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Relaxing competition through speculation: Committing to a negative supply slope

Author

Listed:
  • Pär Holmberg

    (Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN), Stockholm Electricity Policy Research Group, University of Cambridge)

  • Bert Willems

    (Department of Economics, TILEC & CentER, Tilburg University)

Abstract

We demonstrate how commodity producers can take strategic speculative positions in derivatives markets to soften competition in the spot market. In our game, producers first choose a portfolio of call options and then compete in supply functions. In equilibrium, producers sell forward contracts and buy call options to commit to downward sloping supply functions. Although this strategy is risky, it is profitable because it reduces the elasticity of the residual demand of competitors who respond by increasing mark-ups.
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Suggested Citation

  • Pär Holmberg & Bert Willems, 2012. "Relaxing competition through speculation: Committing to a negative supply slope," Working Papers EPRG 1224, Energy Policy Research Group, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
    • Handle: RePEc:enp:wpaper:eprg1224
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    Cited by:

    1. is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Wölfing, Nikolas, 2019. "Forward trading and collusion in supply functions," ZEW Discussion Papers 19-003, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    3. Simona Bigerna and Carlo Andrea Bollino, 2016. "Optimal Price Design in the Wholesale Electricity Market," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Bollino-M).
    4. David P. Brown & David E. M. Sappington, 2023. "Employing gain-sharing regulation to promote forward contracting in the electricity sector," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 63(1), pages 30-56, April.
    5. Bayona, Anna & Manzano, Carolina, 2024. "Competition in schedules with cursed traders," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    6. Brown, David P. & Eckert, Andrew, 2021. "Analyzing firm behavior in restructured electricity markets: Empirical challenges with a residual demand analysis," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    7. David P. Brown & David E. M. Sappington, 2025. "The Impact of Wholesale Price Caps on Forward Contracting," The Energy Journal, , vol. 46(4), pages 253-288, July.
    8. Holmberg, Pär & Tangerås, Thomas & Ahlqvist, Victor, 2018. "Central- versus Self-Dispatch in Electricity Markets," Working Paper Series 1257, Research Institute of Industrial Economics, revised 27 Mar 2019.
    9. Willems, Bert & Yu, Yueting, 2023. "Bidding and Investment in Wholesale Electricity Markets: Discriminatory versus Uniform-Price Auctions," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2023023, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    10. David P. Brown & David E. M. Sappington, 2023. "Market Structure, Risk Preferences, and Forward Contracting Incentives," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 71(4), pages 1146-1202, December.
    11. David P. Brown & Andrew Eckert, 2018. "Analyzing the Impact of Electricity Market Structure Changes and Mergers: The Importance of Forward Commitments," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 52(1), pages 101-137, February.
    12. David P. Brown & David E. M. Sappington, 2023. "Load-Following Forward Contracts," The Energy Journal, , vol. 44(3), pages 187-222, May.
    13. Chloé Le Coq & Sebastian Schwenen, 2020. "Financial contracts as coordination device," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 241-259, April.
    14. Sébastien Mitraille & Henry Thille, 2020. "Strategic advance sales, demand uncertainty and overcommitment," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 69(3), pages 789-828, April.
    15. K. Ruddell & A. B. Philpott & A. Downward, 2017. "Supply Function Equilibrium with Taxed Benefits," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 65(1), pages 1-18, February.
    16. K. Ruddell & A. B. Philpott & A. Downward, 2017. "Supply Function Equilibrium with Taxed Benefits," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 65(1), pages 1-18, February.
    17. van Eijkel, Remco & Kuper, Gerard H. & Moraga-González, José L., 2016. "Do firms sell forward for strategic reasons? An application to the wholesale market for natural gas," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 1-35.
    18. Brown, David P. & Eckert, Andrew & Silveira, Douglas, 2023. "Screening for collusion in wholesale electricity markets: A literature review," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • C73 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Stochastic and Dynamic Games; Evolutionary Games
    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • G13 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Contingent Pricing; Futures Pricing
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities

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