1. Simply put, futures is the future price of a target (commodity or resource) to be bought;

2. For example, suppose there are five apples at present, your futures contract is long and the delivery period is one month. Then, in this month's time, the number of apples has risen to 10. You can close your position and gain money, or you can deliver in kind (usually very few in kind). This is the guiding significance of the futures price for the physical price. You can find the changes of the physical price in advance and get investment opportunities.