Futures Trading Guide 2018 | Futures Broker Selection & Advantages

Derivative, yet lucrative element- futures contracts are agreements between buyers and sellers to buy or sell an asset at a specific price. They are known as derivatives because the contract in itself carries no value; the value depends on the price of the underlying asset. They are a standardized element, with precise quantity and quality. The exchange happens in the form of physical delivery of the asset, or through cash. A majority of futures investors rely more on asset prices than the asset itself. They make profits by speculating on price movements of assets and the particular instrument is of no interest!
 

How Futures Trading Began?

Commercial industries run on the basis of supply-demand. Agriculture, one of the biggest industries worldwide, follows the same. During times of increasing demand, products are priced higher; similarly, when the market has lesser needs for a product, its price goes down along with the demand. To protect agricultural products from this price drop, futures contracts were established between farmers and buyers. Doing so helped shied farmers from price risks by predetermining the price to sell a crop at, and the seller would acknowledge the buying price prior to the transaction.

Futures Trading Guide 2018

Futures Transitioning:
 

What started off as an agricultural benefit has moved into the global trade markets today? Today futures trading cover a wide range of commodities - metals, currencies, food, you name it! These contracts come with an expiration date, beyond which they are deemed invalid. The longer this date is, the more the contract's value. Ironically, contract values are higher, the closer they are to expire.
2 aspects to keep in mind before entering markets:
 

There are 2 simple, yet crucial things to keep in mind before trading futures.
 

1) Getting the Right Brokerage: To win at futures trading is no solo adventure; your broker plays as important a role as you do. Several brokerage firms don't offer future contracts. Partner up with a good agency, preferably a discount broker if you are new to the game since they charge lesser fee and commission. There is one too many considerations while choosing a broker! You have to have a good platform to work with, fair commission rates, and an overall experienced broker to guide you through each venture.
 

2) Types of Markets: Futures trading has found a place in the trading ecosystem, and provides several streams to pursue. There are 6 types of futures contracts - agriculture, energy, currency, equity, metals and interest rates. The best way to start your futures career is by picking a category you have prior experience in. A Forex trader will be more comfortable with currencies, a stock player might find equities better to handle! 

Advantages of Futures Trading:

Once you have the right brokerage to guide you, and an asset best suited to your interests, it's happy sailing from thereon! Futures trading contracts are amply advantageous and have a plethora of benefits.
 

1) Leveraged Environment: Leverage always draws in more crowds, simply because of the increased convenience it provides! With a nominal investment and a small amount for dedicated margin, you can hold positions of high-value effortlessly! The profits obtained from a normal trade are magnified by several times when the same is carried out with leverage. However, this is a risky tool to play with; traders often lose huge sums of money trying to chase profits.
 

2) High Liquidity: Due to its branching, you can buy/sell any commodity today! Futures trading have an immensely liquid market, with buyers and sellers at every corner. There are several liquid assets for you to choose from and finding potential buyers or sellers is immensely easy!
 

3) Discounts and Commissions: One of the problems traders face initially is the investments. No one starts off with $1 million. Futures brokers charge very less commission when compared to the other genre of online trading. With just a few dollars, you can participate in most trades, not to mention the freedom to avail leverages and amplify your capital! 

Risks Involved In Futures Trading:

As lucrative a field as futures trading is, risks lurk around every corner. One mistake can lead to massive losses!
 

1) No Control Over The Future: Ironic as it may sound, the fact remains true. Trading futures for crops, for example, may turn awry in an instant if disasters like storms occur and kill all crops! It is difficult relying on supply-demand with such unpredictable factors.
 

2) Inability to Leverage: Leverage is a weapon only when a trader knows how to use it. Several novice players make huge losses in their ventures due to the inability to use leverages properly. These are meant to boost your trades and profits, but without ample skill and knowledge, they can easily wipe your account out.
 

3) Expiration: Futures trading is time-bound. A contract on metals may suddenly drop to a lower value before expiration, making the trade completely useless. Due to these criteria, it is difficult relying on expiration dates to guarantee a profitable exchange, since a lower fluctuation can result in scary losses.
 

