Commodity Exchanges and Futures Trading

Preface x I HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF COMMODITY EXCHANGES 3 Ancient Markets Markets in the Dark Ages The Medieval Fairs Merchant Associations The Law Merchant Courts of the Fair The Law Merchant Becomes the Common Law in the United States Development of the Modern Commod ity Market Organized Commodity Markets Not All Com modity Markets Have Exchanges Organization of Markets before Exchanges Brokers Commission AgentsDealers Risk Bearing Risks of Commodity Dealers The Market Risk of the Dealer Credit Risks of Dealers Other Risks of Dealers Major Defect in the Physical Markets Which Operate with out Exchanges The Growing Need for Exchange Services in All Commodity MarketsProducers' Associations Dealers' Trade Associations Establishment of Self-Regulation by Deal ers' Trade Associations Arbitration of Disputes Standardiza tion of Contracts Standardization of Qualities or Grades II THE ECONOMIC FUNCTIONS OF COMMODITY EXCHANGES 27 The Exchange Market Place of the Commodity Exchange in Distribution The Risks of Modern Industrial Society The Exchange Market as a Guarantor of Deliveries ( at Contract Time) and of Payments for Deliveries ( at Contract Price) Exchanges Make Commodities Liquid Profit Margins in Dis tribution Are Reduced Exchanges Expedite Marketing-Exchanges Form a World Market Exchanges Level Prices be tween Markets Buyers May Anticipate Requirements Continuous Prices a Factor in Fair Dealing Does the Exchange Stabilize Prices? Price Movements Discount the Future The Exchange as a Source of Trade Information Exchanges Reg ulate Speculation Exchanges Promote Uniformity in the Trade Exchanges as Regulators of Consumption.