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There are actually three similar derivatives: futures, forwards and options.
Futures contracts say, in essence, "On September 15, 2009, Rockford Grain Growers will deliver to General Mills 100,000 bushels of wheat for $5 per bushel." The risk to the buyer is that wheat will sell on the spot market for $4.75 per bushel and he'll lose a lot of money, but that's counterbalanced by the risk it's going to sell on the spot market for $6 if he doesn't have a futures contract. Basically, this stabilizes finished product prices: if you know wheat's going to cost X and wheat is 90 percent of your product, you can call Walmart and tell them, "next fall our food is going to cost this amount."
Forwards contracts say almost the same thing: "On or before September 1, 2009, John Smith Wheat Growing will deliver to Rockford Grain Growers his entire wheat crop for $4.25 per bushel." Futures don't really work for farmers because they're not always entirely sure how much they are going to harvest. Forwards, which don't state quantity, are better. There are two risks to the buyer here: that the farmer won't be able to deliver enough wheat for the elevator to meet its futures contracts; and that the farmer will deliver so much he won't have anywhere to put it.
Options say, "on October 15, 2009, General Foods may purchase 20,000 bushels of wheat from Rockford Grain Growers for $5.50 per bushel." Commodities users buy both contracts because they have to--they KNOW they need 100,000 bushels of wheat, but if their new cereal gets popular they will need more wheat so they buy a set of options just in case.
Futures are only good if you buy the stuff to use it. Some guys buy these to speculate--if they think wheat is going through the roof, they can buy a future a year out and sell it for cheaper than an option would be later on, but that's kinda risky: if you can't get rid of your futures contract when it matures, some guy in a big truck will show up in front of your building asking where you want the wheat you bought
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Explain the difference between a call option and a long position in a futures contract?
The only difference between a long call option and a long futures position is the derivative itself--one of them is an option, the other is a futures contract.
Explain the difference between a put option and a short position in a futures contract?
Well, the first difference is the root difference between a futures contract and an option contract: in a futures contract you MUST complete the sale at the end of the contract (if you didn't buy it back before the settlement date) but in an option you CAN.Once we're past that, the short position in a futures contract--the person who has the item the contract is derived from, such as a thousand bushels of wheat--is the same as the buyer of a put. Both of them have the thing now, and will transfer title to it after settlement or exercise.
What are the differences between future and option contract?
There's one main difference and it's huge: An option contract gives the person who buys it the privilege of doing whatever it is the contract is written for. A futures contract imposes an obligation on the buyer. There are also liquidity requirements and requirements to pay performance bonds in futures trading that don't exist in options trading, but the real basic difference is that an options buyer can do something and a futures trader has to.
What is the difference between a forward contracts futures contracts and options?
Forwards and futures are essentially the same thing: a commitment to buy/sell at a certain date for a certain price. The difference is in futures contracts you're also committed to sell a certain quantity, whereas in a forward you're not.An options contract gives you the option, but not the obligation, to buy or sell. This is great if you're working with stocks. If you have a futures contract to buy 500 shares of Coca-Cola for $10 per share on January 15 and Coke closed at $8 on January 15, you just lost a thousand dollars. If you were long on a put with the same spread between strike and stock prices, you made $1000.Forwards and futures have a purpose in life--IF you're dealing commodities with the intention to use them. You make frozen pies. You know you need ten tons each of wheat, sugar and apples. If you have a futures contract for October delivery on all of those commodities, you know what your pies' materials value is going to be, hence you can publish a good price for your pies. But futures speculators--investors who buy futures with the intent of selling the product after delivery, or the contract to a producer (there is a secondary market in futures)--have a long and proud history of losing their asses on these, so I recommend against them as an investment vehicle.
Difference between put option and call option?
The holder/purchaser/owner of a call option contract has the right to buy an asset (or call the asset away) from a writer/seller of a call option contract at the pre-determined contract or strike price. The holder/purchaser/owner of a call option contract expects the price of the underlying asset to rise during the term or duration of the call contract, for as the value of the underlying asset increases so does the value of the call option contract. Conversely, the write/seller of a call option contract expects the price of the underlying asset to remain stable or to decline. The holder/purchaser/owner of a put option contract has the right to sell an asset (or put the asset) to a writer/seller of a put option contract at the pre-determined contract or strike price. The holder/purchaser/owner of a put option contract expects the price of the underlying asset to decline during the term or duration of the put contract, for as the value of the underlying asset declines the contract value increases. Conversely, the writer/seller of a put option contract expects the price of the underlying asset to remain stable or to rise.
Explain the difference between a call option and a long position in a futures contract?
The only difference between a long call option and a long futures position is the derivative itself--one of them is an option, the other is a futures contract.
