Core Viewpoint - The introduction of polypropylene monthly average price futures with cash settlement enhances risk management tools for the industry by aligning with the common pricing practices in spot trade [1] Group 1: Cash Settlement Mechanism - Cash settlement means that upon contract expiration, the exchange completes profit and loss settlement through cash transfer rather than physical delivery of goods [1] - The settlement price for polypropylene monthly average price futures is the arithmetic average of the settlement prices of the corresponding physical delivery futures for all trading days in the month prior to the contract month [1] Group 2: Market Functionality - The monthly average price futures financialize the commonly used "monthly average" pricing benchmark in spot trade, filling a gap in the domestic futures market regarding average price management [1] - Plastic processing, modification, and trading companies can lock in or hedge against the average procurement costs of raw materials for future months, mitigating the impact of price volatility on production profits [1] - Upstream refining companies can sell the average price in advance, stabilizing their monthly sales revenue [1] Group 3: Liquidity and Participation - The cash settlement mechanism ensures contract liquidity by eliminating warehouse receipt pressure and delivery default risks, encouraging more financial institutions and quantitative funds to participate [1] - Increased participation enhances the depth and breadth of price discovery in the market [1]