fmc

anurag87

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Introduction

Forward Markets Commission (FMC) headquartered at Mumbai, is a regulatory authority which is overseen by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Govt. of India. It is a statutory body set up in 1953 under the Forward Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1952.
" The Act provides that the Commission shall consist of not less than two but not exceeding four members appointed by the Central Government out of them being nominated by the Central Government to be the Chairman thereof. Currently Commission comprises four members among whom Shri B.C. Khatua, IAS, is the Chairman and Dr. Kewal Ram, IES, Smt Rinchen Tempo, and Shri Rajeev kumar Agarwal, IRS, are the Members of the Commission."
The functions of the Forward Markets Commission are as follows:
(a) To advise the Central Government in respect of the recognition or the withdrawal of recognition from any association or in respect of any other matter arising out of the administration of the Forward Contracts (Regulation) Act 1952.
(b) To keep forward markets under observation and to take such action in relation to them, as it may consider necessary, in exercise of the powers assigned to it by or under the Act.
(c) To collect and whenever the Commission thinks it necessary, to publish information regarding the trading conditions in respect of goods to which any of the provisions of the act is made applicable, including information regarding supply, demand and prices, and to submit to the Central Government, periodical reports on the working of forward markets relating to such goods;
(d) To make recommendations generally with a view to improving the organization and working of forward markets;
(e) To undertake the inspection of the accounts and other documents of any recognized association or registered association or any member of such association whenever it considerers it necessary.
Economic Benefits of the Futures Trading and its Prospects:

Futures contracts perform two important functions of price discovery and price risk management with reference to the given commodity. It is useful to all segments of economy. It is useful to producer because he can get an idea of the price likely to prevail at a future point of time and therefore can decide between various competing commodities, the best that suits him.It enables the consumer get an idea of the price at which the commodity would be available at a future point of time. He can do proper costing and also cover his purchases by making forward contracts. The futures trading is very useful to the exporters as it provides an advance indication of the price likely to prevail and thereby help the exporter in quoting a realistic price and thereby secure export contract in a competitive market. Having entered into an export contract, it enables him to hedge his risk by operating in futures market. Other benefits of futures trading are:
(i) Price stabilization-in times of violent price fluctuations - this mechanism dampens the peaks and lifts up the valleys i.e. the amplititude of price variation is reduced.
(ii) Leads to integrated price structure throughout the country.
(iii) Facilitates lengthy and complex, production and manufacturing activities.
(iv) Helps balance in supply and demand position throughout the year.
(v) Encourages competition and acts as a price barometer to farmers and other trade functionaries.
Futures trading is also capable of being misused by unscrupulous speculators. In order to safeguard against uncontrolled speculation certain regulatory measures are introduced from time to time. They are:
a. Limit on open position of an individual operator to prevent over trading;
b. Limit on price fluctuation (daily/weekly) to prevent abrupt upswing or downswing in prices;
c. Special margin deposits to be collected on outstanding purchases or sales to curb excessive speculative activity through financial restraints;
d. Minimum/maximum prices to be prescribed to prevent future prices from falling below the levels that are un remunerative and from rising above the levels not warranted by genuine supply and demand factors.
During shortages, extreme steps like skipping trading in certain deliveries of the contract, closing the markets for a specified period and even closing out the contract to overcome emergency situations are taken.

Prospects

With the gradual withdrawal of the government from various sectors in the post-liberalization era, the need has been felt that various operators in the commodities market be provided with a mechanism to hedge and transfer their risks. India's obligation under WTO to open agriculture sector to world trade would require futures trade in a wide variety of primary commodities and their products to enable diverse market functionaries to cope with the price volatility prevailing in the world markets.


Characteristics of futures trading

A "Futures Contract" is a highly standardized contract with certain distinct features. Some of the important features are as under :
a. Futures trading is necessarily organized under the auspices of a market association so that such trading is confined to or conducted through members of the association in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Rules & Bye-laws of the association.
b. It is invariably entered into for a standard variety known as the "basis variety" with permission to deliver other identified varieties known as "tenderable varieties".
c. The units of price quotation and trading are fixed in these contracts , parties to the contracts not being capable of altering these units.
d. The delivery periods are specified.
e. The seller in a futures market has the choice to decide whether to deliver goods against outstanding sale contracts. In case he decides to deliver goods, he can do so not only at the location of the Association through which trading is organized but also at a number of other pre-specified delivery centres.
f. In futures market actual delivery of goods takes place only in a very few cases. Transactions are mostly squared up before the due date of the contract and contracts are settled by payment of differences without any physical delivery of goods taking place.
 