Explain the difference between a put option and a short position in a futures contract?
Well, the first difference is the root difference between a futures contract and an option contract: in a futures contract you MUST complete the sale at the end of the contract (if you didn't buy it back before the settlement date) but in an option you CAN.Once we're past that, the short position in a futures contract--the person who has the item the contract is derived from, such as a thousand bushels of wheat--is the same as the buyer of a put. Both of them have the thing now, and will transfer title to it after settlement or exercise.
What are the differences between future and option contract?
There's one main difference and it's huge: An option contract gives the person who buys it the privilege of doing whatever it is the contract is written for. A futures contract imposes an obligation on the buyer. There are also liquidity requirements and requirements to pay performance bonds in futures trading that don't exist in options trading, but the real basic difference is that an options buyer can do something and a futures trader has to.
Is a futures contract a type of options contract where you are either a seller of a call or a seller of a put?
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.
What are some common trends in commodity option trading?
Two common trends in commodity option trading are; 'Futures and Sell option' (buy a future contract for a certain month and sell an option contract for that same month) and 'Buy Futures and Buy Options' (buy both the future and option contracts in order to protect yourself in case one goes lower).
What is the deferent between future and option?
A futures (never "future") contract obligates the participants to complete the transaction. An option contract doesn't. If I bought 5000 to 7000 bushels of wheat a month, I would get one wheat futures contract (5000 bushels) and two mini wheat options (1000 bushels) - preferably one that expires on the 10th and the other on the 20th. I'd have to buy the 5000 bushels, but would only buy the rest if I needed it.
What has the author Joseph D Koziol written?
Joseph D. Koziol has written: 'A handbook for professional futures and options traders' -- subject(s): Commodity exchanges, Financial futures, Futures, Option (Contract), Options (Finance)
Why are futures and options risky investments?
Futures and options are no more risky than equities, bonds, or foreign exchange trades. Futures are a standardized contract between two parties to buy or sell a specified asset at its current price at a specific date in the future. An option is the same thing, but without the obligation to buy.
What is the difference between options and futures?
Derivatives; derviatives is the product its price is derived from underlining asset (underlining asset my be stocks,bonds,commodities,etc) derivatives are as follows futures and options it normally call as F&O... futures:it is a contract between two parties to purchase and sell of products for future period at pre-determind price.... options:it is the right but not the obligation to buy or sell underlining assets.... call option:is the right but not the obligation to buy the underlining asset....buyer may refuse the contract before the maturity of contract. put option:it is opposit of call option...... The primary difference lies in the obligation placed on the contract buyers and sellers. In a futures contract, both participants in the contract are obliged to buy (or sell) the underlying asset at the specified price on settlement day. As a result, both buyers and sellers of futures contracts face the same amount of risk. On the other hand, the option contract buyer has the right but not the obligation to buy (or sell) the underlying asset. Hence the term "option" and this option comes at a price in the form of a premium (more specifically, the time value of the premium). With this "option", the option buyer's risk is limited to the premium paid but his potential profit is unlimited. Sellers of options take on an additional volatility risk in exchange for the premium. However, their potential profit is then capped while their potential losses has no limit. Hence, this premium can be high if the underlying asset is perceived to be very volatile.
What is the difference between a forward contracts futures contracts and options?
Forwards and futures are essentially the same thing: a commitment to buy/sell at a certain date for a certain price. The difference is in futures contracts you're also committed to sell a certain quantity, whereas in a forward you're not.An options contract gives you the option, but not the obligation, to buy or sell. This is great if you're working with stocks. If you have a futures contract to buy 500 shares of Coca-Cola for $10 per share on January 15 and Coke closed at $8 on January 15, you just lost a thousand dollars. If you were long on a put with the same spread between strike and stock prices, you made $1000.Forwards and futures have a purpose in life--IF you're dealing commodities with the intention to use them. You make frozen pies. You know you need ten tons each of wheat, sugar and apples. If you have a futures contract for October delivery on all of those commodities, you know what your pies' materials value is going to be, hence you can publish a good price for your pies. But futures speculators--investors who buy futures with the intent of selling the product after delivery, or the contract to a producer (there is a secondary market in futures)--have a long and proud history of losing their asses on these, so I recommend against them as an investment vehicle.
What is a futures stocks?
A futures contract is an obligation to buy a stock at a certain price on a certain date, unlike and option, where there is no obligation to buy, only the right to buy. Check out this website, it might help you get started.
Can you have a Future on an Option on a Future?
When you're dealing in Over the Counter derivatives you can have anything you want. I can't imagine why you'd want a contract that obligates you to buy another futures contract on a date certain, though.
