Shifting patterns of corn use as a result of the ethanol boom may be causing basis levels to change across the United States, creating the need for methods to predict basis levels in dynamic conditions. This study develops a new and straightforward economic model of basis forecasting that...

To explain price volatility in the U.S. agricultural, energy, and metal futures markets, we estimate a model of common and commodity-specific, high- and low-frequency factors by building on the spline-GARCH model of Engle and Rangel (2008). A better model fit results from allowing the...

Derivatives strategies that aim to earn variance risk premiums are exposed to sharp price declines during market crises, calling into question their suitability for the longterm investor. Our paper defines, analyzes, and proposes potential solutions to three problems (payoff, leverage and finite...