Derivative

MoneyBestPal Team
A sort of financial contract whose value is based on an underlying asset, collection of assets, or benchmark.
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A derivative is a sort of financial contract whose value is based on an underlying asset, collection of assets, or benchmark. A derivative is agreed upon by two or more parties who can trade over-the-counter (OTC) or on an exchange. These contracts can be used to trade various assets and gain access to particular marketplaces.


Derivatives come in a variety of forms, such as:
  • Futures: contracts that obligate the buyer to buy an asset or the seller to sell an asset at a fixed price and future date.
  • Options: agreements that grant the buyer the right, but not the duty, to purchase or sell an asset at a particular price before or on a specific date.
  • Swaps: agreements in which two parties trade cash flows or other variables based on an underlying asset.
  • Forwards: bespoke, over-the-counter contracts that resemble futures but are not as liquid.
  • Warrants: agreements that grant the holder the right but not the obligation to purchase a specific number of shares at a specified price within a predetermined time frame
Derivatives can have various purposes, such as:
  • Hedging: minimizing the risk of unfavorable changes in an asset's price through the use of derivatives
  • Speculating: placing bets on the course of an asset's price using derivatives
  • Arbitrage: taking advantage of price disparities between two or more markets by employing derivatives.
  • Leveraging: increasing exposure to an asset with less money by employing derivatives

Depending on their use and regulation, derivatives can potentially have a variety of benefits and drawbacks. Some possible pros and cons are:

Pros:
  • For investors and traders, derivatives can offer flexibility and variety.
  • The use of derivatives can improve profits and assist control of risk.
  • Derivatives can increase market liquidity and efficiency.

Cons:
  • It may be challenging to comprehend and deal with derivatives.
  • High leverage and volatility can be a part of derivatives.
  • Systemic risk and contagion effects can be posed by derivatives.
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