futures

British  

/ ˈfjuːtʃəz /

plural noun

1. 1. commodities or other financial products bought or sold at an agreed price for delivery at a specified future date See also financial futures

   2. ( as modifier )

      futures contract

      futures market

---

futures Cultural  

1. A contract to buy or sell a specified amount of a commodity or financial instrument at an agreed price at a set date in the future. If the price for the commodity or financial instrument rises between the contract date and the future date, the investor will make money; if it declines, the investor will lose money. The term also refers to the market for such contracts.

---

Example Sentences

Oil prices, including Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate futures, rose around 5% on Monday amid ongoing US-Iran tensions.

From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026

“As the market rallies, the value of those calls increases, and dealers must buy additional futures to hedge. This creates a self-reinforcing feedback loop that provides sustained bids to the market,” says SpotGamma.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

Oil prices rose and U.S. futures fell after mixed messages from the U.S. and Iran ahead of the cease-fire deadline this week, and increased tensions in the Middle East.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

They have significantly more social supports, from family to school to media representation, bolstering their views that they have bright futures, if they play their cards right.

From Salon • Apr. 20, 2026

The Horner girls were clever young women, well-read and educated, with promising intellectual futures.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman