How to open an expired futures contract on the chart
By default, when entering only the prefix and product code (the so-called root — the letters and symbols of the name up to the month code letter) in the search bar, only contracts that are currently active (non-expired) will be available:
However, this does not mean expired contracts cannot be displayed on the chart. All expired futures instruments can be opened using one of the following methods:
Enter the full symbol name, including the prefix, into the search bar — for example: NSE:TATAMOTORSM2025 — and press Enter.
The full symbol name consists of the exchange prefix, product code, followed by the expiration month code and the corresponding year — for example: NSE:TATAMOTORSM2025.
Each month is represented by a specific Latin letter, following a widely recognized standard:
- F – January
- G – February
- H – March
- J – April
- K – May
- M – June
- N – July
- Q – August
- U – September
- V – October
- X – November
- Z – December
Open a continuous futures contract on the chart, then click the circular arrow icon labeled Contract Switch. This icon contains information about the rollover date from one contract to another. The contract name displayed in the icon is an active link — clicking it will open the specific contract directly on the chart.
For more details about this icon and how to enable it, see: https://www.tradingview.com/support/solutions/43000689313-switching-continuous-futures-contracts/
Some contracts may not be included in the continuous series due to low popularity or insufficient trading volume. For example, the continuous contract ZCE:SA1! consists only of January, May, and September contracts.
However, any existing contract can still be opened on the chart using one of the methods described above — for instance, the December 2024 contract can be accessed directly by entering its full symbol.
Not all tradable futures instruments have 12 monthly contracts per year. Some futures products offer only four contracts per year — typically for March, June, September, and December delivery months. In addition, certain futures are seasonal in nature (e.g., wheat, corn), and therefore have fewer available contracts.
For example:
- CBOT:ZC1! — Corn futures traded on the Chicago Board of Trade — include five contracts per year: March, May, July, September, and December.
For complete details on a specific instrument, please refer to the official website of the corresponding exchange.
The only exception is short-term contracts with weekly expiration, such as CME:BAB. Expired contracts cannot be opened on the chart; only active ones are available.
