Futures Trading

Futures trading is one of the most interesting forms of trading in the stock market. One of the most beautiful parts of it is that it can be applied across multiple trading segments. Although, there is no specific clarity of the time and year when futures trading saw its first light of the day.

However, in a regulated market environment, Futures trading commenced first on the soil of Osaka, Japan back in the year 1710. The first exchange to allow it was Dojima Rice Exchange.

In this detailed review, we will talk about Futures trading, starting with its basics, meaning, strategies, implications, challenges and a lot of other related stuff!

Futures Trading Basics

Derivative Trading is the trading mechanism in which the traders enter into an agreement to trade at a future date or at a certain price, after understanding what the future value of the underlying asset of the derivative is expected to be.

Derivatives at the financial contracts that derive their value from the underlying assets.

The underlying assets, in this case, can be equity, commodities, indices, currencies, rates of interest, or exchange rates. These formats of Commodity Futures trading or currency futures trading, all their own respective rules, risk levels, and return ranges. Thus, make sure to be aware of all these related aspects of these formats.

Futures Trading Meaning

Of the derivative trading types, one is Futures Trading.

Futures Trading involves a legal agreement to buy or sell a derivative at a predetermined price at a predetermined time in the future.

The underlying asset of the derivative can be a commodity or a financial instrument.

A very important point to be considered is that in futures trading, the buyer and seller have an obligation to fulfill the contract at the predetermined price and time.

The predetermined price is called the futures price and the predetermined time is called the delivery date. Furthermore, the minimum account size for futures trading in India is not fixed.

Since the lot size is 100 shares in the equity segment, it depends on the current market price of the stock.

However, if you are looking to perform futures trading on a regular basis, then you would need to start with a capital of ₹50,000, although a few traders may suggest much more than this amount.

Futures Trading Characteristics

Before we understand the mechanism of futures trading, the following are some key characteristics of a futures contract:

• Price of the futures contract depends on the price of the underlying asset: If the price of the underlying asset goes up in the future, the price of the futures contract goes up too, and vice versa.
• Transferable and tradable: Future contracts are transferable and therefore tradable. If one party changes their mind during the contract, it can be transferred to someone else and that party can move out.
• Highly regulated: As futures trading involves risks of both the parties not fulfilling their obligation, the futures market is highly regulated by regulatory authorities like SEBI in India. SEBI overlooks the smooth functioning of the futures trading market and highly reduces the chances of default.
• Standardized: Future contracts are always standardized and they cannot be customized according to individual requirements and the conditions are non-negotiable.
• Settlement: Futures contracts are settled in cash, so the physical movement of the underlying assets is not required. Only the difference in cash values is paid by one party to the other.

Thus, before even thinking of moving into futures trading, make sure you understand the above-mentioned characteristics (in a sense, rules) otherwise, it can lead to unnecessary financial losses and/or hassles.

Futures Trading Example

You know what? Theoretically speaking, futures trading can be difficult to understand. Why don’t we take a quick example and understand how this form of trading practically works!

This is how the whole concept of futures trading works in the simplest form possible:

• We begin with understanding the mechanism and working of stock futures.
• For instance, a trader anticipates that the share price of IBM is about to go up in the near future, due to certain annual report disclosures.
• The trader will check for the spot price and future price of IBM stock (available at the NSE website), and both prices will be related to each other.
• He then buys the stock futures of IBM at the underlying price.
• The trader buys 100 shares at ₹155 each. So, the lot size is 100 and the contract value is ₹15,500 and the expiry date is April 30, 2018. This also means that the minimum number of IBM shares that can be bought is 100.
• As soon as the margin money is found to be sufficient in the margin account of the buyer and the counterparty is found, the trade is entered into.
• Now, by the expiry date of April 30, if the price of IBM shares goes up to ₹170, the buyer’s prediction of price increase comes true and he can now buy the IBM shares at ₹155 which is ₹15 less than the market price. So, the total profit is ₹(100*15)= ₹1500. The seller of the futures contract will incur a loss of ₹1500 as he is obligated to sell the shares at ₹155 when the current market price is ₹170.
• If the price of IBM shares goes down instead to ₹145, the buyer will incur a loss of ₹(100*10)= ₹1000 because he will have to buy the shares at ₹155 which are currently being traded at ₹145. The seller makes a profit in this case.
• In the scenario when the price of the shares rises just after a couple of days, the buyer would not want to wait till the expiry because by then the prices may go down again, so he can still exit the trade by transferring the futures contract to another party and close position with the profit.
• The results of the squaring off of the transaction are directly debited from or credited to the parties’ margin accounts and no physical settlement is required.

Hopefully, you have a much clearer idea about how futures trading actually works in real-life trading!

Check Spot Price and Strike Price and know their difference.

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Futures Trading Strategies

Although, we discuss all the futures trading strategies in a separate review, however, let’s discuss some of the most commonly used strategies here:

• Long Call

You go bullish in this strategy and go for a buy trade at a pre-determined price on a future date.

• Short Call

You stay bearish in this strategy and go for a selling trader at a pre-determined price on a future date.

• Short Put

In this strategy, the seller will be obliged to sell off the shares at a pre-determined price on the expiry date if the buyer chooses to exercise the options contract. Obviously, the buyer will take this action when the market price of the stock has gone higher than the strike price (pre-determined price).

