A buying hedge is also called a long hedge. Buying hedge means buying a futures contract to hedge a cash position. Dealers, consumers, fabricators, etc, who have taken or intend to take exposure in the physical market and want to lock- in prices, use the buying strategy.
Benefits of buying hedge strategy:
- To replace inventory at a lower prevailing cost.
- To protect uncovered the forward sale of finished products.
The purpose of entering into a buyer is to protect the buyer against price increase of a commodity in the spot market that has already been sold at a specific price but not purchased as yet. It is very common among exporters and importers to sell commodities at an agreed-upon price for forward delivery. If the commodity is not yet in possession, the forward delivery is considered uncovered. It refers to a futures position that is entered into for the purpose of price stability on a purchase. Long hedges are often used by manufacturers and processors to remove price volatility from the purchase of required inputs.
They are traders and processors who have made formal commitments to deliver a specified quantity of raw material or processed goods at a later date, at a price currently agreed upon and who do not have the stocks of the raw material necessary to fulfil their forward commitment.
