Index futures contracts on the way

Trading to debut next month, likely to change the way market works

BEIJING - The trading in the benchmark Shanghai-Shenzhen 300 stock index futures contracts will make its much-awaited debut on April 16, the China Financial Futures Exchange said on Friday.

The first contracts to trade will be for May, June, September and December. Investors must pay cash deposits equivalent to 15 percent of the contract value for May and June contracts while the minimum trading margin for longer-term contracts is 18 percent, the exchange said in a statement posted on its website.