CME's stock index futures comprise the Exchange's fastest growing products for a number of compelling reasons. These products offer:

A fast, cost-effective way to actively trade products that track the stock indexes and offer the equivalent of broad market exposure to a variety of major stock indexes

Substantial liquidity in terms of large open interest, volume and tight bid/offer spreads

Online access available around the globe and virtually around-the-clock throughout the trading week

The ability to employ a variety of trading strategies, such as hedging strategies (to attempt to protect a portfolio against a declining market) and spreading strategies (to attempt to take advantage of the relative out-performance of one sector of the market versus another)

Potentially lower trading costs compared to trading a basket of equities