Futures Function

FUTURES() Description

The FUTURES() function is designed for automatically obtaining historical data for futures contracts directly from the Yahoo Finance website (finance.yahoo.com) by a specified symbol (for example, GC for gold or BZ for oil).

This function allows you to track the dynamics of prices for commodities and financial derivatives directly in Excel (LibreOffice Calc) spreadsheets, which is critically important for commodity market analysis and risk hedging.

Main Characteristics of the FUTURES Function

Syntax:

=FUTURES(Symbol; [Date]; [Indicator])

Parameters:

• Symbol: Stock symbol of the futures (for example, "GC", "BZ" or "GC=F", "BZ=F").
• [Date]: (Optional) The date for which it is necessary to obtain data. Today's date is used by default.
• [Indicator]: (Optional) Price or volume indicator ("open", "high", "low", "close", "adjclose", "volume"). The closing price "close" is used by default.

Example of Use

Example 1

The FUTURES() function automates data collection on quotes. You specify the contract ticker, and Excel (Calc) imports historical indicators:

=FUTURES(Symbol; Date; Indicator)

We will have the following result:

The following values are used in this example:

• Symbol: B5:B9 - Range of cells with futures symbols (GC, SI, NG, BZ, HG).
• Date: B1 - The date for which it is necessary to obtain indicators. ("2026-02-05").
• Indicator: C4:H4 - Range of cells with indicators (open, high, low, close, adjclose, volume).

Example 2

The following values are used in this example:

• Symbol: B1 - Cell with a futures symbol ("GC").
• Date: A5 - Date of price setting ("Feb 5, 2026").
• Indicator: G4 - Indicator (trading volume) ("volume").

Relevant data from the Yahoo Finance website:

How It Works?

The FUTURES() function can work both in normal mode and as an array function.

To use it as an array, simply enter the function in any cell, specifying the relevant parameters. After that, you need to press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to enter the array formula and LO Calc will automatically return a table with data.

To select all cells related to the array formula, simply select any cell of the array and press Ctrl+/.

If it is necessary to convert an array formula into values - select the entire array and in the Data > Calculate menu select Formula to Value.

Download the extension

You can use the FUTURES() function by installing the YLC Utilities extension.

After that, this function will be available in all files that will be opened in Excel (LibreOffice Calc).