Derivatives and its Important Features

Derivative can be defined as a contract or an agreement for exchange of payments, whose value is derived from the value of an underlying asset. In simple words the price of derivative depends on the price of other assets.

Here are some of the features of derivative markets –

1. Derivative are of three kinds future or forward contract, options and swaps and underlying assets can be foreign exchange, equity, commodities markets or financial bearing assets.
2. As all transactions in derivatives takes place in future specific dates it is easier to short sell then doing the same in cash markets because an individual can take of markets and take the position accordingly because one has more time in derivatives.
3. Since derivatives have standardized terms due to which it has low counterparty risk, also transactions costs are low in derivative market and hence they tend to be more liquid and one can take large positions in derivative markets quite easily.
4. When value of underlying assets change then value of derivatives also changes and hence one can construct portfolio which is needed by one and that too without having the underlying asset. So for example if one want to buy some stock and short the market then he can buy the future of a stock and at the same time short sell the market without having to buy or sell the underlying assets.

Hence from the above one can see that derivatives have some important features which make them quite attractive to all category institutions, investors and traders.