1. trading hours: the trading hours of stock index futures are different from those of the stock market, usually from 9: 15 to 1 1:30 and 13:00 to 15 on weekdays, and some futures exchanges may be different.
2. Trading unit: In stock index futures trading, the trading unit is usually an index point, not specific stocks. The value of each index point is directly proportional to the value of the basic index.
3. Margin system: Stock index futures adopt margin trading system. When buying and selling futures contracts, investors only need to pay a certain proportion of the contract value, generally 5%- 15%.
4. Contract size: The contract size of stock index futures is usually the number of points of an index multiplied by a monetary unit, such as 100 yuan/point.
5. Last trading day and delivery date: Stock index futures contracts have a fixed last trading day and delivery date, so investors need to close their positions before the last trading day, otherwise they need to bear the delivery responsibility.
6. Price limit system: In order to control market risks, stock index futures usually have a price limit system. When the market price fluctuates beyond a certain range, trading will be suspended.
7. Compulsory liquidation system: When the investor's margin is insufficient, the futures company has the right to compulsory liquidation of the investor to avoid the expansion of losses.
8. Information disclosure: Stock index futures require all parties to disclose relevant information in time to ensure the transparency and fairness of the market.
It should be noted that stock index futures are high-risk investments, and investors need to fully understand their trading rules and potential risks before participating in trading, and conduct appropriate risk control. At the same time, the stock index futures market in different countries and regions may have different trading rules and regulatory requirements, and investors should make specific understanding and operation according to the actual situation in their regions.