(1) Opening an account: In order to participate in stock index futures trading, investors need to meet the relevant requirements of the investor suitability system for stock index futures, sign a futures trading risk disclosure, a stock index futures trading special risk disclosure and a futures brokerage contract with qualified futures companies, open a futures account and obtain a trading code.
(2) Place an order: It refers to the behavior that investors send a trading order to the futures company before each transaction, explaining the type, direction, quantity and price of the contract to be bought and sold. Stock index futures have a two-way trading mechanism. Investors should pay special attention to the direction of buying and selling when placing orders, and pay attention to whether to open or close positions.
(3) Settlement: Stock index futures adopt the debt-free settlement system of the day. After the close of each trading day, the futures company shall calculate and transfer investors' trading margin, profit and loss, handling fees and other related funds according to the settlement price of the day. Investors should pay attention to the information in the settlement form in time to ensure that the margin balance in the futures margin account meets the specified requirements.
(4) Liquidation: Stock index futures contracts have expiration dates, and investors can choose to liquidate their positions before the expiration of the contracts. Corresponding to buying and opening positions is selling and closing positions, and corresponding to selling and opening positions is buying and closing positions.