contract (redirected from contracts)

Contract

A term of reference describing a unit of trading for a financial or commodity future. Also, the actual bilateral agreement between the buyer and seller of a transaction as defined by an exchange.

---

Contract

1. A legal agreement between two parties in which each agrees to do, make, buy, or sell a good or service, or in which one party grants a right or undertakes an obligation, often in exchange for a fee. A contract is less commonly called a binding agreement. See also: Option contract, Futures contract.

2. Informal for a unit of trade in options and futures.

---

contract

1. In futures trading, an agreement between two parties to make and take delivery of a specified commodity on a given date at a predetermined location.

2. In options trading, an agreement by the writer either to buy (if a put) or to sell (if a call) a given asset at a predetermined price until a certain date. The holder of the option is under no obligation to act.

---

contract

A legally enforceable agreement. Its requirements are

• Competent parties
• Subject matter
• Legal consideration
• Mutuality of agreement (also called “meeting of the minds”)
• Mutuality of obligation

As a general rule, oral contracts are enforceable unless they relate to real estate or are incapable of performance within one year, guarantee the debts of another, or are evidenced by some writing signed by the person sought to be charged (“This is to confirm our agreement…”) There are other exceptions, but they are not relevant here. It is often difficult to enforce oral contracts because the parties usually have differing recollections of the exact terms of the agreement.