Futures for All – Online Resource Makes Financial Markets 101 Fun

Did you think about futures markets when you ate your breakfast this morning?

How about when you filled up your car with gas?

Or paid your mortgage?

You might not even know what derivatives are, but the fact is that the economy wouldn’t work without them.When banks need to determine how many loans they can offer at a particular interest rate, they use futures markets. When airlines need to guard against surges in fuel costs or cereal producers look to protect themselves from shocks to the supply of corn or grains, they turn to futures as well. Futures allow institutions to mitigate the potential damage caused by unexpected events or fundamental shifts in supply and demand.And because these financial tools are so critical, the derivatives industry recently joined forces to broaden the scope and reach of Futures Fundamentals.

This new free resource, which can be found at www.FuturesFundamentals.org is helping learners of all levels understand how these markets work and why they matter."With futuresfundamentals.org we now have a resource for market users, policy makers, educators and students, as well as the general public around the world, to better understand how risk management markets work and why they matter to all of us, every day," says Walt Lukken, President and CEO of FIA, the leading global trade organization for the futures, options and centrally cleared derivatives markets worldwide"Futures Fundamentals is the perfect gateway to our markets – one which makes the learning process fun and helps prepare the next generation of market users."Futures Fundamentals breaks down the who, why and what of futures markets in an accessible and fun way. The site is divided into three sections, each featuring the role of derivatives as told through stories, interactive infographics, videos and quizzes.Activities first break down key financial concepts, including microeconomics and supply and demand. Visitors then learn how familiar tasks, such as buying a home or car, are affected by futures markets. In addition, after those initial lessons, visitors can try their hand at a trading simulator. Even more importantly, the site also provides teachers with modules to teach these economics lessons in their classrooms, all online and at no cost.

Check out Futures Fundamentals for your classroom or business at www.futuresfundamentals.org and follow the site on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram to stay up to date on new content as it is added.