Future contract意思

"Future contract" is a term used in finance and economics, particularly in the context of derivatives markets. A future contract is a financial agreement between two parties to buy or sell an underlying asset at a predetermined price at a specified future date.

In a futures contract, the buyer agrees to purchase the underlying asset at a fixed price on a future date, while the seller agrees to sell the asset at that price. The underlying asset can be anything from commodities (like gold or oil) to financial instruments (like stocks or bonds), or even currencies.

Futures contracts are standardized and traded on exchanges, which means they have a set expiration date and a predetermined quantity of the underlying asset. They are used by investors and traders for hedging against price risks, speculating on price movements, or for other purposes.

Futures contracts are different from forward contracts, which are similar but are not standardized and are not traded on exchanges. Instead, forward contracts are negotiated bilaterally between two parties.