A futures contract is a legally binding contract that agrees to buy or sell something at a previously agreed upon time with a previously agreed upon price. For example, a company might agree to purchase another company in July next year for 1 million dollars today.
Joseph D. Koziol has written: 'A handbook for professional futures and options traders' -- subject(s): Commodity exchanges, Financial futures, Futures, Option (Contract), Options (Finance)
A futures contract is a contract setting the price and date for a commodity purchase.
You purchase a futures contract by first opening a futures trading account, which is a margin account, with a futures broker. Once that is done, simply choose the specific futures contract you wish to buy and then pay its "Initial Margin", which is a deposit needed to start a futures trade.
there are two types that are part of the commodity futures market. A normal futures market is one where the price of the nearby contract is less than the price of the distant futures contract. The other is an inverted futures market, the price of the near contract is greater then the price of the distant contract.
Torben Juul Andersen has written: 'Currency and interest rate hedging' -- subject(s): Financial futures, Foreign exchange futures, Forward exchange, Hedging (Finance), Interest rate futures, Option (Contract), Options (Finance) 'Interest raterisk management' -- subject(s): Forecasting, Interest rates, Investments
A wheat futures contract covers 5000 bushels of whatever wheat (there are different kinds) is specified in the contract.
there are two types that are part of the commodity futures market. A normal futures market is one where the price of the nearby contract is less than the price of the distant futures contract. The other is an inverted futures market, the price of the near contract is greater then the price of the distant contract.
In 1972 it launched a contract in foreign currency futures.
One can own a stock, but trading futures requires one to contract for the futures. Buying stocks gives you ownership (or your own share) in a part of the company that you're buying into. Trading futures, one enters into a contract for a particular commodity instead of actually buying into it. You can then contract to be a buyer or a seller of that commodity.
The E-mini S&P 500 index futures contract (ES) was introduced by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME).
A futures contract is different from an option contract: an option contract allows the buyer to choose to exercise the contract. A futures contract obligates you to do it. Example: You and I decide to buy calls on 100 shares of Acme stock at 22 with June 1 settlement date. You buy a futures contract, and I get an option contract. On May 27, Acme drops to 10 and stays there. On June 1, you must buy 100 shares of $10 stock for $22 per share. My option is out of the money, and I never exercise it. The "obligation" part explains why futures contracts on stock are very, very rare. Almost all futures contracts are written against commodities.
To buy a futures contract, you need to open a trading account with a brokerage firm, deposit funds, choose the specific futures contract you want to buy, and place an order through your broker. The contract represents an agreement to buy or sell a specific asset at a predetermined price on a future date.