A financial analyst employed by an investment firm is tasked with determining the cost of an S&P 500 Index futures contract that will expire in six months. To perform this calculation, the analyst has collected the following relevant market information:

• The current value of the S&P 500 Index is USD 3,200.
• The annual risk-free interest rate is 1.80%.
• The annual dividend yield on the index is 2.40%.