Types of Traders in the Futures Market

futures trading

A futures contract is a written agreement between two parties to exchange an asset or security at a predetermined price at some point in the future. They are used for a variety of reasons, from hedging to speculation. Learn more https://onlinefuturescontracts.com/

Hedgers

Hedgers are companies or individuals who use futures contracts to lock in a fixed price for goods and services. For example, an oil company could buy futures contracts to protect themselves from large moves in the price of oil. An airline may also buy futures for jet fuel, allowing them to keep their costs predictable even when the price of jet fuel fluctuates.

The Role of Futures Trading in Portfolio Diversification

The most common type of trader in the futures market is called a speculator. These are full-time professional traders, portfolio managers, and small individual traders who trade futures.

These traders take advantage of a unique feature in the futures market that makes them more likely to gain a profit from a favorable price movement. That is, they have the ability to borrow money in order to purchase a futures position that gives them control of the underlying asset at a lower cost than if they were to simply buy it outright.

In addition, a speculator can also spread out their investment by simultaneously buying multiple futures positions that are all in the same underlying asset (like corn or energy), but using different expiration dates. Speculators can also generate profits by employing technical analysis, which analyzes statistical trends to identify potential trading opportunities.