Tick size
The price increment. For the outright MES and MNQ contracts discussed here, it is 0.25 index points.
OPENRANGE / FUTURES TICKS VERSUS POINTSFour ticks.
Four ticks.
Not four points.
A point measures price movement. A tick is the permitted price increment for the contract and transaction type. Tick value converts that step into dollars per contract.
Public lesson preview · Private member curriculum · Education, not trade signals
Keep these three labels separate.
Point value
Dollars for a one-point move in one contract: $5 for MES and $2 for MNQ.
Tick value
Tick size multiplied by point value: $1.25 for MES and $0.50 for MNQ per outright tick.
Source check, September 26, 2026: CME contract specifications and outright increments.
Other products—and some spread transactions—use different increments. Read the specification for what you are actually describing rather than turning this example into a universal shortcut.
Convert the same move two ways.
Constructed example: actual MES entry and exit fills differ by 1.50 points. That distance is six ticks, because 1.50 ÷ 0.25 = 6. For one contract, 1.50 × $5 and 6 × $1.25 both equal $7.50 gross.
If it is a favorable move for the position and assumed round-trip costs are $2, the net gain is $5.50. An equally adverse move gives a $7.50 gross loss and $9.50 net loss with the same costs. The $2 cost is fictional, not a quote.
Would the same six-tick movement in one MNQ be $7.50 gross?
No. Six MNQ ticks at $0.50 each are $3 gross. The tick count matches, but the contract value changes. Costs must still be included to find the net outcome.
A chart displaying movement does not prove you received those fills. When reviewing a practice trade, use confirmed prices and quantity, not the highest or lowest price you later notice.
A three-question check before the arithmetic.
- Which exact product and transaction type are being described?
- Is the movement expressed in ticks or points?
- How many contracts and which costs belong in the result?
If one input is unknown, mark it unknown. Do not fill the gap with the value from a different symbol. That habit matters more than doing the multiplication quickly.
The next lesson is position sizing: deciding how many whole contracts fit a supplied classroom allowance. A correct unit conversion is the foundation, not the entire risk plan.
Try the worked position-sizing example →TAKE THIS INTO THE ACADEMY
Stop guessing what a chart move is worth.
The academy connects plain-language contract definitions to worked calculations. Practice changing the instrument, quantity and costs instead of memorizing a single answer.
- Distinguish price units from dollar values.
- Convert a supplied movement using the exact contract.
- Apply costs after calculating the gross result.
Understand it.
Then practice it.
Explore the relevant module and the connected course before choosing access. The full academy stays behind a member login.
Explore price-to-dollar lessons →Try the public sample lesson first →
Paid enrollment is not open yet. Price, access period, renewal and refund terms will be published before checkout.
Clear questions. Useful answers.
Does one tick mean one dollar?
No. Dollar tick value depends on the contract. The selected MES and MNQ examples have different dollar values despite the same outright price increment.
Is a positive price move always a gain?
No. Direction matters: a rising price affects a long and a short differently. Actual fills, quantity and costs are also needed to calculate the result.
FROM ONE ANSWER TO A CONNECTED EDUCATIONKeep the question.
Keep the question.
Build the understanding.
See how this topic fits into foundations, guided practice and deeper study. Start with the part you can explain—not the one with the loudest promise.
Show me the complete academy →Course completion does not guarantee profits, evaluation success or readiness to trade real money.
FIND YOUR STARTING POINTBig ambition.
Big ambition.
A clear first step.
Explore the foundations, map out two weeks of study, or see how futures, risk and strategy connect.