Index Future


Index Future

A futures contract in which the holder agrees to buy an index (such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average) at a certain price on a stated date in the future. One makes a profit from an index future if the price of the index is above the price of the index future on the date the contract matures. One loses if the price of the index is below the price of the future. Because one cannot physically buy an index, index futures are settled in cash.