Loading quotes...
Loading weather...
Jack Finfer
LF
Lakefront Briefing
briefing@lakefrontfutures.com
312-347-3877
Grain, Livestock & Energy Futures Hedging
More about Lakefront →
Book a 15 min call
Latest Reports
Report Archive
Podcast
Loading reports...
Ridin' the Bull
A weekly podcast with Jon Marcus, Rich Murphy, and Joe Thome on the news, trends, and biggest topics shaping the commodities markets.
Enjoying the show? Follow the channel on YouTube.
Get in touch
Link copied
Loading crop data...
Lakefront Futures
Trading since 1997

Futures brokers for traders, hedgers, and professionals.

Independent brokerage clearing through several major FCMs.
Grains, livestock, energy, metals, softs, currencies, rates, crypto, and indexes.

More about Lakefront →
Choose your path

However you trade, there is a structure for it. Not sure which fits? Just call or email us.

Free platform access is available for any Lakefront customer
Self-directed
Trade on your own
Place trades, manage positions, monitor your account
Access the markets yourself through our platforms. Place trades, manage positions, and monitor your account independently.
Free platform access
Competitive commission rates
Any product you can think of
24/7 trade desk access
Open your account →
Broker assisted
Work with a specialist
Hedging advice, complex spreads, and market insight. Doing it since 1997.
Experienced specialists in grain, energy, and livestock who do this for a living. Get hedging advice, build complex spreads, and talk through positions with someone who knows the markets.
Expert hedging advice
30+ years in the business
Build complicated spread structures
Special margin rates for hedgers
Speculators welcome too!
Talk to us first
Clearing & execution
For CTAs, CPOs, and large traders
Full clearing infrastructure
Full clearing infrastructure for money managers and institutional accounts. We handle the back office so you can focus on trading.
Our managed futures arm, aiSource, has allocated $400M+ across 100+ CTAs
Get in front of thousands of potential clients
Add your strategy to our industry leading database with 100+ CTA strategies and CPOs offering an SMA
We handle customer onboarding
Connect front and back end APIs from virtually anywhere
Block account setup and allocation management
FIA EGUS give-up agreement system membership
Access to all major trading platforms
Multiple clearing relationships
Back office support and compliance
Managed account support
Experience in the industry
Learn more
Become a branch
Become a branch office
We provide the infrastructure, you build the business
Join Lakefront Futures as a branch office. Set your own rates, grow your team, and run your business with full back-office support behind you.
Set your own rates
24/7 trade desk
Take time off when you need it
Expand your team
Back office, compliance, account opening, platform support
or
Get in touch
Managed futures
Invest in managed futures
Professional CTAs manage the trading through aiSource, our managed futures division
Allocate to professional commodity trading advisors instead of trading yourself. We help you compare programs and handle the paperwork.
100+ CTA strategies and CPOs offering an SMA
$400M+ allocated across our database
We help match programs to your goals and risk tolerance
Track records and minimums vary by program
Talk to us about managed futures →
International clients
Cross-border hedging and trading for clients around the world. Countries we have served:
🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇦🇷 Argentina, 🇨🇭 Switzerland, 🇨🇳 China, 🇻🇳 Vietnam, 🇧🇴 Bolivia, 🇧🇸 The Bahamas, 🇺🇦 Ukraine, 🇫🇷 France, 🇬🇧 England, 🇲🇽 Mexico, and 🇨🇦 Canada.
Be the next country we serve →
From the trading floor to the farm gate.
Grain, livestock, and energy hedging for the people who grow it, raise it, and move it. Since 1997.
Interested in something else?
We have experience in nearly every corner of the futures industry. Tell us what you need.
Contact us
Worried about transferring? We handle that for you. You don't have to do anything.

About Lakefront

Lakefront Futures was founded in 1997 at the Chicago Board of Trade by partners who believed there was a better way to do business in the futures industry. Nearly three decades later, we still run on that same conviction: customers are people, not account numbers.

Independent brokerage clearing through several major FCMs, executing globally
Hedging, speculation, and managed futures across ags, livestock, energy, metals, softs, currencies, rates, and indexes
Our managed futures arm, aiSource, has helped allocate over $400 million across 100+ CTAs
Platform flexible: we can connect you to virtually any futures trading platform
Every account gets a person who answers the phone, big or small, seasoned or beginner
The team
Jon MarcusCo-founder · Principal
Nick LeblebijianCo-founder · Principal
Paul KokuzianManaging Partner
Rishab SharmaManaging Partner
Rich MurphyTrade Desk
Jack FinferVP of Operations
Joe ThomeTrade Desk
Our branch offices
Headquartered in Chicago, with branch offices across the country plus Nassau, Bahamas and Switzerland.
Get in touch

Your briefing preferences

Choose what lands in your inbox. You can change this any time.

Leave everything checked to receive it all.

Talk to a specialist

Tell us a bit about yourself and we'll reach out to discuss how we can help.

Please allow up to 24 hours for a response from a Lakefront representative.

Report Countdown

Next Report

Loading schedule...

0
Days
0
Hours
0
Minutes
0
Seconds

Your charted briefing lands minutes after this release.

Covered reports only. All times Central.

CME Globex Trading Hours
🌾 Grains & Oilseeds
Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Meal, Oil, Oats, Rice
Overnight7:00 PM – 7:45 AM CT
Day session8:30 AM – 1:20 PM CT
DaysSun 7 PM – Fri 1:20 PM
🐄 Livestock
Live Cattle, Feeder Cattle, Lean Hogs
Day session8:30 AM – 1:05 PM CT
DaysMon – Fri
NoteNo overnight session
🥛 Dairy
Class III Milk, Butter, Cheese
Session5:00 PM – 4:00 PM CT (next day)
DaysSun 5 PM – Fri 4 PM
Halt4:00 – 5:00 PM daily
⛽ Energy
WTI Crude, Nat Gas, Heating Oil, RBOB
Session5:00 PM – 4:00 PM CT (next day)
DaysSun 5 PM – Fri 4 PM
Halt4:00 – 5:00 PM daily
🥇 Metals
Gold, Silver, Copper, Platinum
Session5:00 PM – 4:00 PM CT (next day)
DaysSun 5 PM – Fri 4 PM
Halt4:00 – 5:00 PM daily
📈 Equity Indices
S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow, Russell
Session5:00 PM – 4:00 PM CT (next day)
Halt3:15 – 3:30 PM & 4:00 – 5:00 PM

All times Central. Exchange hours can change on holidays; verify with CME Group.

First Notice & Last Trading Days

FN = First Notice Day (long positions can be assigned delivery). LT = Last Trading Day (contract stops trading). Roll or exit before these dates to avoid the delivery process.

From the Lakefront 2026 trading calendar. Verify with the exchange before rolling positions.