What is the primary purpose of position limits in trading?

The primary purpose of position limits in trading is to avoid delivery bottlenecks in contracts that involve physical delivery. Position limits are regulatory measures that restrict the maximum number of contracts a trader can hold for certain commodities or financial instruments. By imposing these limits, exchanges aim to ensure that no single trader can accumulate a large enough position to disrupt the market or create undue strain on the physical delivery infrastructure. This is particularly important in markets where the underlying asset requires actual delivery, as it helps maintain liquidity and orderly delivery mechanisms.

While the other options touch on aspects related to trading, they do not encapsulate the main intent of position limits. Margin calculations and default fund entitlements are important for risk management and financial stability but are not the primary focus of position limit regulations. Similarly, while limiting positions can help mitigate extreme volatility, this is more of a secondary benefit rather than the primary objective. The core aim of position limits centers around ensuring a smooth trading environment and facilitating the proper functioning of the delivery process in physically settled contracts.