CME Group (NYSE:CME) today announced the launch of the Futures Institute, a new online platform for futures and options on: futures education, trading simulation and market research.
The Futures Institute offers a mix of live instruction, interactive training modules, market research and training. Through the interactive website, participants learn about the futures markets and are exposed to a number of trading strategies with the ability to test them out in a simulated trading environment.
The portal covers the FX market with more than 70 different currency futures and over 30 currency options contracts, providing US investors access to economies such as the Eurozone, UK, Canada, Japan and Australia. There are also currency contracts focused on China, India and Brazil for traders looking for exposure to emerging markets.
The marketing approach taken by the CME in its videos on the site seems like they are trying to target retail Forex traders with the educational material and convert them to FX futures traders with emphasis on "micro contracts" and "almost 24*6 trading."
"Our goal with the Futures Institute is to provide a centralized place for traders to enhance their skills and education on futures and options on futures," said Bryan Durkin, CME Group's chief commercial officer. "We are pleased with this additional opportunity to actively engage with current and new traders of all types, providing them with the tools and resources needed to discover opportunities and enhance their trading of futures."
Participants can also enter a "Futures Challenge" with fellow traders. The challenge provides them with the ability to trade 36 of the most liquid futures contracts across six asset classes – Equity Indexes, Energy, Metals, FX, Interest Rates and Agriculture. While competing, traders will also be exposed to training modules that cover a variety of topics including building a trade plan, Risk Management , and technical & fundamental market analysis.
