Let's say there are no market forces directly involved in a company share price.
spot price on ex-dividend date__100
next ex-dividend date__90 days
estimated dividends__3
The spot price is going to move progressively from 100 until 103 the day before it goes ex-dividend.
what is the today's price of the 90 dte future ?. Without considering interests. And, will remain the same value during the 90 days or is going to move following the spot price. I think it's going to stay.
Until in this thread was said that the spot moves direction the future I thought it was the other way. So, I thouhgt the correct srategy was buy futures and sell spot, because the price of the future is going to increase more compared to the spot price.
Thank you.
Taking zero interest into account...
Spot = 100
Div (at t=90) = 3
Future (with dte=60, June future) = 100
Future (with dte=90, July future) = 97
Future (with dte=120, Aug future) = 97
If tomorrow the spot moves up to 105;
Spot = 105
Div (at t=90) = 3
Future (with dte=60, June future) = 105
Future (with dte=90, July future) = 102
Future (with dte=120, Aug future) = 102
You have to let go of the assumption that the spot will move towards the Futures price, the Future is merely a financing tool... It doesn't really say anything about what the market expects the price of a stock to be in N days.
So, like @sle points out, the Future price is basically the spot, but since you don't pay the full spot price to hold it, it's usually valued higher than the spot, since no cash outlay... and arbitrage makes sure the Futures price = spot + interest for N days.
If you buy a Future, and sell the spot at 100, than you have a positive cashflow at time of trade (or more correct at settlement) because you receive cash for selling short the stock. That 100 will bear interest, if that interest component is 2 over duration of the hold (which is until expiry of Future contract)... than the Future should be trading at 102. So in short, if you could trade that Future below or above 102, there's an arbitrage opportunity....
With dividend involved, a Future doesn't give you the right to get the dividends, since that right is only for shareholders... therefore, the Future price is also trading at Spot - Dividend.
In total, Future = Spot + interest component - dividend.
So... it's not that spot moves towards future or vice versa because of market reactions... it happens that way because of the financing. They will merge towards each other and at expiry.... then F=S.
)