hours, market participation, and planning trades around heightened volatility.