Today at FIA Expo, the largest gathering of futures market participants in the world, futuresfundamentals.org was launched to provide information and curriculum for learners of all levels to understand the role that derivatives markets play in the global economy and our everyday lives.
With initial support from the FIA, CME Group, NFA, The Institute for Financial Markets (IFM) and CME Group Foundation, futuresfundamentals.org will be a leading online resource for derivatives education, providing interactive tools, a trading simulator and curriculum for a wide variety of audiences.
“With futuresfundamentals.org, we now have a resource for market users, policymakers, educators and students, as well as the general public, to better understand how risk management markets work and why they matter to all of us, every day,” said Walt Lukken, President and CEO of FIA, the leading global trade organization for the futures, options and centrally cleared derivatives markets. “We are making this investment, along with the Institute for Financial Markets, to help tell that story, generate understanding of the impact we have and develop the next generation of market users. We hope other industry participants will join this effort.”
“We are very pleased to partner with the industry to help a broad range of audiences understand the beneficial role these markets play in the global economy, and to ensure that futures markets are a part of economic education from an early level,” said Terry Duffy, Chairman and CEO of CME Group, the world’s leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace.
“Market users have long asked for educational resources to explain to the public how futures markets work,” said Tom Sexton, President and CEO of NFA, the industrywide, self-regulatory organization for the U.S. derivatives industry. “Through this partnership, we intend to expand the content already in place on futuresfundamentals.org, so we can break down seemingly complex topics into interactive, accessible content for all levels.”
Futuresfundamentals.org is available now and provides the following tools:
- Get the Basics: An introductory unit that helps professionals and students learn Futures 101 – how the marketplace, futures and options work. This covers topics such as the relationship between supply and demand and the concept of risk.
- See the Impact: Tools to discover how familiar tasks like buying food or gas, or obtaining a mortgage, are affected by futures markets. The section also provides a brief introduction of hedging and speculating.
- Explore the Marketplace: A closer look at what makes futures markets tick – from participants and key processes to policies and protections facilitated through clearing houses.
- EconEssentials: A resource for educators that provides free materials that integrate seamlessly into the classroom, including online modules and coursework to understand managing risk when buying a car, getting a student loan or starting a part-time job.
To access Futures Fundamentals please visit http://www.futuresfundamentals.org.
Media Contacts
FIA, Heather Vaughan, hvaughan@fia.org or +1 202.466.5460
CME Group, Laurie Bischel, laurie.bischel@cmegroup.com or +1 312.648.8698
NFA, Kristen Scaletta, kscaletta@nfa.futures.org or +1 312.781.7860