Introduction

Forward Markets Commission (FMC) headquartered at Mumbai, is a regulatory authority which is overseen by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Govt. of India. It is a statutory body set up in 1953 under the Forward Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1952.
" The Act provides that the Commission shall consist of not less than two but not exceeding four members appointed by the Central Government out of them being nominated by the Central Government to be the Chairman thereof. Currently Commission comprises four members among whom Shri B.C. Khatua, IAS, is the Chairman and Dr. Kewal Ram, IES, Smt Rinchen Tempo, and Shri Rajeev kumar Agarwal, IRS, are the Members of the Commission."
The functions of the Forward Markets Commission are as follows:
(a) To advise the Central Government in respect of the recognition or the withdrawal of recognition from any association or in respect of any other matter arising out of the administration of the Forward Contracts (Regulation) Act 1952.
(b) To keep forward markets under observation and to take such action in relation to them, as it may consider necessary, in exercise of the powers assigned to it by or under the Act.
(c) To collect and whenever the Commission thinks it necessary, to publish information regarding the trading conditions in respect of goods to which any of the provisions of the act is made applicable, including information regarding supply, demand and prices, and to submit to the Central Government, periodical reports on the working of forward markets relating to such goods;
(d) To make recommendations generally with a view to improving the organization and working of forward markets;
(e) To undertake the inspection of the accounts and other documents of any recognized association or registered association or any member of such association whenever it considerers it necessary.
Economic Benefits of the Futures Trading and its Prospects:

Futures contracts perform two important functions of price discovery and price risk management with reference to the given commodity. It is useful to all segments of economy. It is useful to producer because he can get an idea of the price likely to prevail at a future point of time and therefore can decide between various competing commodities, the best that suits him.It enables the consumer get an idea of the price at which the commodity would be available at a future point of time. He can do proper costing and also cover his purchases by making forward contracts. The futures trading is very useful to the exporters as it provides an advance indication of the price likely to prevail and thereby help the exporter in quoting a realistic price and thereby secure export contract in a competitive market. Having entered into an export contract, it enables him to hedge his risk by operating in futures market. Other benefits of futures trading are:
(i) Price stabilization-in times of violent price fluctuations - this mechanism dampens the peaks and lifts up the valleys i.e. the amplititude of price variation is reduced.
(ii) Leads to integrated price structure throughout the country.
(iii) Facilitates lengthy and complex, production and manufacturing activities.
(iv) Helps balance in supply and demand position throughout the year.
(v) Encourages competition and acts as a price barometer to farmers and other trade functionaries.
Futures trading is also capable of being misused by unscrupulous speculators. In order to safeguard against uncontrolled speculation certain regulatory measures are introduced from time to time. They are:
a. Limit on open position of an individual operator to prevent over trading;
b. Limit on price fluctuation (daily/weekly) to prevent abrupt upswing or downswing in prices;
c. Special margin deposits to be collected on outstanding purchases or sales to curb excessive speculative activity through financial restraints;
d. Minimum/maximum prices to be prescribed to prevent future prices from falling below the levels that are un remunerative and from rising above the levels not warranted by genuine supply and demand factors.
During shortages, extreme steps like skipping trading in certain deliveries of the contract, closing the markets for a specified period and even closing out the contract to overcome emergency situations are taken.

Prospects

With the gradual withdrawal of the government from various sectors in the post-liberalization era, the need has been felt that various operators in the commodities market be provided with a mechanism to hedge and transfer their risks. India's obligation under WTO to open agriculture sector to world trade would require futures trade in a wide variety of primary commodities and their products to enable diverse market functionaries to cope with the price volatility prevailing in the world markets.


Characteristics of futures trading

A "Futures Contract" is a highly standardized contract with certain distinct features. Some of the important features are as under :
a. Futures trading is necessarily organized under the auspices of a market association so that such trading is confined to or conducted through members of the association in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Rules & Bye-laws of the association.
b. It is invariably entered into for a standard variety known as the "basis variety" with permission to deliver other identified varieties known as "tenderable varieties".
c. The units of price quotation and trading are fixed in these contracts , parties to the contracts not being capable of altering these units.
d. The delivery periods are specified.
e. The seller in a futures market has the choice to decide whether to deliver goods against outstanding sale contracts. In case he decides to deliver goods, he can do so not only at the location of the Association through which trading is organized but also at a number of other pre-specified delivery centres.
f. In futures market actual delivery of goods takes place only in a very few cases. Transactions are mostly squared up before the due date of the contract and contracts are settled by payment of differences without any physical delivery of goods taking place.

Hey anurag, thanks for explaining and sharing the information about FMC. Well, as we know that FMC is the regulatory administration for commodity future market in India. BTW, i am also uploading a document which will give more detailed information.
 

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