Agricultural commodities, however, remain in the opposite type of market, backwardation, which is more desirable for traders who are buying futures contracts.
The credit market operates to postpone settlement until a future date or dates, while the futures market operates to accelerate settlement to a present date or dates.
Until about 1710, only physical rice was traded but then a futures market emerged where "coupons", promising delivery of rice at a future time, began to be issued.
Around the world the field is variously referred to as futures studies, strategic foresight, futuristics, futures thinking, futuring, futurology, and futurism.
