Zinc futures are derivative contracts that help market participants safeguard themselves against price fluctuations in zinc. As zinc is used to galvanize steel, it is an extremely important input for the steel industry. Hence, steel manufacturers use zinc futures to lock-in a price now so that they do not have to deal with price fluctuations in zinc later.
If you buy a zinc futures contract now, you will be able to purchase a specified quantity of zinc on a future date at an already agreed-upon price. This helps you lock-in zinc’s future price now.
On the other hand, if you sell zinc futures, you have to sell zinc on a future date at a predetermined price. In a futures contract, both the buyer and the seller are under an obligation to buy/sell. Read this blog, as it discusses many aspects related to zinc futures and zinc investing.
What are Zinc Futures?
Zinc futures trade on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) and the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) in India. So, if you want to buy or sell such futures, you should get a trading account opened with a broker registered with one of these exchanges.
Zinc Futures Explained
As zinc futures help people protect themselves against price fluctuations, they are usually in demand from industries like steel that need zinc as a raw material.
That said, even speculators trade zinc futures, hoping that they will be able to make money by capitalising on price swings. While speculation can help you make money, it is inherently risky. If zinc’s future price does not go in the right direction, you can incur huge losses as well. So, always be careful.
Even the industries that need zinc as an input and hence require zinc futures need to track the demand and supply of zinc at the global level. Being a commodity, zinc’s prices are driven by global changes.
As China is the largest consumer of zinc in the world, zinc’s prices are linked to how well the Chinese economy performs. Hence, you should track the Chinese economy to assess the direction of zinc’s prices. That will help you take positions in zinc futures contracts.
Importance of Investing in Zinc
Zinc is an extremely versatile metal with applications in many industries. Although it is significantly used to galvanize steel, it has other industrial applications as well.
For example, compared to lithium-ion batteries, zinc-ion batteries are considered safer for electric vehicles. As the demand for electric vehicles is increasing, the demand for zinc-ion batteries can grow as well.
Moreover, zinc is 100% recyclable. Hence, it can be recycled and recovered. As zinc has several applications and is a versatile metal, those who are keen to invest in metals should track its prospects to spot investment opportunities. Having explained the importance of zinc investing, let us delve deeper into this topic.
How to Trade Zinc Futures?
The first thing you should do is open a trading account with a reliable broker who has an efficient trading platform for commodities like zinc. Such a broker should be registered with either the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) or the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX).
Let us take an example to explain how you can trade zinc futures. Suppose you are a steel manufacturer who knows that he needs zinc in the future. Let us say that the current price of zinc is ₹ 280 per kg. You find a futures contract that lets you purchase a certain quantity of zinc on July 1 at ₹ 280 per kg.
But, on July 1, the price of zinc increased to ₹ 300 per kg. Even though the price of zinc is more than ₹ 280/kg, you will buy it only at ₹ 280/kg thanks to the futures contract, thereby earning a profit of ₹ 20/kg of zinc.
However, remember that you need to deposit a margin amount with your broker to purchase zinc futures. The margin is typically a small percentage of the contract’s value. Hence, by depositing a small amount, futures allow you to take a much larger position.
Other Methods to Trade in Zinc
Apart from zinc futures, there are other methods of trading in zinc as well, which are explained below:
Zinc Bullion: You can trade zinc through physical zinc bullion like ingots. However, since you will be dealing in physical zinc, you will need storage space, which will be an added cost.
Zinc ETFs: You can invest in zinc exchange-traded-funds (ETF) through an exchange. Zinc ETFs track the price of zinc.
Companies: You can also invest in the stocks of companies that mine and produce zinc in India. That said, such companies often deal in other metals, too. Hence, their performance is linked to that of metals apart from zinc as well.
CFDs (Contract for Difference): This derivative contract helps traders exchange the differential in zinc's price between the time they sign the contract and when the contract is closed.
Conclusion
Zinc futures can certainly help you prevent against price fluctuations. Hence, if you are running an industry that needs zinc, such futures can go a long way in bringing some stability to your operations. However, if you want to trade zinc futures purely for speculation, you need to have a profound understanding of the global zinc market so that you can take a call on zinc’s prices. Otherwise, such contracts can be really risk.
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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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