UPSC » Economy Notes » Futures

Futures

Check out the details about Futures.

Introduction

  • Futures are a type of financial derivatives or financial agreements or contracts traded in the exchanges. 
  • They are financial contracts to  buy or sell a specified quantity of financial assets or commodity at a future date at a price agreed upon by the seller and buyer.

Features of Futures Contracts

  • Futures contracts are liquid as they are standardized and traded in exchanges.
  • Futures contracts being traded on exchanges are standardized.
  • Futures allow hedging against adverse price changes.
  • Futures make transactions across time easier, speedier, and less costly.
  • Futures help in price discovery.
  • A futures contract allows an investor to speculate on the price of a financial instrument or commodity.

Important Terminologies

  • Spot Price: It is also referred to as cash price or the current price. It is the price of a good for immediate delivery.
  • Basis: It is the difference between cash price and the futures price of a particular good.
  • Spread: It is the difference between two futures prices.  Spreads are important for speculators.