先物

• Reading: さきもの
• Romaji: sakimono
• Kanji breakdown: 先 (saki) — future, ahead, tip; 物 (mono/butsu) — goods, thing, object
• Pronunciation: /sa.ki.mo.no/

Meaning

Futures; a financial contract to buy or sell an asset at a predetermined price on a specified future date.

A noun used in financial markets referring to standardised contracts for the future delivery of commodities or financial instruments at an agreed price. 先物取引 (futures trading) is used for price hedging or speculation. Contrasts with 現物 (spot/physical goods), where delivery is immediate. Common underlying assets include oil, gold, currencies, and stock indices.

Examples

1. 原油先物の価格が急落し、エネルギー関連株に売りが広がった。 Crude oil futures prices plunged, triggering a sell-off in energy-related stocks.
2. 商品先物取引を活用することで、価格変動リスクをヘッジできる。 By utilizing commodity futures trading, one can hedge against price fluctuation risk.
3. 先物市場の動向は現物市場にも大きな影響を与える。 Trends in the futures market also have a significant impact on the spot market.

Usage Guide

Context: financial markets, commodity trading, derivatives, investment

Tone: technical

Origin & History

Compound of 先 (saki, future/ahead) and 物 (mono/butsu, goods/thing). The term literally means goods of the future, contrasting with 現物 (present/actual goods) in a natural semantic pairing.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Business professionals

Social background: Finance/Investment