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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.
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Explain the difference between forward contracts and futures contracts?
Forwards Contract: A forward contract is the simplest of the Derivative products. It is a mutual agreement between two parties, in which the buyer agrees to buy a quantity of an asset at a specific price from the seller at a future date. The Price of the contract does not change before delivery. These type of contracts are binding, which means both the buyer and seller must stay committed to the contract. This means they are bound to deliver or take delivery of the product on which the forward contract was agreed upon. Forwards contracts are very useful in hedging Futures Contract: A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell an asset at a certain time in the future at a specific price. The Contractual terms of the futures contracts are very clear. The Futures market was designed to solve the shortcomings in the forwards contracts. Unlike forwards, futures are traded in organized exchanges. They also use a clearing house that provides the necessary protection to both the buyer and the seller. The price of the futures contract can change prior to delivery. Hence, both participants must settle daily price changes as per the contract values. Difference: Futures are traded in Organized Exchanges while Forwards are Over-The-Counter (OTC) traded
When you choose future contract over forward contract?
When there isn't an active market for the forward contract. Generally, Futures contracts have a much more active open market than forward contracts and have alot more choice in terms of expiration months than forward contracts.
What are the similarities and differences between forward and future contract?
Similarities:1. Both are derivative securities for future delivery/receipt. Agree on P and Q today for future settlement or delivery in 1 week to 10 years.2. Both are used to hedge currency risk, interest rate risk or commodity price risk.3. In principal they are very similar, used to accomplish the same goal of risk management.Differences:1. Forward contracts are private, customized contracts between a bank and its clients (MNCs, exporters, importers, etc.) depending on the client's needs. There is no secondary market for forward contracts since it is a private contractual agreement, like most bank loans (vs. bond).2. Forward contracts are settled at expiration, futures contracts are continually settled, daily settlement.3. Most (90%) of forward contracts are settled with delivery/receipt of the asset. Most futures contracts (99%) are settled with cash, NOT the commodity/asset.4. Futures markets have daily price limits.
What are the similarities between a forward contract and afutures contract?
Forwards Contract: A forward contract is the simplest of the Derivative products. It is a mutual agreement between two parties, in which the buyer agrees to buy a quantity of an asset at a specific price from the seller at a future date. The Price of the contract does not change before delivery. These type of contracts are binding, which means both the buyer and seller must stay committed to the contract. This means they are bound to deliver or take delivery of the product on which the forward contract was agreed upon. Forwards contracts are very useful in hedging Futures Contract: A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell an asset at a certain time in the future at a specific price. The Contractual terms of the futures contracts are very clear. The Futures market was designed to solve the shortcomings in the forwards contracts. Unlike forwards, futures are traded in organized exchanges. They also use a clearing house that provides the necessary protection to both the buyer and the seller. The price of the futures contract can change prior to delivery. Hence, both participants must settle daily price changes as per the contract values. Difference: Futures are traded in Organized Exchanges while Forwards are Over-The-Counter (OTC) traded
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.
What is differences between currency future and currency future contracts?
"Futures" and "Futures contracts" are the same thing.
What is an example of a derivative product?
Derivative instruments are classified as: Forward Contracts Futures Contracts Options Swaps
Explain the difference between forward contracts and futures contracts?
Forwards Contract: A forward contract is the simplest of the Derivative products. It is a mutual agreement between two parties, in which the buyer agrees to buy a quantity of an asset at a specific price from the seller at a future date. The Price of the contract does not change before delivery. These type of contracts are binding, which means both the buyer and seller must stay committed to the contract. This means they are bound to deliver or take delivery of the product on which the forward contract was agreed upon. Forwards contracts are very useful in hedging Futures Contract: A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell an asset at a certain time in the future at a specific price. The Contractual terms of the futures contracts are very clear. The Futures market was designed to solve the shortcomings in the forwards contracts. Unlike forwards, futures are traded in organized exchanges. They also use a clearing house that provides the necessary protection to both the buyer and the seller. The price of the futures contract can change prior to delivery. Hence, both participants must settle daily price changes as per the contract values. Difference: Futures are traded in Organized Exchanges while Forwards are Over-The-Counter (OTC) traded
Can you explain how forward contracts work in financial markets?
Forward contracts are agreements between two parties to buy or sell an asset at a future date for a predetermined price. These contracts are customized and traded over-the-counter, meaning they are not standardized like futures contracts. Investors use forward contracts to hedge against price fluctuations or speculate on future price movements.
Are futures contracts long term contracts?
They can be. If you look at the futures pricing, you'll see futures contracts that settle in 2013--and futures contracts that settle next month.
When you choose future contract over forward contract?
When there isn't an active market for the forward contract. Generally, Futures contracts have a much more active open market than forward contracts and have alot more choice in terms of expiration months than forward contracts.
What are the different type of hedging tools?
The hedging tools are part of the risk management strategy. It uses instruments like Forward Contracts, Futures Contracts, Options Contracts, Swap Contracts, etc.
Difference between futures market and forward market?
A Futures market is a forward market that trades through a centralised exchange, just like most stocks do. The classic forward market occurs as an Over-The-Counter (OTC) trade, rather than through an exchange.
Forward contracts are traded in a competitive arena whereas futures contract may be traded by telephone or telex?
false
Differences between a futures contract and a forward contract?
There are 3 different types of forward pricing: (1) Forward contracts (which include cash forward contracts, minimum price forward contracts and deferred pricing contracts) (2) Futures Contracts and (3) Option Contracts. A forward contract is an agreement between two parties to buy or sell an asset at an agreed future point in time. The trade date and delivery date are separated. A futures contract is a standardized forward contract that is traded on an exchange, like SAFEX. Other than forward contracts, futures contracts are not linked with specific buyers. The intermediary between buyers and sellers is a clearing house that ensures that contracts held for delivery are fulfilled. Options contract convey the right, but not the obligation, to buy (call option) or sell (put option) at a specified price during a specified period of time. The good traded in the market is not the actual commodity, but a futures contract. The farmer will receive a futures contract, which will carry an obligation to buy or sell at some specific future date, if he/she chooses to exercise the option.
What is the basic difference between a forward and future market?
A forward contract is a private and customizable contract that needs to be settled at the end of the agreement and is traded over the counter. A futures contract has standardized terms and is traded on an stock or commodity exchange, where prices are settled on a daily basis until the end of the contract.
What are the similarities and differences between forward and future contract?
Similarities:1. Both are derivative securities for future delivery/receipt. Agree on P and Q today for future settlement or delivery in 1 week to 10 years.2. Both are used to hedge currency risk, interest rate risk or commodity price risk.3. In principal they are very similar, used to accomplish the same goal of risk management.Differences:1. Forward contracts are private, customized contracts between a bank and its clients (MNCs, exporters, importers, etc.) depending on the client's needs. There is no secondary market for forward contracts since it is a private contractual agreement, like most bank loans (vs. bond).2. Forward contracts are settled at expiration, futures contracts are continually settled, daily settlement.3. Most (90%) of forward contracts are settled with delivery/receipt of the asset. Most futures contracts (99%) are settled with cash, NOT the commodity/asset.4. Futures markets have daily price limits.