• Long Put

Here, as a buyer, you get a choice/right to buy the option at a pre-determined price in the future date. The seller will be obliged to sell it to you at that price. You, however, may choose not to exercise the option if you want.

• Bull Put Spread

Here two option contracts come into play simultaneously where you buy and sell 2 option contracts at the same time, however, the strike price of one of the contracts is higher than the other.

• Bear Call Spread

Here again, two option contracts are into action, where two calls are taken of the same underlying asset and expiry date. The strike price of the call option bought must be higher than the strike price of the call option sold.

Of course, there are a lot of other future trading strategies that can be employed based on the market trend and the trader’s objectives.

Futures trading is complex, but you can make good profits by using the Best Indicators for Day Trading Futures. Thus, you are suggested to take a good amount of understanding on how these strategies work and only then employ those on your trades.

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Futures Trading Charts

When you use charts and chart patterns for the fundamental or technical analysis of stocks, make sure the charts are easy to use and are understandable as per your trading capacity and experience.

As far as futures trading charts are concerned, some of the most recommended charts and chart patterns are:

• Ascending Triangle Pattern
• Broadening Top Futures Trading Chart Pattern
• Cup and Handle Futures Trading Chart Pattern
• Double Bottom Futures Trading Chart Pattern
• Double Top Futures Trading Chart Pattern
• Descending Triangle Pattern

Some of these charts are for advanced level traders and that is why understanding how these patterns work must be the first step towards analyzing the stock market for futures trading.

Of course, you may choose to perform futures trading without the need for these charts and patterns, however, if you use them, you can be more objective in your analysis.

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Futures Trading Requirements

When it comes to some of the basic requirements to perform futures trading, then first you need to know that there is no specific minimum requirement on the capital.

You can start with any amount depending on the contract you are looking to get into. No regulator will tell you that you’d need to have X amount of rupees in your trading account balance to initiate trading account balance.

Then, there might be margin requirements. However, you’d need to pay a small amount of the overall trade turnover amount.

Lastly, choose a stockbroker that is one of the best stock brokers for options trading. The reason for that is simple! A stockbroker that has designed its trading platforms, margin policies, brokerage charges around this form of trading will be optimal for you.

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Futures Trading Risk

By now, you do understand that futures trading has the potential to bring unlimited profits on the table.

Thus, as the number 1 rule of investing, you will know that higher returns require you to take relatively higher risks!

There are a few risks associated with futures trading you MUST be aware of, before delve into this trading form:

• If the market goes opposite to your expectations, then you may run into large monetary liabilities.
• You are supposed to complete your settlements on a regular basis. Thus, you need to manage your capital accordingly.
• Like every trade decision you make, you need to be wary of the direction and the price point you pick in these trades.
• You need to educate yourself with the specific details about how futures trading works from both sides (buyer and seller). Also, make yourself aware of the role of different regulators as well so that you don’t find yourself surprised later.

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Futures Trading Advantages

Here are some of the benefits of using futures trading as part of your overall investment plan:

1. Leverage due to the provision of margin trading: Using the margin trading account, positions can be taken in the futures market by paying only a fraction of the total contract value. If the market moves in the expected direction then the return on investment becomes very high; although so do the losses if the market does not go in the right direction.
2. Liquidity: The number of futures contracts traded every day is quite high, so the futures market is very liquid. It is easy to enter and exit the market at any point. This also brings the effect that the market does not move drastically.
3. Low brokerage costs and commissions: The brokerage and fee charged on the futures contract are quite low, so the trader does not have to pay a huge amount in commission.
4. Hedging: Futures trading is a very important mechanism for hedging or diversification of portfolios and risks. Especially, in the foreign exchange market and the interest rate market, futures trading helps a lot to hedge risk due to price fluctuations. It is widely used by importers and exporters to hedge their risks due to foreign exchange price variations at the time of order and the time of delivery.
5. Short selling: There are many restraints on the short-selling of stocks individually, but the short-selling of futures contracts is legal and the trader is able to sell a futures contract to get short exposures to a stock.
6. Fair and easy to understand: Futures trading is simple and easy and not as complicated as options trading. The futures market is also strictly monitored and regulated by regulatory authorities like SEBI making it very fair to both parties.

As a bottom line, futures trading is a very efficient way of making money due to leverage and provisions of hedging, but at the same time, the traders need to be very cautious while trading in the futures market as they are equally prone to risks due to high leverage and high contract values.

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Futures Trading Challenges

It’s not all rosy and sunny. Since the profit potential in this kind of trading style is high, thus, the challenges are going to be much tougher as compared to the ones in other conventional forms of trading.

Some of the challenges in futures trading you may face are:

• Staying Objective: As soon as your emotions start making the trade decisions for you, you can assume your profit downfall is about to get started. You need to remain 100% objective throughout your trading choices especially when you are into futures.
• Getting Distracted: Futures trading in general, DEMANDS focus and attention. Thus, as long as you are involving yourself in future trades, make sure you are completely immersed in your research and analysis.
• Shutting Yourself: If you think you know everything about trading, be it any kind, well then it is going to be really difficult for you to make money consistently in the stock market. You need to be open about the new concepts emerging in the market since the stock market in itself is very dynamic in nature.

As long as you are able to tackle these and other related challenges, futures trading is certainly one of trading that can bring you reasonable returns on a consistent basis.

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