Energy sources include crude oil, fuel oil and iron ore. Natural gas does not belong to energy futures.

In the early 1970s, several oil crises brought huge impacts to the world oil market, and the sharp fluctuation of oil prices directly led to the emergence of oil futures. After the birth of oil futures, its trading volume has been growing rapidly, and it is transported by crude oil.

Supermetal futures are an important part of the international futures market. Among oil futures contracts, crude oil futures is the most traded variety. At present, there are three kinds of crude oil futures contracts with the largest trading volume and the widest influence in the world: WTI (West Texas Intermediate) futures contract for light and low sulfur crude oil in the New York Mercantile Exchange, Brent (Brent crude oil in the North Sea) futures contract for London International Petroleum Exchange (ICE) and Dubai (Dubai crude oil) futures contract for COMEX. Other refined oil futures products include distillate oil, unleaded gasoline, gas oil, heating oil, fuel oil and light diesel oil.