Futures, like every other branch of trading, have its definite set of pros, cons and risks. Ultimately, skill is what dominates the world of trades! With steady practice and consistent research, any novice can transition into a professional! Do you want to make this jump too? Call WesternFX today and avail our world-class brokerage. With us by your side, you will achieve Futures trading in Vietnam success in no time.

Futures Trading 2018: What is it & How to Trade | Beginners Guide

The Futures trading can be defined as a contract between two parties (buyer and seller), to buy and sell a particular asset at a fixed price and on a very specific date. Though a trading trend today, futures contracts were created to aid farmers when crop prices fluctuated, during the period between planting and harvesting. This grew into a trend for traders to speculate on and predict an asset's profit/loss. 

What are Futures Trading?

Futures are essentially a derivative - their value is derived from another commodity's price movements. Only the instrument's price will affect the value of a derivative, and it doesn't have an inherent value by default. Futures can be traded by anticipating the instrument's price movements. This is done by going long (buying) or going short (selling). Several traders speculate on this rise/fall and try to profit from the changing price of the contract. Right from eggs, to precious metals - futures contracts exist for several commodities! 

How to do Futures Trading in Vietnam

Futures are unlike other financial assets, solely because of their lack of inherent value. Additionally, a particular commodity can't be speculated for a long time because each futures contract has an expiration date. This makes futures trading a very sophisticated and volatile field to delve in. 

Basics of Futures Trading in 2018:

Futures trading are more than just a means to hedge; it is a provision to speculate on financial assets. The risks involved are very high - while the profits you make might just put you at a breakeven position, the losses will leave you tumbling! Intense amounts of research are required to ensure a healthy trade in futures. Several traders consider taking help from a professional broker when it comes to futures, because of the immense risks involved and the high levels of precision needed to avoid losses.

While trading futures, there is always an underlying element of risk. The second you decide to take a risk, you must be ready to sacrifice all your investments! It has happened on one too many occasions where the losses suffered were more than the investments put in. Futures brokers provide leverage, since buying a commodity is not financially doable; this leverage can be your downfall if you don't trade carefully! Only trade with your risk capital. Incurring leveraged losses will leave you drained of funds in no time! Only utilize money that you can afford to risk losing. 

Tips for Trading Futures in 2018:

1) Study the Asset Completely: The crux of futures trading lies in understanding the underlying asset completely. Traders fail to realize it isn't just the asset that's on the line; it's the accompanying factors as well! Handpick the instruments/commodities you think will move as you predict, then go on to study the factors that affect its movements. For example, if you're a wheat futures trader, just knowing the harvest duration won't help. You must know who the prominent wheat-buyers are, how the weather affects the crop market and the price patterns of all previous years. These are some of the various governing factors for a crop. Similarly, for other commodities, observe and research on the factors that will affect its presence in the market and govern how long it is on the top. 

2) Move on Your Own: Futures trading may look hard to conduct, but with ample research, you can definitely profit! Trading independently has a number of advantages; you can trade at your time, devise your own trading strategy, and other than the facilitation fee, there won't be a dime to pay anyone! However, this requires immense responsibility and attentiveness to pull off. Right from managing funds, to researching, to devising a strong plan - the entire ordeal will have to be handled by you and you alone! This hasn't prevented traders from pursuing it. Several traders are solo players in futures and are more than just successful at it.

3) Implement Stop-losses: Futures holds a lot of liquidity, which will work against you in no time. Profits always look attractive from the distance, but the closer you go the more you realize - the path to profiting in futures is laden with risks! Several traders choose to stick to losing positions out of pride, or hoping that the market will turn in their favor! Avoid such careless acts. An amazing way to keep losses in check without pressurizing yourself each minute is by implementing a stop-loss before hand. Stop-losses are mechanisms that are hugely beneficial in trading. Implementing a stop-loss will automatically withdraw your position once a losing trend is spotted or a certain loss amount is met. Risk management and loss minimization make up a huge part of your trading strategy.

Futures are a highly lucrative field with immense prospects of profits. However, the volatile nature of futures ecosystem makes it very liable! Assisted by WesternFX - the best at futures trading in Vietnam, you will not just learn, but excel in your ventures! Call us today to hire us.