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The role of financial investments in agricultural commodity derivatives markets

Author

Listed:
  • Alessandro Borin

    (Bank of Italy)

  • Virginia Di Nino

    (Bank of Italy)

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between futures prices and financial investments in derivatives of the main agricultural commodities. We first provide a broad picture of how these markets function and how they have evolved, showing that traders who deal mostly in commodity index investments (swap dealers) have gained importance since the mid-2000s. However, traditional financial market participants (money managers) still show the stronger (simultaneous) correlation with price movements. Our main empirical analysis aims to gauge the influence of financial investors� positions on both the level and the volatility of futures prices. The Granger-causality tests suggest that speculative investments usually follow � rather than precede - variations in futures returns. Employing a GARCH model, we find that the activity of money managers tends to be associated with lower volatility of futures returns, while that of swap dealers is sometimes followed by higher price variations.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessandro Borin & Virginia Di Nino, 2012. "The role of financial investments in agricultural commodity derivatives markets," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 849, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:wptemi:td_849_12
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    File URL: http://www.bancaditalia.it/pubblicazioni/temi-discussione/2012/2012-0849/en_tema_849.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Ederer, Stefan & Heumesser, Christine & Staritz, Cornelia, 2013. "The role of fundamentals and financialisation in recent commodity price developments: An empirical analysis for wheat, coffee, cotton, and oil," Working Papers 42, Austrian Foundation for Development Research (ÖFSE).
    2. Bosch, David & Smimou, K., 2022. "Traders’ motivation and hedging pressure in commodity futures markets," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    3. Elina Pradkhan, 2017. "Financial activity in agricultural futures markets: evidence from quantile regressions," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 61(4), pages 610-625, October.
    4. Nikolaos Sariannidis, 2011. "Stock, Energy and Currency Effects on the Asymmetric Wheat Market," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 17(2), pages 181-192, May.
    5. Bernhard Brümmer & Olaf Korn & Kristina Schlüßler & Tinoush Jamali Jaghdani, 2016. "Volatility in Oilseeds and Vegetable Oils Markets: Drivers and Spillovers," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(3), pages 685-705, September.
    6. Pradkhan, Elina, 2017. "Financial activity in agricultural futures markets: evidence from quantile regressions," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 61(4), October.
    7. Stefan Ederer & Christine Heumesser & Cornelia Staritz, 2016. "Financialization and commodity prices -- an empirical analysis for coffee, cotton, wheat and oil," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(4), pages 462-487, July.
    8. Girardi, Daniele, 2012. "A brief essay on the financialization of agricultural commodity markets," MPRA Paper 44771, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Algirdas Justinas Staugaitis & Bernardas Vaznonis, 2022. "Financial Speculation Impact on Agricultural and Other Commodity Return Volatility: Implications for Sustainable Development and Food Security," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-27, November.
    10. Algirdas Justinas Staugaitis & Bernardas Vaznonis, 2022. "Short-Term Speculation Effects on Agricultural Commodity Returns and Volatility in the European Market Prior to and during the Pandemic," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-26, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    futures markets; commodities; speculation; GARCH; volatility;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D84 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Expectations; Speculations
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G13 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Contingent Pricing; Futures Pricing
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • Q13 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Markets and Marketing; Cooperatives; Agribusiness

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