Fin 315 Practice Problems: Coffee Futures
Suppose that on Oct. 28 you decided to speculate in coffee futures. You went long one Dec, 22
contract at 158.50 cents per pound. The contract has an initial margin requirement of $3,000 and
the maintenance margin is $1,125. You have not had a margin call. The contract closed on
Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 165.25 cents per pound, down 1.2 cents per pound from the previous day's
close. Each contract is for 37,500 pounds.
1. How much money is in your margin account now? That is, how much money was in your
margin account at the close of trading on Tuesday after your account was marked-to-market?
(Remember that your account started with $3,000.)
Answer: $
2. How much money did you make or lose on Tuesday? That is, how much was added
or subtracted from your account on Tuesday when the account was marked to market?
Answer: You Made / Lost $
(Circle One)
for the day.
3. What's it going to take for you to have a margin call? That is, where does the futures
price have to be for you to have a margin call?
Answer: The futures price has to be Above / Below
call.
for a margin