Floor Trading Hand Signal


Buying Or Selling
Floor traders use hand signals to communicate with each other, their runners and order clerks.  While signals vary occasionally with different exchanges and contracts, the basics remain the same.  When the palm of the hand is facing away from the signaller, he or she is indicating a 'sell'. When the palm of the hand is toward the signaller, he or she is indicating a 'buy'.
 
Quantity
Quantities, or number of contracts or 'lots', are signalled with units being shown on the chin, and tens and one hundred on the forehead. Hundreds are shown on the forearm: 
 
Price
1 - 5
6 - 10
10 - 100
Prices to be 'bid' or 'asked' are use the same gestures, but with the hand further away from the body. 
 
 
 
 
Months
Next come the months of the contracts to be bought or sold. In rotation, this fine gentleman is indicating March, June, September and December. There are also signs for contracts for delivery further out in time, known as Serial months, but these are not shown here:
 
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