An N‐factor Gaussian model of oil futures prices

This article studies the ability of an N‐factor Gaussian model to explain the stochastic behavior of oil futures prices when estimated with the use of all available price information, as opposed to traditional approaches of aggregating data for a set of maturities. A Kalman filter estimation procedure that allows for a time‐dependent number of daily observations is used to calibrate the model. When applied to all daily oil futures price transactions from 1992 to 2001, the model performs very well, requiring at least three factors to explain the term structure of futures prices, but four factors to fit the volatility term structure. The model also performs very well for daily copper futures transactions from 1992 to 2001 and for out‐of‐sample daily oil futures transactions from 2002 to 2004. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 26:243–268, 2006     

Modes of fluctuation in metal futures prices

This article examines the stochastic structure of metal futures prices. First, this article presents a stationary multi‐factor model of fluctuations in the futures price curve. Next, the model is extended to allow for time variation in the factors or “modes” of fluctuation. The model is estimated using futures price data for three very different metals: copper, which is an industrial metal; gold, which is a precious metal; and silver, which is in transition from a precious metal to an industrial metal. The estimation results show that the shapes and importance of the various modes of fluctuation for gold and silver are much different from those for copper. Gold and silver futures price curves can be adequately modeled as a time‐varying one‐factor model. Copper, however, has a more complicated structure and should be modeled as a time‐varying two‐ or three‐factor model. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 20:219–242, 2000     

Bias and backwardation in natural gas futures prices

This paper tests the fair‐game efficient‐markets hypothesis for the natural gas futures prices over the period 1990 through 2003. We find evidence consistent with the Keynesian notion of normal backwardation. Regressing the future spot prices on the lagged futures prices and using the Stock‐Watson (1993) procedure to correct for the correlation between the error terms and the futures prices, we find that natural gas futures are biased predictors of the corresponding future spot prices for contracts ranging from 3 to 12 months. These results cast a serious doubt on the commonly held view that natural gas futures sell at a premium over the expected future spot prices, and that this bias is due to the systematic risk of the futures price movements represented by a negative “beta.” We also find evidence for the Samuelson effect. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 25:281–308, 2005     

Implementing global corporate citizenship: An integrated business framework

Recent economic, social-political, and natural disasters have all served to highlight the fragility of the global marketplace. As such, it is no longer questioned as to whether or not companies should be good corporate citizens; that is a given. Rather, concern in the 21^st century centers on how businesses can become better global corporate citizens. Unfortunately, without clear guidance regarding how this may be accomplished, global corporate citizenship will remain a fringe activity and not become a critical component of an organization's core business strategy. The integrated framework presented herein identifies key elements and tips for implementing a business-based approach to global corporate citizenship.     

Time series volatility of commodity futures prices

This article examines the pattern of volatility over time of a series of commodity futures prices, and focuses in particular on the futures price variability as the maturity date of the futures contract approaches. In a rational expectations model of asymmetric information, the article provides conditions under which the Samuelson hypothesis—that the variability of futures prices increases as maturity approaches—will be true. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 20: 127–144, 2000     

Effects of nondiscretionary trading on futures prices

This paper examines the effects of the nondiscretionary trading demands of volatility index (VIX) exchange-traded products (ETPs) issuers on the prices and volumes in the VIX futures. We find that the ETPs' informationless, mechanical rebalancing of futures positions to maintain the constant maturity of the index and the promised leverage ratios of the VIX ETPs have significantly positive predictive power for end-of-day futures returns. We also show that the impact on price has diminished through time from increased liquidity provided by hedge funds, and the “natural” hedging of the issuers' inverse products.     

Predicting monetary policy with federal funds futures prices

In theory, prices of current‐month federal funds futures contracts should reflect market expectations of near‐term movements in the federal funds rate and thus the Federal Reserve's funds rate target. This article shows that futures‐based proxies for funds rate expectations have weak predictive power for the average funds rate using daily data but are more successful in predicting the average funds rate and the funds rate target around target changes and meetings of the Federal Open Market Committee. However, the futures‐based expectations have a systematic bias related to the last days of the month and, in particular, calendar months. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 21:377–391, 2001