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The shine of precious metals around the global financial crisis

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  • Figuerola-Ferretti, Isabel
  • McCrorie, J. Roderick

Abstract

We analyze the price behavior of the main precious metals – gold, silver, platinum and palladium – before, during and in the aftermath of the 2007–08 financial crisis. Using the mildly explosive/multiple bubble technology developed by Phillips, Shi and Yu (2015, International Economic Review 56(4), 1043–1133), we find significant, short periods of mildly explosive behavior in the spot and futures prices of all four metals. Fewer periods are detected using exchange-rate adjusted prices, and almost none when deflated prices are used. We assess whether these findings are indicative of bubble behavior. Convenience yield is shown to have little efficacy in this regard, while other fundamental proxy variables and position data offer only very limited evidence against prices having been anything other than fundamentals-driven. Possible exceptions are in gold in the run-up to the highpoint of the financial crisis, and in silver and palladium around the launch of specific financial products. Some froth, however, is reported and discussed for each metal.

Suggested Citation

  • Figuerola-Ferretti, Isabel & McCrorie, J. Roderick, 2016. "The shine of precious metals around the global financial crisis," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 38(PB), pages 717-738.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:empfin:v:38:y:2016:i:pb:p:717-738
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jempfin.2016.02.013
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    Cited by:

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    3. Fuentes, Fernanda & Herrera, Rodrigo & Clements, Adam, 2018. "Modeling extreme risks in commodities and commodity currencies," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 108-120.
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    6. Andria C. Evripidou & David I. Harvey & Stephen J. Leybourne & Robert Sollis, 2022. "Testing for Co‐explosive Behaviour in Financial Time Series," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 84(3), pages 624-650, June.
    7. Hudepohl, Tom & van Lamoen, Ryan & de Vette, Nander, 2021. "Quantitative easing and exuberance in stock markets: Evidence from the euro area," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    8. Emily J. Whitehouse & David I. Harvey & Stephen J. Leybourne, 2023. "Real‐Time Monitoring of Bubbles and Crashes," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 85(3), pages 482-513, June.
    9. Rıdvan Karacan & Mehmet Emin Yardımcı, 2024. "Free market economy: Is the market or prices free? Theory and evidence from the United States," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 83(1), pages 59-74, January.
    10. Ma, Richie Ruchuan & Xiong, Tao, 2021. "Price explosiveness in nonferrous metal futures markets," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 75-90.
    11. Su, Chi-Wei & Wang, Xiao-Qing & Zhu, Haotian & Tao, Ran & Moldovan, Nicoleta-Claudia & Lobonţ, Oana-Ramona, 2020. "Testing for multiple bubbles in the copper price: Periodically collapsing behavior," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    12. Joel Verghese & Phaik Nie Chin, 2022. "Factors affecting investors’ intention to purchase gold and silver bullion: evidence from Malaysia," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 27(1), pages 41-51, March.
    13. Figuerola-Ferretti, Isabel & McCrorie, J. Roderick & Paraskevopoulos, Ioannis, 2020. "Mild explosivity in recent crude oil prices," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    14. Harvey, David I. & Leybourne, Stephen J. & Whitehouse, Emily J., 2020. "Date-stamping multiple bubble regimes," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 226-246.
    15. Tangyong Liu & Xu Gong & Boqiang Lin, 2021. "Analyzing the frequency dynamics of volatility spillovers across precious and industrial metal markets," Journal of Futures Markets, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(9), pages 1375-1396, September.
    16. Vigne, Samuel A. & Lucey, Brian M. & O’Connor, Fergal A. & Yarovaya, Larisa, 2017. "The financial economics of white precious metals — A survey," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 292-308.
    17. Chen, Jinyu & Wang, Yilin & Ren, Xiaohang, 2023. "Asymmetric effect of financial stress on China’s precious metals market: Evidence from a quantile-on-quantile regression," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    18. Hudepohl, Tom & van Lamoen, Ryan & de Vette, Nander, 2021. "Quantitative easing and exuberance in stock markets: Evidence from the euro area," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    19. Dinh, Theu & Goutte, Stéphane & Nguyen, Duc Khuong & Walther, Thomas, 2022. "Economic drivers of volatility and correlation in precious metal markets," Journal of Commodity Markets, Elsevier, vol. 28(C).
    20. Ozgur, Onder & Yilanci, Veli & Ozbugday, Fatih Cemil, 2021. "Detecting speculative bubbles in metal prices: Evidence from GSADF test and machine learning approaches," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    21. Yunus, Nafeesa, 2020. "Time-varying linkages among gold, stocks, bonds and real estate," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 165-185.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Commodities; Precious metals; Fundamentals; Economic bubbles; Mildly explosive processes; Generalized sup ADF test;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C22 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes
    • D84 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Expectations; Speculations
    • G13 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Contingent Pricing; Futures Pricing

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