Because currency futures contracts are marked-to-market daily, investors can exit their obligation to buy or sell the currency prior to the contract's delivery date. This is done by closing out the position. With currency futures, the price is determined when the contract is signed, just as it is in the forex market, only and the currency pair is exchanged on the delivery date, which is usually some time in the distant future. However, most participants in the futures markets are speculators who usually close out their positions before the date of settlement, so most contracts do not tend to last until the date of delivery.
Terminology
• Clearing House An agency or separate corporation of a futures exchange responsible for settling trading accounts, clearing trades, collecting and maintaining margin monies, regulating delivery and reporting trading data. Clearing houses act as third parties to all futures and options contracts - as a buyer to every clearing member seller and a seller to every clearing member buyer.
• Currency A generally accepted form of money, including coins and paper notes, which is issued by a government and circulated within an economy. Used as a medium of exchange for goods and services, currency is the basis for trade
• Currency Forward A forward contract in the forex market that locks in the price at which an entity can buy or sell a currency on a future date. Also known as "outright forward currency transaction", "forward outright" or "FX forward"
• Forward Discount In a foreign exchange situation where the domestic current spot exchange rate is trading at a higher level then the current domestic futures spot rate for a maturity period. A forward discount is an indication by the market that the current domestic exchange rate is going to depreciate in value against another currency
• Futures Contract A contractual agreement, generally made on the trading floor of a futures exchange, to buy or sell a particular commodity or financial instrument at a pre-determined price in the future. Futures contracts detail the quality and quantity of the underlying asset; they are standardized to facilitate trading on a futures exchange. Some futures contracts may call for physical delivery of the asset, while others are settled in cash
• Hedge Making an investment to reduce the risk of adverse price movements in an asset. Normally, a hedge consists of taking an offsetting position in a related security, such as a futures contract
• Losing The Points A currency trading term that describes when the banks' buying price in the forward market is lower than the selling price in the spot market. A trader is losing the points when he or she buys at one price now and then agrees to sell for less in the future. This is the opposite of earning the points.
• Mark-to-Market - MTM 1. A measure of the fair value of accounts that can change over time, such as assets and liabilities. Mark to market aims to provide a realistic appraisal of an institution's or company's current financial situation.
2. The accounting act of recording the price or value of a security, portfolio or account to reflect its current market value rather than its book value.
3. When the net asset value (NAV) of a mutual fund is valued based on the most current market valuation.
• Outright Forward A forward currency contract with a locked-in exchange rate and delivery date. An outright forward contract allows an investor to buy or sell a currency on a specific date or within a range of dates. Foreign exchange forward contracts function in a very similar fashion to standard forward contracts.
Author is management student with Somaya Institute of management.
She can be reached at apeksha40@gmail.com
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