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Forward Market

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Dictionary Says

Definition of 'Forward Market'

An over-the-counter marketplace that sets the price of a financial instrument or asset for future delivery. Contracts entered into in the forward market are binding on the parties involved. Forward markets are used for trading a range of instruments including currencies and interest rates, as well as assets such as commodities and securities.
Investopedia Says

Investopedia explains 'Forward Market'

While forward contracts, like futures contracts, may be may be used for both hedging and speculation, there are some notable differences between the two. Forward contracts can be customized to fit a customer's requirements, while futures contracts have standardized features in terms of their contract size and maturity.



The lack of standard features means that forward contracts seldom trade on exchanges, whereas futures contracts are generally exchange-listed. Since forward contracts generally tend to be large in size, the forward market is dominated by financial institutions, government bodies and large corporations.

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