What does a futures trader do?
Futures trader responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real futures trader resumes:
- Coordinate MBS and whole loan delivers to ensure settlements are achieve to minimize extension and pair off fees.
- Trade a variety of investment vehicles including commodity futures, FOREX, equities, options and energies.
- Create and report the trends of both international and domestic economy and finance status, and the trends of commodities prices.
- Implement complex excel spreadsheets for derivative trading strategies.
- Operate a commodities trading business as an independent business enterprise.
- Participate in constructing equity trading strategies utilizing one or more medium-to-high frequency statistical arbitrage models
- Devise and construct equity trading tactics utilizing one or more medium-to-high frequency statistical arbitrage trading strategies.
- Automate the trade allocation and reconciliation procedures using VBA programming which is leveraged to systematically detect any trade breaks or discrepancies.
- Market maker for derivatives on a basket of foreign currency products in open outcry and electronic settings.
- Increase returns from book exposure in interest rate and FX markets.
- Make markets electronically in CME commodity option markets.
Futures trader skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Futures Traders are proficient in Technical Analysis, Futures Markets, and Financial Markets. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Customer-service skills, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Futures Traders that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Technical Analysis, 8%
Analyzed current market trends, Geopolitical events, and Legislative news for derivative markets using technical analysis and fundamental macro-economic research.
- Futures Markets, 7%
Deployed multiple automated strategies in global futures markets that developed one of top profit centers at the firm.
- Financial Markets, 7%
Evaluated economic data to establish adequate securities values on financial markets; created spreads utilizing bond futures and bond cash.
- Derivative, 6%
Implemented complex excel spreadsheets for derivative trading strategies.
- Risk Management, 6%
Conducted analyses and developed strategies to facilitate profitable trading within the commodities markets and assessed trading positions with appropriate risk management.
- Futures Contracts, 6%
Traded bonds and futures contracts, as an individual and for a private trading partnership.
Common skills that a futures trader uses to do their job include "technical analysis," "futures markets," and "financial markets." You can find details on the most important futures trader responsibilities below.
Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for a futures trader to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "to judge the profitability of potential deals, securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents must have strong analytical skills." Additionally, a futures trader resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "exhibited skills in market analysis, business development, and strategic decision-making, resulting in approximately $150k of company profit"
Customer-service skills. Many futures trader duties rely on customer-service skills. "securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents must be persuasive and make clients feel comfortable with the agent’s recommendations.," so a futures trader will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways futures trader responsibilities rely on customer-service skills: "represented customers to carry on commodity futures transactions, make profit constantly. "
Detail oriented. This is an important skill for futures traders to perform their duties. For an example of how futures trader responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "investment bankers must pay close attention to the details of initial public offerings and mergers and acquisitions because small changes can have large consequences." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a futures trader: "provided market data and updated trade status to clients, detailed trades for both futures and equity trading. ".
Initiative. For certain futures trader responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "initiative." The day-to-day duties of a futures trader rely on this skill, as "securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents must create their own client base by making “cold” sales calls to people to whom they have not been referred and to people not expecting the call." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what futures traders do: "conducted daily strategic initiatives in consideration of prevalent market conditions, risk exposure and anticipated outcome profitability. "
Math skills. A commonly-found skill in futures trader job descriptions, "math skills" is essential to what futures traders do. Futures trader responsibilities rely on this skill because "securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents need to be familiar with mathematical tools, including investment formulas." You can also see how futures trader duties rely on math skills in this resume example: "conducted quantitative analyses of financial markets (equity, fixed income, currency & futures) and their interrelationships. "
The three companies that hire the most futures traders are:
- Tradelink LLC2 futures traders jobs
- Citi1 futures traders jobs
- Federal Reserve
1 futures traders jobs
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Compare different futures traders
Futures trader vs. Commodity broker
A senior energy trader's main goal is to build financial models so that their company can buy and sell energy shares. They must be extremely experienced in the trading of shares in the NYSE and/or NASDAQ securities. They establish their company in the market and square off deals to ensure profit.
They deal with equities, stocks, and mutual funds.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between futures traders and commodity broker. For instance, futures trader responsibilities require skills such as "financial data," "equity futures," "r," and "market making." Whereas a commodity broker is skilled in "client accounts," "nfa," "cold calls," and "client relationships." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Commodity brokers earn the highest salaries when working in the finance industry, with an average yearly salary of $89,520. On the other hand, futures traders are paid more in the finance industry with an average salary of $116,582.commodity brokers tend to reach similar levels of education than futures traders. In fact, commodity brokers are 3.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Futures trader vs. Municipal bond trader
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, futures trader responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "technical analysis," "futures markets," "financial markets," and "derivative." Meanwhile, a municipal bond trader has duties that require skills in areas such as "fixed income," "bonds," "institutional sales," and "securities." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Municipal bond traders tend to reach similar levels of education than futures traders. In fact, they're 4.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Futures trader vs. Energy derivatives trader
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a futures trader is likely to be skilled in "risk management," "financial data," "commodity futures," and "equity futures," while a typical energy derivatives trader is skilled in "python," "p/l," "fixed income," and "macro."
Energy derivatives traders earn the best pay in the agriculture industry, where they command an average salary of $116,251. Futures traders earn the highest pay from the finance industry, with an average salary of $116,582.Most energy derivatives traders achieve a higher degree level compared to futures traders. For example, they're 6.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Futures trader vs. Senior energy trader
Even though a few skill sets overlap between futures traders and senior energy traders, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a futures trader might have more use for skills like "futures contracts," "commodities," "financial data," and "equity futures." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of senior energy traders require skills like "portfolio management," "fixed income," "financial products," and "securities. "
Senior energy traders enjoy the best pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $118,871. For comparison, futures traders earn the highest salary in the finance industry.senior energy traders reach similar levels of education compared to futures traders, in general. The difference is that they're 3.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of futures trader
Updated January 8, 2025
