CME to Launch 24/7 Gold and Oil Futures Trading

CME Group plans to introduce 24/7 trading in gold and oil futures amid geopolitical uncertainty. The exchange will launch a new smaller WTI crude contract, one-tenth the size of its Micro WTI, available on weekends alongside the one-ounce gold futures started in January 2025.

This addresses volatility during Sunday Asian sessions triggered by weekend news such as Iran peace developments. Traders had previously used cryptocurrencies and gold-backed tokens to hedge risks when futures markets were closed.

Derek Sammann of CME noted these products enable better risk management in uncertain times. Gold weekend trading begins July 26 and oil on August 30; both contracts are cash-settled, with gold averaging 90,000 contracts daily.