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May 9, 2024 · The outstanding futures contract calculator helps you determine your profit or loss, whether you are long or short in the futures market. This article will cover what a futures contract is, how futures contracts work, and explore a real-life transaction.
Below you can find options expiration calendar for 2024, 2025 and 2026 for standard US traded monthly and weekly equity, index, and ETF options, as well as expiration dates history for earlier years. For VIX options and futures, see VIX Expiration Calendar.
This calculator calculates forward or futures price from spot price or spot price from futures price, based on contract expiration date or time to expiration and interest rates. It supports different kinds of underlying assets – works for commodity futures, currency futures, index futures, or single stock futures.
- What Is Futures Contract Expiration?
- Why Do Futures Contracts Expire?
- How Futures Contract Expiration Works
- Finding Futures Expiration Dates
- The Impact of Expiration Dates on Trading Positions
- Rolling Over Contracts: A Key Strategy in Futures Trading
- Managing Expiration Risk: Effective Strategies and Tips
- Can I Avoid Futures Expiration Altogether?
- What Happens If I Ignore or Forget the Expiration Date?
- Can Traders Profit from Futures Expiration?
Futures contract expiration is the countdown clock of this part of the trading world. It marks the last day that you can trade a futures contract before it expires. After this day, the contract is settled either in cash or through the physical delivery of the underlying asset, depending on the terms of the agreement.
Futures contract expiration is a nonnegotiable deadline that marks the end of trading for a particular contract, requiring either cash settlement or delivery of the underlying asset.
As expiration nears, traders can expect increased price volatility, changes in liquidity, and a converging of futures and current market prices, all of which can significantly affect trading positions.
To maintain market exposure beyond a contract’s expiration, traders often roll the contract over, which involves closing the existing contract and opening a new one with a later expiration date.
Just as a loaf of bread or carton of milk has an expiration date, so does a
Expiration ensures all obligations are met and finalized through cash settlement or physical delivery. It keeps the market orderly and reduces risk.
date, contracts would linger indefinitely, creating uncertainty and increasing the risk of market manipulation. The expiration date acts as a clearing mechanism, essentially sweeping the market clean of obligations and allowing for a fresh start.
By setting a finite life span for each futures contract, the market reduces the risk that one party will
on its obligations. As the expiration date approaches, traders know they need to settle or roll over their contracts. The pressure of a specific end date keeps everyone on their toes and ensures that contracts are less likely to go unfulfilled.
Another vital role that expiration dates play is for
The expiration date is a built-in deadline when both parties—the buyer and the seller—must fulfill their obligations. When a futures contract expires, it’s time to settle up.
In some markets, the contract is settled in cash rather than dealing with the hassle of shipping a truckload of soybeans or moving bars of gold. The cash amount is the difference between the contract and the market price at the time of expiration. This is common for futures contracts on financial products like indexes.
Each cash-settled contract has a final trading day, after which trading stops and settlement begins.
The final settlement price is usually based on a specific calculation or an average of prices over a certain period, depending on the contract’s terms.
calculates the difference between the final settlement price and the original contract price for each position.
Profits or losses are then credited or debited to each trader’s corresponding margin account.
Expiration dates aren’t one-size-fits-all; they vary depending on the commodity or financial instrument. These dates are publicly listed on the websites of futures exchanges and are usually outlined in the contract specifications.
The most direct way to find an expiration date is to consult the website of the exchange where the futures contract is traded. Exchanges like the
New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX)
usually have the contract details, including expiration dates. These are generally in a section labeled “Contract Specifications,” “Expiration Calendar,” or something similar.
Most brokers and platforms also give you access to these specs. This includes the expiration date. For some platforms, you might need to hover over the contract name or click on an “info” button to see these details.
Remember that the expiration time might be in a different time zone, usually for the exchange where the contract is listed. Make sure to adjust for your local time to avoid any timing mishaps.
As a contract nears its expiration date, its price can become more
This is because traders are jockeying for position, either exiting their contracts or rolling them over to a new expiration date. This period requires considerable attention, as the stakes and risks are higher.
for a futures contract can also diminish as it nears expiration. Many traders prefer not to enter new positions in a contract that’s about to expire, potentially making it a challenge to execute large orders at favorable prices.
A fascinating phenomenon that occurs as a futures contract nears expiration is the
of the futures price and the spot price of the underlying asset. This happens because the
opportunities diminish, forcing the futures price to align more closely with the current market price.
For those looking to maintain a position in the futures market, the approach of an expiration date means it’s time to consider
This means closing out your current position in an expiring futures contract and simultaneously opening a similar position in a contract with a later expiration date. This enables you to continue your market exposure without being obligated to settle the expiring contract, either through cash or physical delivery.
Rolling over involves costs, including potential differences in the
between the contract you’re closing and the one you’re opening.
Managing the risk associated with futures contract expiration requires a keen eye and a solid strategy. Here are some tips:
Use trading software to set reminders for when your contracts are nearing expiration.
Know the market conditions for your asset as the expiration date nears.
Decide in advance whether you’ll roll over the contract, close it out before it expires, or settle it, and act accordingly.
Don’t forget to roll over
Timing is important if you plan to roll over the contract. Ideally, you want to
No, you can’t entirely avoid expiration when trading futures contracts. However, you can prolong your market exposure by rolling over your contract to a new one with a later expiration date. This is a common practice for traders who want to maintain their positions.
Rolling over involves simultaneously closing your existing contract and entering a similar one that expires later. But remember, each rollover likely has costs and tax implications.
Ignoring the expiration date is not advisable. If you don’t act, the contract will reach its natural conclusion, through either cash settlement or physical delivery, depending on the contract’s terms.
If it’s a cash-settled contract, the settlement will be calculated based on the market prices at expiration and credited or debited to your account. For contracts requiring physical delivery, however, failing to exit your position could mean you’re obligated to take or make actual delivery of the underlying asset, which can be complicated and costly.
Some traders specialize in strategies that focus on the price moves and volatility that typically occur as contracts near their expiration. These “expiration plays” are typically short-term strategies that seek to capitalize on the unique market dynamics during this period. However, they tend to be higher-risk and require a deep understanding of th...
Futures options and their underlying futures contracts often expire at the same time, but sometimes the options expire earlier. For instance, when the futures expiration cycle is quarterly and the options expirations are monthly, options on a March futures contract can expire in January, February and March.
Customize your input parameters by strike, option type, underlying futures price, volatility, days to expiration (DTE), rate, and choose from 8 different pricing models including Black Scholes. Watch an Options calculator demo to learn more.
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