Hedging is a critical strategy for managing risk, especially in volatile markets. It helps protect investments from adverse price movements by using financial instruments, such as derivatives (options, futures, swaps), to reduce exposure to various types of risk (e. g. , market risk, currency risk, interest rate risk). Companies, investors, and traders use hedging to protect their portfolios or business operations from unexpected events that could lead to financial losses. While hedging can reduce potential losses, it may also limit gains.