Liquidity is good imo on stocks and spreads tight, I don't trade futures. The symbol for ASX200 is 'SPI.AX' but imo its weird, try finding SPI.AX data and charts on the internet, nigh on impossible, it can be found at
https://au.investing.com/indices/australia-200-futures.
Also on barcharts.com under:
https://www.barchart.com/futures/quotes/AP*0/interactive-chart
Broker fees on ASX imo are outrageously high, the ASX basically have a monopoly here and like a fox guarding the henhouse are self listed on the ASX.
The ASX also owns the SFE (Sydney Futures Exchange). In 2006 the Australian Stock Exchange merged with the Sydney Futures Exchange to become the Australian Securities Exchange. Its official name is ASX Limited.
There are approx 2500 odd stocks on ASX, lots of ETF's, also funds like realestate listed funds and money funds and what I term obscure stock options, mainly I think from speculative mining companies.
My observation of the ASX compared to USA markets, it's primitive.
The technology is primitive, the choices primitive.
But mining stocks is a little bit like the Wild West, quite volatile and can go gangbusters at times, that's why I view trading here an arcade game, a casino, gambling den.
The main stock forum (like et) here is called 'Hotcopper'.
Now imagine you are living in the 1800's, you live in Hillbilly Town, you are clueless, you are fallible to pump and dumpers, you carry a six shooter on your hip and chew bacca, that's hotcopper.