Help / FAQs

How do I know which contract month to trade?

Most traders use the "front month," the most actively traded contract. For index futures, that's usually March, June, September, or December (H, M, U, Z).

Why is my symbol not working?

Double-check:

  • You're using the correct month code and year digit.
  • The platform’s symbol format (slashes, no spaces, etc.).
  • The contract is available for trading (some micros may be delisted or illiquid in certain months).

How Different Platforms Format Futures Symbols

  1. TradeStation
    • Format: [ROOT][MONTH CODE][YEAR DIGIT]
    • Example: MYMH25 = Micro E-mini Dow, March 2025 contract
  2. ThinkorSwim (TOS) / TD Ameritrade
    • Format: /[ROOT][MONTH CODE][YEAR DIGIT]
    • Example: /MNQM25 = Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100, June 2025
  3. Interactive Brokers (TWS / IBKR)
    • Format: Usually [ROOT] [MonthCode][YearDigit] or uses a contract selector
    • Example: You may type MES and then select Mar 2025 from a dropdown
    • Some systems accept MESH5 or MES MAR 25
  4. NinjaTrader
    • Format: [ROOT] [YY][MM] (or select via contract list)
    • Example: MES 03-25 = March 2025 Micro E-mini S&P 500

What is the difference between MES and ES?

MES is a micro contract (1/10 the size of ES). Great for smaller accounts or more precise position sizing.

What is an Entry signal?

An Entry signal marks the price and direction at which StrongerTrades recommends entering a futures trade. Signals are classified as either long (cyan) or short (magenta) based on current market conditions and momentum. Entry signals are generated from a defined set of rules — not discretion — so you know exactly what triggered the signal and when to act. A long signal anticipates upward price movement; a short signal anticipates downward movement.

What is a Peak Exit signal?

A Peak Exit signal marks a moment in a trade's momentum where StrongerTrades identifies a potential peak in price action. Unlike a traditional exit, there can be multiple Peak Exit signals within a single trade — each one indicating a point where you may want to tighten or adjust your stop. They are not instructions to close your position, but informed reference points to help you protect gains as momentum shifts.

How do Trend Bars help?

Trend bars reveal the direction and patterns of a security. As you study the trend bars, you can pick up patterns from time to time, especially when comparing them to the pricing charts.

Why a Price Gap?

This strategy is great for protecting traders from bad trades by cushioning the price, which reduces risk. Some trades have been known to immediately turn against you after getting filled. Proper price gaps, as well as the ST-1 and ST-2 indicators, help protect the trader from this behavior. Stronger Trades' trade signals include appropriate price gaps that we feel protect your investment.

What is a Stop?

A stop is a limit order that instructs the brokerage you trade with to limit your losses if the trade turns against you. To learn more about stops, sign up for our Trading Classes.

Taking Profits

This is very important and is the main reason to trade. There are many strategies for taking profits. Some of these techniques are explored in our Trading Classes.

I only see a Peak Exit signal. Where is the Entry signal?

If you have a Basic membership, you may have missed the entry signal and will need to wait for the next one. Basic members are only able to view the most recent signal.

All other memberships include full signal history. Below the price are the Trend Bars — touch or hover over any Trend Bar to see the details of any entry or Peak Exit signal from the beginning of the trade.

What does the ST-1 mean on the signal page?

ST-1 measures the strength or potential of a signal to maintain its current direction. The higher the percentage, the stronger the trade signal. Sometimes it is wise to wait for a signal to gain strength before trading.

What does the ST-2 mean on the signal page?

ST-2 measures the flow of the trade signal. When the signal crosses zero, it can indicate a shift in momentum either in your favor or against you. The value shown indicates the number of points by which the signal has moved away from zero.

What is the pie shaped object used for?

Whenever ST-2 crosses zero the pie shape is displayed.

What is a futures contract?

Futures are popular assets among day traders and large institutional investors. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties, where the buyer agrees to purchase an asset at a certain price and date in the future, and the seller agrees to provide the asset at that price. The price of a contract varies but is typically less than a few dollars per contract for Micros and less than $20 per contract for some E-Minis. By buying one or more contracts, you can increase your earning potential, but this also increases your risk.

