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A continuous symbol such as MNQ1! follows a futures market through contract expiries. A dated symbol such as MNQU6 always returns its own prices.

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Back-adjusted charts

Continuous charts on web shift older contracts’ prices by default to reduce gaps when the chart switches contracts. The current contract’s prices stay unchanged. Open Chart Settings → Chart → Continuous contracts and change Adjust prices for contract changes. This saved preference applies to all continuous charts. Turn it off to view the original, unadjusted history. Each mode keeps its own saved drawings. Drawings saved on an unadjusted continuous chart remain available when price adjustment is off. Back-adjusted history still follows the contracts that were active at each point in time. It can therefore differ from a chart showing only MNQZ6 throughout the same period. Orders, positions, and P&L use actual dated-contract prices in either mode.

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Rollovers

The contract behind a continuous chart changes only during a regular CME closure. A volume change during an open session can nominate the next contract without changing the current one. US equity index mini and micro counterparts follow the same contract-month policy, including the customary quarterly rollover. If the incoming contract is not ready in time, the change waits for another closure. A missed rollover does not switch the contract after reopening or rewrite an earlier open session’s chart. CME FX futures — Euro FX (6E), British Pound (6B) and Swiss Franc (6S) — follow quarterly expirations like equity index futures. Continuous charts for these contracts roll to the next front month during CME closures.

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Orders and positions

Continuous symbols are chart aliases, not executable instruments. An order you place from a continuous chart goes to the dated contract behind it at that moment. Changing the selected chart does not transfer existing orders or positions to another contract. They keep their original contract when you view, modify, or close them, including when you add or edit stop-loss and take-profit brackets. For example, an order placed through MNQ1! while its underlying is MNQU6 creates an MNQU6 order or position. After the continuous chart rolls to MNQZ6, that existing trade, its brackets, and its close remain on MNQU6. Only new orders placed from the updated continuous chart use MNQZ6.