Rice Options & Futures

Futures Basics

Grains Futures

Selling (Going Short) Rice Futures to Profit from a Fall in Rice Prices

If you are bearish on rice, you can profit from a fall in rice price by taking up a short position in the rice futures market. You can do so by selling (shorting) one or more rice futures contracts at a futures exchange.

Example: Short Rice Futures Trade

You decide to go short one near-month CBOT Rough Rice Futures contract at the price of USD 13.71/cwt. Since each Rough Rice futures contract represents 2000 hundredweights of rice, the value of the contract is USD 27,420. To enter the short futures position, you have to put up an initial margin of USD 2,430.

A week later, the price of rice falls and correspondingly, the price of CBOT Rough Rice futures drops to USD 12.34 per hundredweight. Each contract is now worth only USD 24,678. So by closing out your futures position now, you can exit your short position in Rough Rice Futures with a profit of USD 2,742.

Margin Requirements & Leverage

In the examples shown above, although rice prices have moved by only 10%, the ROI generated is 0.00%. This leverage is made possible by the relatively low margin (approximately 8.86%) required to control a large amount of rice represented by each contract.

Leverage is a double edged weapon. The above examples only depict positive scenarios whereby the market is favorable towards you. If the market turn against you, you will be required to top up your account to meet the margin requirements in order for your futures position to remain open.

Related Articles

• Rice Futures Basics
• Buying Rice Futures to Profit from a Rise in Rice Prices
• Rice Options Basics
• Rice Call Option Trading Basics
• Rice Put Option Trading Basics
• Hedging Against Rising Rice Prices with Rice Futures
• Hedging Against Falling Rice Prices with Rice Futures