Ever since FTSE100 index futures and options trading took off in the nineties, there have been constant increases in the profitability of this market. One of the main reasons for this is that the volatility of the financial markets make them very attractive to a wide range of both long-term and short-term investors. A fundamental change such as a recession or even the pre-determined economic recession can cause an immediate and significant change in the market. As these things happen, many short-term investors become frightened as they try and unwind their positions, causing an immediate and substantial decrease in liquidity. Short-term market movements are dictated by supply and demand in markets where there is also a large supply of commodities such as oil. One of the most common ways of speculating on these changes is through what is called an ‘interbank’ trade, which involves buying from one financial institution and selling to another.
As the prices of most commodities increase, so does the cost of producing them. Commodity producers face rising costs, and their production and transport costs are affected by these increased commodity costs. If these costs increase, the price of the commodity that is produced will also increase, and consequently, the cost of production will also rise. It is during these times when investors decide to sell off their bonds and other commodities, and buy more stocks and other assets. The effect of this rise in prices is felt by the producer, who must then pass on these increases to their customers.
However, it is not just the higher costs of producing commodities that makes the cost of production so high. There are many other factors that increase the cost of production and the costs of the commodities. These factors include the aging of the population in developed countries, and the fact that most people live in areas that experience intense climate fluctuations. As these conditions affect the costs of production of many commodities, they also increase the cost of the index that is used to determine the prices of these commodities.
The FTSE100 is determined by the London InterBank Offer Rate (LICR), which is a measure of the rate at which various products are traded between banks. When an index is used to determine the prices of these commodities, the higher the LICR of that particular product, the more valuable that an item is perceived to be. The higher the value of the commodities on the LICR, the more the prices of the commodities will fluctuate. When the FTSE100 index rises, so does the cost of the commodities.
When the cost of production exceeds the rate of inflation, so does the price of the commodities, and consequently, the FTSE100 index. This price is calculated from a base price, which represents the current prices of 100 fine commodities, and a market high, which represents an elevated level of over-the-counter (OTC) trading activity. As a result of this, when there is an indication of an impending inflation, investors in the futures trading industry trade the FTSE100 to take advantage of its elevated level of prices.
Traders who buy the FTSE100 do so knowing that inflation is imminent, and they make long positions on the index anticipating an increase in prices. But when the inflation expectations of the global economy fail to materialize and the FTSE100 index continues its fall, the traders selling short realize that their investment has gone down the drain. They decide to liquidate their position, and the cycle continues. The best way to avoid this is to trade with brokers who know the significance of the FTSE100 index and how to trade it effectively to keep losses to a minimum, and always exit a position as soon as it reverses direction to prevent drastic losses.