Rithmic Symbol Format: How to Enter Futures Contracts in R | Trader Pro
Last updated November 1, 2026 · Reviewed by the Lincoln Park Financial broker team
A Rithmic symbol is the product root, the month code, the last digit of the year, a period and the exchange code, with no spaces. The December 2026 E-mini S&P 500 is ESZ6.CME, and the March 2027 contract is ESH7.CME. Type it into the Symbol.Exchange field in R | Trader Pro, or double click that field to search in the Add Symbol window.
How is a Rithmic symbol built?
Every outright futures symbol in Rithmic has four parts. Using ESZ6.CME as the example:
The exchange code always comes last, after a period. Rithmic uses a single digit for the year, so ESZ6.CME is December 2026 and ESH7.CME is March 2027. The Rithmic Trader’s Guide describes this as the symbol, followed by the symbol and exchange separator (a period by default), followed by the exchange ID.
What are the futures month codes?
The month letters are the standard CME Group codes. A month code existing does not mean every product lists that month. Equity index futures, for example, list March (H), June (M), September (U) and December (Z) only.
| Month | Code | Month | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | F | July | N |
| February | G | August | Q |
| March | H | September | U |
| April | J | October | V |
| May | K | November | X |
| June | M | December | Z |
Rithmic symbols for common futures contracts
The table shows the product root, the CME Group exchange that lists it, and the exchange code Rithmic expects, with a listed December 2026 contract (or the next listed month) and a listed 2027 contract. Always confirm a contract month in the CME Group contract specifications before you trade it. For margin requirements by product, see our futures margins page.
| Product | Root | Exchange | Rithmic code | 2026 example | 2027 example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-mini S&P 500 | ES | CME Group (CME) | .CME | ESZ6.CME | ESH7.CME |
| Micro E-mini S&P 500 | MES | CME Group (CME) | .CME | MESZ6.CME | MESH7.CME |
| E-mini Nasdaq 100 | NQ | CME Group (CME) | .CME | NQZ6.CME | NQH7.CME |
| Micro E-mini Nasdaq 100 | MNQ | CME Group (CME) | .CME | MNQZ6.CME | MNQH7.CME |
| E-mini Russell 2000 | RTY | CME Group (CME) | .CME | RTYZ6.CME | RTYH7.CME |
| Micro E-mini Russell 2000 | M2K | CME Group (CME) | .CME | M2KZ6.CME | M2KH7.CME |
| E-mini Dow ($5) | YM | CME Group (CBOT) | .CBOT | YMZ6.CBOT | YMH7.CBOT |
| Micro E-mini Dow | MYM | CME Group (CBOT) | .CBOT | MYMZ6.CBOT | MYMH7.CBOT |
| Crude Oil (WTI) | CL | CME Group (NYMEX) | .NYMEX | CLZ6.NYMEX | CLF7.NYMEX |
| Micro WTI Crude Oil | MCL | CME Group (NYMEX) | .NYMEX | MCLZ6.NYMEX | MCLF7.NYMEX |
| Natural Gas (Henry Hub) | NG | CME Group (NYMEX) | .NYMEX | NGZ6.NYMEX | NGF7.NYMEX |
| Gold | GC | CME Group (COMEX) | .COMEX | GCZ6.COMEX | GCG7.COMEX |
| Micro Gold | MGC | CME Group (COMEX) | .COMEX | MGCZ6.COMEX | MGCG7.COMEX |
| Silver | SI | CME Group (COMEX) | .COMEX | SIZ6.COMEX | SIH7.COMEX |
| Copper | HG | CME Group (COMEX) | .COMEX | HGZ6.COMEX | HGH7.COMEX |
| 10 Year Treasury Note | ZN | CME Group (CBOT) | .CBOT | ZNZ6.CBOT | ZNH7.CBOT |
| 30 Year Treasury Bond | ZB | CME Group (CBOT) | .CBOT | ZBZ6.CBOT | ZBH7.CBOT |
| Corn | ZC | CME Group (CBOT) | .CBOT | ZCZ6.CBOT | ZCH7.CBOT |
| Soybeans | ZS | CME Group (CBOT) | .CBOT | ZSF7.CBOT | ZSH7.CBOT |
| Chicago SRW Wheat | ZW | CME Group (CBOT) | .CBOT | ZWZ6.CBOT | ZWH7.CBOT |
| Live Cattle | LE | CME Group (CME) | .CME | LEZ6.CME | LEG7.CME |
| Lean Hogs | HE | CME Group (CME) | .CME | HEZ6.CME | HEG7.CME |
Watch the exchange code. The E-mini Dow (YM) and Micro E-mini Dow (MYM) are listed on CBOT, so they take .CBOT, not .CME. Lean hogs use the root HE, and live cattle use LE. Soybeans do not list a December contract, so the first example is January 2027 (ZSF7.CBOT). Crude oil and natural gas take .NYMEX, and gold, silver and copper take .COMEX.
