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Derivatives in a Nutshell
By
Shravan Bhumkar
(KH08JUNMBA100)
Buyer Seller
Derivatives
Wheat Trader
Less liquid
No margin payment
Wheat farmer
Wheat Trader
The interests of buyer and seller are safe guarded to a great extent
Spot price : The price at which an asset trades in the spot market.
Future price : The price at which the futures contract trades in the futures
market.
Expiry date: It is the date specified in the futures contract. This is last day on
which the contract will be traded, at the end of which it will cease to exist.
Contract size: The amount of asset that has to be delivered under one
contract.
Basis : In the context of financial futures, basis can be defined as futures price
minus the spot price.
Initial margin : That the amount must be deposited in the margin account at
the time a futures contract is first entered into is initial margin.
Mark-to-market : In the futures market, at the end of each trading day, the
margin account is adjusted to reflect the investor`s gain or loss depending
upon the futures closing price. This is called mark to market.
There are zillion commodities available in the world. But the commodities
that become a good derivative underliers should be fungible (as good as
another) and liquid (there are large number of active buyers and sellers).