Forward Market Transactions
Forward Contracts
Forward contracts are the simplest form of derivatives that are available today. Also, they are the oldest form of derivatives. A forward contract is nothing but an agreement to sell something at a future date. The price at which this transaction will take place is decided in the present.
However, a forward contract takes place between two counterparties. This means that the exchange is not an intermediary to these transactions. Hence, there is an increase chance of counterparty credit risk. Also, before the internet age, finding an interested counterparty was a difficult proposition. Another point that needs to be noticed is that if these contracts have to be reversed before their expiration, the terms may not be favorable since each party has one and only option i.e. to deal with the other party. The details of the forward contracts are privileged information for both the parties involved and they do not have any compulsion to release this information in the public domain.
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