How do you enter a symbol in R | Trader Pro?
You can type the symbol directly or search for it. Both methods follow the Rithmic Trader’s Guide.
- Open a window. From the R | Trader Pro launch bar, open an Order Book, a Quote Board or a Time Chart. A new Order Book or chart shows an empty box labeled Symbol.Exchange.
- Type the symbol. Enter the full symbol with its exchange code, for example
NQZ6.CMEorGCZ6.COMEX. - Confirm it. Press Enter or Tab, or click away from the box. If the symbol and exchange pair is valid, the contract description and data load in the window.
- Search if you are unsure. Double click the Symbol.Exchange box to open the Add Symbol window. Type a product name such as S&P 500, or browse by exchange, then double click the contract you want.
- Quote Board option. In the Quote Board, click the Symbol cell and type the symbol, or right click a row and choose Search and Add Symbol.
Continuous chart labels vs real contract codes
Some charting platforms show continuous labels such as ES1! that stitch contract months together for charting. Rithmic does not route orders to a continuous label. Every order goes to a specific dated contract such as ESZ6.CME. Before an expiration, volume moves from the expiring month to the next one, and you will need to update the symbol in your Order Book, charts and any third party platform connected through Rithmic. Our guide on how to roll over index futures contracts explains the roll process for ES, MES, NQ, MNQ, RTY and YM.
How do you fix symbol and market data errors?
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Symbol not found or invalid | Missing period or exchange code, wrong exchange code, a typo in the root, or an unlisted or expired month | Check the root and exchange in the table above, confirm the month is listed, then use the Add Symbol search |
| Description loads but no prices | Market data for that exchange is not enabled on your Rithmic user ID | Contact your broker and list the exchanges you need, such as CME, CBOT, NYMEX and COMEX |
| Permission denied | Market data or trading permission is not enabled, or the exchange data agreements were not completed at first login | Complete the agreements in R | Trader Pro and ask your broker to confirm your permissions |
| Third party chart is empty | The connected platform uses its own symbol format or a continuous label | Check the platform symbol settings and confirm it maps to the current dated contract |
Sierra Chart notes the same pattern: permission denied messages from Rithmic indicate that you are not authorized for market data on that exchange. See Rithmic market data and Rithmic at Lincoln Park Financial for more.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Rithmic symbol format?
Rithmic uses the product root, a month code, the last digit of the year, a period and the exchange code. For example, ESZ6.CME is the E-mini S&P 500 contract that expires in December 2026 and trades on CME Group’s CME exchange.
Why does R | Trader Pro say my symbol is invalid?
The most common causes are a missing exchange code, the wrong exchange code for that product (for example .CME instead of .CBOT for the E-mini Dow), a month that the product does not list, or a contract that has already expired. Double click the Symbol.Exchange field and use the Add Symbol window to search for the contract instead of typing it.
Which exchange code do I use for gold, crude oil or Treasury futures?
Use the exchange where the product is listed. Gold, silver and copper use .COMEX, crude oil and natural gas use .NYMEX, and Treasury, corn, soybean and Dow futures use .CBOT. E-mini S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, Russell 2000, live cattle and lean hogs use .CME.
Can I type ES1! or a continuous symbol into Rithmic?
No. A continuous label such as ES1! is a chart convention used by some charting platforms. Rithmic orders are placed on a specific dated contract such as ESZ6.CME or ESH7.CME, so confirm which contract month you are trading, especially around rollover.
Why do I see a permission denied or no market data message?
That message usually means your Rithmic user ID is not enabled for market data on that exchange, or the exchange data agreements have not been completed in R | Trader Pro. Contact your broker and list the exchanges you need, such as CME, CBOT, NYMEX and COMEX.
Want help setting up Rithmic?
A Lincoln Park Financial broker can help you enable the exchanges you need, set up R | Trader Pro and connect your platform through Rithmic.
Contact us Call 312 500 4730Sources (checked November 1, 2026)
- Rithmic R | Trader Trader’s Guide
- Sierra Chart: Rithmic Trading Platform Service
- CME Group futures month codes
- CME Group contract specifications
Trading futures involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. Past performance is not indicative of future results.