Terminsaffärer

Terminsaffärer, often translated as futures contracts or forward contracts, are financial agreements to buy or sell an asset at a predetermined price on a specific future date. These instruments are widely used in financial markets for hedging and speculation. The underlying assets can vary greatly, including commodities like oil and gold, currencies, interest rates, and stock indices.

The core function of a terminsaffär is to lock in a price, thereby mitigating the risk of price fluctuations. For example, a farmer expecting to harvest a crop in several months might enter into a futures contract to sell their produce at a guaranteed price, protecting themselves against a potential drop in market prices. Conversely, a manufacturer needing a specific commodity for production might buy a futures contract to secure the supply at a known cost, shielding them from price increases.

Speculators also utilize terminsaffärer. They bet on the future direction of an asset's price. If a speculator believes the price of a commodity will rise, they can buy a futures contract. If the price does indeed increase by the expiration date, they can sell the contract at a profit. The opposite is true if they anticipate a price decrease.

These contracts are typically traded on organized exchanges or through over-the-counter (OTC) markets. Exchange-traded futures are standardized, with set contract sizes and delivery dates, and are cleared through a clearinghouse to reduce counterparty risk. OTC forwards, on the other hand, are customized agreements directly between two parties and may carry higher counterparty risk. The settlement of a terminsaffär can occur through physical delivery of the asset or through a cash settlement based on the price difference.