ARTICLE SYNOPSIS ...Frictional Costs In Futures Trading by Jesse Wolff If we could trade in a perfect, cost-free world, there would be many more systems that would exhibit profitable return profiles. But we don't. So what can we do about frictional costs? The futures market is not a zero-sum game, and there is a level of friction -- that is, cost -- that must be accurately reflected in the research process and resulting profit/loss profile of any system being developed. This cost will vary depending on various factors, including the contract size of the market traded, the trading medium (electronic vs. floor brok...