Standardized contracts to buy or sell an asset at a future date and price.
Used for hedging (farmers, miners, airlines hedging input costs) and speculation. Futures are leveraged — you post margin (often 5-10% of contract value), and gains/losses are settled daily ("mark-to-market"). Major futures: S&P 500, crude oil, gold, currencies, Treasuries.
Standardized contracts to buy or sell an asset at a future date and price. Used for hedging (farmers, miners, airlines hedging input costs) and speculation. Futures are leveraged — you post margin (often 5-10% of contract value), and gains/losses are settled daily ("mark-to-market"). Major futures: S&P 500, crude oil, gold, currencies, Treasuries.
In derivatives, Futures is one of the building blocks investors use to compare opportunities and assess risk. Understanding it helps you read research notes, earnings reports, and market commentary without getting lost in jargon.
Used for hedging (farmers, miners, airlines hedging input costs) and speculation. Futures are leveraged — you post margin (often 5-10% of contract value), and gains/losses are settled daily ("mark-to-market").
S&P 500 and Dow futures gained heading into the session as investors positioned ahead of SpaceX's public market debut.
Jun 12, 2026
U.S. index futures advanced on Thursday with Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, and Dow Jones all gaining despite Iran war risk.
Jun 12, 2026
Brazil's mini-index futures fell to new lows while the minidólar accelerated higher after strong US payroll data.
Jun 8, 2026
US stock futures declined at the week open as technology sector weakness and Fed rate hike fears weighed on market sentiment
Jun 8, 2026
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