Forward contract

People can make special deals. Two people agree on a price today. They agree to trade something later. This is called a forward contract.

One person agrees to buy the item. This person takes a long position. The other person agrees to sell it. They take a short position.

These deals help people plan. A person might want to buy a house later. They can agree on the price now. This helps them feel safe about the cost.

Some people use these deals to make money. They guess if the price will change. This is like making a bet on the future.

These deals are different from other trades. They can be made for many things. This includes things like gold or money.

A forward contract is a special deal between two people. They agree to buy or sell something at a set time in the future. They also agree on the price right now. This price is called the delivery price.

One person takes a long position. This person agrees to buy the item later. The other person takes a short position. This person agrees to sell the item later.

These deals help people manage risk. For example, a person might need to buy a foreign currency later. They can use a forward to lock in the cost. This protects them if the price changes. Other people use these deals to speculate. Speculating is like making a bet on what the future price will be.

Forward contracts can be for many things. They can be for houses, gold, or oil. Some assets, like gold, cost money to store. This is called a storage cost. Other assets might pay money to the owner. These deals are different from futures. Forwards are not traded on an official exchange. Because of this, they can be made for any specific amount or date.

A forward contract is a special financial agreement between two people or groups. They agree to trade an asset at a specific time in the future. They also agree on the price right now. This set price is called the delivery price. The person who agrees to buy the asset is taking a long position. The person who agrees to sell the asset is taking a short position. These contracts are called derivatives because their value comes from something else, like a house or a currency.

People use these contracts for different reasons. Some people use them to hedge their risk. Hedging is a way to protect yourself from price changes. For example, a person might need Canadian dollars in one year. They can use a forward contract to lock in the exchange rate today. Other people use forwards to speculate. Speculation is like making a bet on what the future price will be. If they guess correctly, they can make a profit.

There are many things that can be part of a forward contract. You might see contracts for gold, oil, or even houses. Some assets have special costs or benefits. For example, storing gold costs money. These are called storage costs. Other assets, like some stocks, might pay money to the owner. This is called income or a dividend yield. For raw materials like oil, there is also something called a convenience yield. This is a benefit from holding the actual item instead of just a contract.

Setting the right price is a very important job. Experts look at the cost of carry to find the right price. This includes the interest rates and any storage costs. For an investment asset like gold, the forward price links to the current spot price. The math used to find this is called spot-forward parity. If an asset pays income, the forward price changes to reflect that benefit. This helps make sure the deal is fair for both sides. It ensures that buying now or waiting for the future costs roughly the same.

Forward contracts are different from futures contracts in a few ways. Futures are traded on official exchanges with set rules. Forward contracts are traded "over the counter." This means they are private deals that can be customized. You can choose the exact amount and the exact date you want. However, because they are private, there is more risk. This is called counterparty risk. It means one person might not be able to keep their promise.

A forward contract is a specialized financial agreement between two parties. In this contract, the parties agree to buy or sell an asset at a specific time in the future. They also agree on the price at the moment they sign the deal. This set price is known as the delivery price. Because the value of a forward contract comes from an underlying asset, it is classified as a derivative instrument.

In every forward contract, there are two distinct roles. The party that agrees to buy the asset in the future takes a long position. The party that agrees to sell the asset in the future takes a short position. The price of the underlying asset is paid before the actual control of that asset changes hands. This is different from many other trades where the trade date and the value date are the same. In a forward, the time of the agreement and the time of the exchange are separated.

People use these contracts for several different purposes. One common reason is to hedge risk. Hedging is a way to protect against changes in prices, such as currency exchange rates. For example, a person might use a currency forward to lock in a rate for Canadian dollars. This helps them if they have a debt to pay in that currency later. Another reason is speculation. A speculator uses a forward contract to make a bet on future prices. They hope to profit by correctly guessing how the market will move.

Setting the delivery price requires careful calculation. This is often done using a concept called spot-forward parity. This principle links the current market price, called the spot price, to the forward price. One way to look at this is through the cost of carry. The cost of carry is the net cost of holding an asset versus holding a forward contract. This includes the risk-free rate of return, which is the interest earned in a bank. It also includes other factors like storage costs or income.

Different types of assets change how the price is calculated. Investment assets, like gold, may have storage costs. These costs act like negative income because they make holding the physical item more expensive. Some assets, like stocks, provide income or dividends. When an asset pays income, the forward price must be adjusted to reflect this benefit. This ensures that the contract is fair compared to buying the asset immediately. The math must account for whether this income is paid at specific times or continuously.

Raw materials like crude oil or iron ore are called consumption assets. These assets are used in production or for energy. People who hold these physical assets may enjoy a convenience yield. This is a non-cash benefit from having the actual material on hand. A high convenience yield often happens when inventories are low. This reflects the market's expectation that there might be a shortage. If inventories are high, the convenience yield is usually lower.

Economists have studied how these prices relate to future expectations. John Maynard Keynes and John Hicks discussed how different people use these markets. They noted that hedgers often take short positions to reduce risk. Speculators often take long positions because they want to make a profit. This can lead to two market states: contango and normal backwardation. In normal backwardation, the forward price is lower than the expected future spot price. In contango, the forward price is higher than the expected future spot price.

Forward contracts are different from futures contracts in important ways. Futures are standardized and traded on official exchanges. Forward contracts are traded "over the counter," or OTC. This means they are private deals that can be customized to specific needs. However, OTC trades come with counterparty risk. This is the risk that the other person might not fulfill their part of the deal. Because they are private, it can also be much harder to close out a position or cancel the contract.