Futures Trade Plans FAQ | Little Bird Trading

Q: What are the CME micro futures specs?

Micro E-mini S&P 500 (MES) : 1/10 the size of the E-mini ES. Worth $5 per index point . Minimum tick is 0.25 index points, so one tick = $1.25, and a full one-point move (four ticks) = $5. For reference, the full-size ES is $50 per point. Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100 (MNQ) : 1/10 the size of the NQ. Worth $2 per index point . Same 0.25 tick, so one tick = $0.50 and a one-point move = $2. The full-size NQ is $20 per point. Trading hours : micros trade nearly 24 hours a day, five days a week: Sunday evening through Friday afternoon (roughly 6 p.m.–5 p.m. ET) with a daily halt around 5 p.m. ET. That means the level a report flags can be tested in the overnight session hours before the U.S. cash open. Margin : because a micro carries one-tenth the notional value, it needs far less margin than a full-size contract. Intraday margins on a micro are commonly in the tens of dollars per contract, which is exactly why micros suit small accounts and traders still building a track record.

Q: Where do futures traders most often go wrong with it?

Treating context as certainty. The report's context is probabilistic. Trade it as one scenario among a few. Trading every cue. Not every level is your level. The report gives you more setups than you should take; selectivity is the edge. Ignoring contract mechanics in fast markets. During event windows and high-volatility opens, slippage widens and a "small" tick move is a bigger dollar move than the chart suggests. Micros give you room to keep position size honest here. Using one fixed contract count. Volatility changes; your size should too. The same stop distance implies different realized risk depending on the session.

The futures Trade Plans gives Pro subscribers the resistance, pivot and support levels for ES and NQ (and the micros that track them) the evening before each session, with MyLinedChart, which draws those levels onto your chart. This FAQ starts with the contract mechanics that decide how much a single point actually costs you.

What contracts does the futures Trade Plans cover?

The report is built around the two most-traded equity index futures, the E-mini S&P 500 (ES) and E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ), and the micro versions that track the same index at one-tenth the size. The levels are identical whether you trade full-size or micro; only the dollars-per-point change, so a small account can trade the exact same plan at a fraction of the risk.

What are the CME micro futures specs?

Micro E-mini S&P 500 (MES): 1/10 the size of the E-mini ES. Worth $5 per index point. Minimum tick is 0.25 index points, so one tick = $1.25, and a full one-point move (four ticks) = $5. For reference, the full-size ES is $50 per point.
Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100 (MNQ): 1/10 the size of the NQ. Worth $2 per index point. Same 0.25 tick, so one tick = $0.50 and a one-point move = $2. The full-size NQ is $20 per point.
Trading hours: micros trade nearly 24 hours a day, five days a week: Sunday evening through Friday afternoon (roughly 6 p.m.–5 p.m. ET) with a daily halt around 5 p.m. ET. That means the level a report flags can be tested in the overnight session hours before the U.S. cash open.
Margin: because a micro carries one-tenth the notional value, it needs far less margin than a full-size contract. Intraday margins on a micro are commonly in the tens of dollars per contract, which is exactly why micros suit small accounts and traders still building a track record.

Why does the point value matter for reading the report?

Because a "small" level on the chart can be a large number in your account. If a report level sits 20 points away and your stop is on the other side of it, that is $100 of risk on one MES ($5 × 20) or $1,000 on one full-size ES ($50 × 20). The same 20-point distance on MNQ is $40; on the full-size NQ it is $400. Knowing the per-point value turns a level on the report into a concrete dollar figure before you ever click buy or sell.

How do I actually use the report's levels?

The report gives directional context and tells you which levels matter for the next session. Your own strategy picks the exact bar to enter on. A practical sequence:

Check which instruments are set up and which are sidelined. This frames which scenarios you prioritize.
Mark the levels on your chart (MyLinedChart does this automatically).
Wait for confirmation at the level before you enter.
Convert the level to dollars using the point values above; traders size contracts so the distance to their invalidation fits their risk budget.

For how resistance, support and the nearest pivot work, see how to use the daily levels.

Can the report be right and my trade still lose?

Yes, and it is the most useful thing to internalize. A level can hold while a specific entry is poor, because fills, slippage, and timing live at the execution level. Support holding does not promise a clean move from the first touch. The report narrows the field of scenarios. Your execution protocol, defined invalidation, adaptive sizing, preplanned behavior after entry, is where capital actually gets deployed.

Where do futures traders most often go wrong with it?

Treating context as certainty. The report's context is probabilistic. Trade it as one scenario among a few.
Trading every cue. Not every level is your level. The report gives you more setups than you should take; selectivity is the edge.
Ignoring contract mechanics in fast markets. During event windows and high-volatility opens, slippage widens and a "small" tick move is a bigger dollar move than the chart suggests. Micros give you room to keep position size honest here.
Using one fixed contract count. Volatility changes; your size should too. The same stop distance implies different realized risk depending on the session.

Do I need a big account to trade the futures report?

No. The whole reason the report covers micros is that a small account can trade the identical plan the full-size traders use, just scaled down 10-to-1. A single MES or MNQ lets you learn with real risk without a full-size contract eating your account on one stop. If you want the account-math walkthrough, see the pillar guide on how to day trade futures with $500.

How is the futures report different from the free tier?

The free tier is the session review: the levels for the session just closed and a review of how that session played out. The next session's levels for ES, NQ, and the micros are part of Pro, alongside SPY, QQQ and 19 more markets. You can see the exact levels and format on the daily levels page. Reports are sent after the market closes, built for the next day's session, so the plan is set before the overnight tape ever touches a level.

Sources

Educational content only. Not investment advice.