Why do I need to click the Enable Audio button?

Modern web browsers (like Chrome, Brave, and Microsoft Edge) do not allow websites to play sound until you interact with the page. This is a built-in protection to prevent unwanted audio from playing automatically.

Because StrongerTrades uses real-time audio alerts, we added an Enable Audio button. Clicking this button counts as a user interaction and unlocks audio playback for your session.

Important:
You only need to click Enable Audio once per page load. If you refresh the page or open StrongerTrades in a new tab, you’ll need to click it again.

Why am I still unable to hear the audio notifications?

In addition to clicking Enable Audio, your browser must also allow sound from StrongerTrades.

By default, browsers may block audio even after interaction if the site isn’t explicitly allowed. To fix this, you need to add strongertrades.com to your browser’s sound Allow list. This must be done separately for each browser you use.

To allow sound in Google Chrome, Brave, or Microsoft Edge:

  1. Go to:
    chrome://settings/content/sound

  2. Under Allow, add:
    strongertrades.com

Once both steps are completed:

  • ✔ The site is permitted to play audio

  • ✔ Clicking Enable Audio unlocks sound for the session

  • ✔ Audio alerts will play as intended

What if I canceled my account and want to return?

If you have paused your membership, simply sign in and resume from your account page.

If you disabled your account and wish to return, go here.

What if my payment failed?

If your payment is declined, your account will automatically convert to a Basic membership. To restore your previous membership, sign in and visit your account page to re-enter your payment information. If the issue persists, contact your bank to confirm they are not blocking the charge, or try a different card.

What do the percentages mean in the Gap Indicator?

The percentages in the Gap Indicator measure momentum efficiency, not profit or probability. They show how cleanly price is moving away from prior structure.

  • 0%–25% (Low): Weak or developing momentum

  • 50%–75% (Mid-range): Healthy, tradable momentum

  • 75% (High): Strong expansion and conviction

  • Below 0% (Negative): Momentum is collapsing or reversing

The percentages are best used as confirmation, helping you judge how well the market is moving when a signal appears.

Looking for a deeper explanation of the Gap Indicator?
Read the full article: Introducing the Gap Indicator
https://journal.strongertrades.com/journal/news/2025/12/26/introducing-the-gap-indicator

What is the Live Session Report?

The Live Session Report is a real-time snapshot of market behavior during the active trading session. It organizes signals, trade runs, and strength metrics into a single view so you can understand what’s happening now — without watching every tick.

Learn how the Live Session Report works →
Read the full article: The Live Session Report
https://journal.strongertrades.com/journal/news/2026/01/07/the-live-session-report

Do I need to watch the market constantly to use it?

No. The Live Session Report is designed to reduce screen time by summarizing activity as it unfolds, so you can step in when conditions matter instead of reacting to every move.

Is the Live Session Report only for advanced traders?

No. It’s structured to be readable at a glance, whether you’re learning how sessions unfold or refining execution timing.

Why Am I Only Seeing One Chart Instead of Four on the GRID or the Trade Study?

When your screen or browser window drops below a certain size — common on laptops, iPads, or when the browser isn't fully maximized — the layout automatically switches to single-panel mode to keep the chart readable. The other three charts are still live and running; they're just sitting behind tabs. You'll see a small group of four buttons near the top of the page — click any one to bring that symbol to the front.

Those tab buttons also change color as signals update. The symbol changes color based on whether conditions are right for a long or a short. On the Trade Study, the colors shift as you mouse over the trend bar. On the Trade GRID, they reflect each symbol's live signal status, so if something changes on a symbol you're not currently viewing, its tab will light up and let you know.

If you'd rather see all four charts at once, zoom your browser out — hold `Ctrl` and press `−` on Windows, or `⌘` and press `−` on Mac. A few presses usually does it. Once the window is wide enough the four-panel layout comes back automatically.