In India, what are currency futures?
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In India, currency futures contracts are cash-settled and not physically delivered.
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Stock market trading has multiple options for traders, from long-term investments to daily trading. When it comes to forex trading, currency futures are pretty popular. As the name may suggest, currency futures are about purchasing and selling contracts that specify the exchange rate of one currency with respect to another at a future date. One example is the Euro-to-dollar exchange rate.
Different countries have a specific currency, and its value keeps on changing. Other currencies determine the value in the international market. The value may be affected by multiple factors, such as the political stability of a country, economic status, and the policy of a central bank like RBI (Reserve Bank of India). So, comparatively stable currencies and high in value attract investors and traders. So, like any other stock market trading, currency futures also work similarly. Let's understand ‘what are currency futures’, how they work, and how you can benefit from currency futures contracts.
Currency futures are a part of stock market trading and, thus, are traded on centralised exchanges like NSE (National Stock Exchange) in India, CME (Chicago Mercantile Exchange), etc. Just like any other stock, in currency futures, you agree to buy or sell a currency contract at a set price on a future date.
Currency futures can be settled in cash settlement and physical delivery. In cash settlement, the exchange settles the price daily, according to the exchange price change. In physical delivery, the trader exchanges the currency as per the contract at the expiration date. This happens when the trader holds the currency until expiration.
Components of a foreign exchange futures are as follows:
Underlying Asset
The underlying asset refers to the specified currency exchange rate.
Expiration Date
The expiration date is the last date for setting currency futures, a the contract expires after this date. For physical delivery, this is the day actual assets are exchanged, while for cash-settled, the expiration date is the last date to calculate the final profit or loss.
Size
The sizes of contracts are specified. For instance, the euro currency size is 125,000 euros.
Margin Requirement
There are two types of margin requirements in currency futures: initial margin and maintenance margin. The money you deposit upfront to start trading is the initial margin, and margin maintenance refers to the minimum balance requirement of your account. If the balance falls below the maintenance margin, your broker will give you a margin call. The broker may close your trade if you fail to restore funds above the maintenance margin.
A currency futures contract has two essential terms: spot rate and futures rate. You must be aware of these two terms before exercising a currency futures contract:
Spot Rate
Spot rate is the current value of a currency which is ready for immediate exchange. Traders may buy or sell at the spot rate for immediate transactions.
Futures Rate
The futures rate is the specified price at which the currency futures contract can be purchased or sold on a future date. Usually, futures rates move in the same direction as the spot rates. However, this trend may not be seen in the long-term future.
Currency futures and forwards trade at a specified rate on a future date. However, they are different types of contracts. Currency futures are standardised and have a specific date, size, and value. Buying or selling can be done on or before the expiration date.
On the other hand, currency forwards are private agreements and traded over-the-counter (OTC). They have flexible terms and can only be exercised on the expiration date.
Traders purchase or sell currency futures contracts when they want to lock in a currency value for a future date. It is done to hedge against the price losses. Speculators may also buy or sell currency futures to profit from the price fluctuations.
Investing in currency futures can be a strategic decision for many investors. Whether it is about hedging or profit-making, currency futures can be a good option. Let's have a detailed understanding of how currency futures contracts can benefit a trader.
Hedging is one of the reasons why investors may buy currency futures. This is when a trader knows they may need a currency in the future; however, currently, they don't need it. So, instead of purchasing it today, they buy the currency futures contract. Now, even if there are price fluctuations, the trader’s currency valuation will remain intact until a future date (expiration date). So, this is how traders hedge against the possible losses.
Apart from this, speculators also make use of currency futures to profit from price fluctuations. Speculators buy a contract when they expect a price rise and sell a contract when they expect the price to fall. By leveraging their trade, speculators can make large profits with even small price movements.
Currency futures contracts can be settled in two different ways:
Closing Before Expiration Date
One of the common ways is to exercise the contract before the expiration date. The trader may buy or sell the contract before expiration, and the difference in value will be their profit or loss. Here, the contractor plays the opposite position, meaning they sell the contract if they initially purchased it and vice-versa.
Closing on Expiration
If the trader does not close before expiration, the broker will settle the profit/loss and adjust the trader's balance on the expiration date. The actual currency is delivered or received if a trader chooses physical delivery. However, this is extremely rare.
Currency futures contracts can be profitable cautiously and with sufficient market insights. The future rate is usually determined based on the spot rate. Make sure to go through the past trends, current global economic conditions, etc., to make an informed move!
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Disclaimer: Investments in the securities market are subject to market risk, read all related documents carefully before investing.
This content is for educational purposes only. Securities quoted are exemplary and not recommendatory.
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In India, currency futures contracts are cash-settled and not physically delivered.
You need to connect with a broker who can assist in buying or selling currency futures on an exchange like NSE.
Currency swaps are used to obtaint foreign currency loans at a lower interest rat, as borrowings directly from a corporation can be expensive. They are also used to hedge against price movements.
Traders hedge against the possible decline of currency value in the future by purchasing a currency futures contract. So, a fall in the currency’s spot value is covered by the profit in the future market.
As discussed above, future currency contracts can be settled through cash settlement or physical delivery. In India, the latter is not practised.
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