FUTURES


Meaning of FUTURES in English

n.

Commercial contracts calling for the purchase or sale of specified quantities of a good at specified future dates.

The good in question may be grain, livestock, precious metals, or financial instruments such as treasury bills . Up until the time the contract calls for the delivery of the good, the contract is subject to speculation. Futures contracts originated in the trade in agricultural commodities; for example, American grain farmers were able to sell their harvest in advance on the Chicago Board of Trade , a commodity exchange .

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.