Commodities
The information premium for non-storable commodities
Research Papers
E.ON signs up to Iberian exchange
E.ON Energy Trading has become a member of OMIP, the derivatives exchange for the Iberian energy market.
Commodity exchange trading rises 5.4%
Trading of commodity derivatives has risen 5.4% in the second quarter of this year, according to the Swizterland-based Bank for International Settlements.
Corporate statement: German investment
With investor confidence being slowly rebuilt, UniCredit’s Juliane Bürger offers some valuable insight and advice to investors into choosing the right product, the advent of reverse convertible product offerings and the market volumes, now that it is…
Battling the benchmark
In 2007, investors demanded more active commodity indexes to capitalise on the bull run in the asset class. But benchmarks and beta offerings alike were hit by last year's drawdown. Will this lead investors to abandon directional offerings in favour of…
Commodity crackdown
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has held hearings to determine whether it should set absolute position limits for energy and commodity market participants. How would CFTC-mandated position limits affect institutional investors, exchange…
Victory at last
The seismic movements in the financial markets last year confounded even the experts, as correlation took down every asset class and unwitting trader going. Victor Sperandeo, better known as Trader Vic, talks exclusively on the back of his latest index…
S&P launches Ucits version of commodities index
Standard & Poor's has launched a new version of its Goldman Sachs Commodity Index (GSCI) which is compliant with the Undertakings for Collective Investments in Transferable Securities European Directive III (Ucits III). The latest index will use caps to…
CFTC targets dealers, leverage and counterparty risk
Gary Gensler, the new chairman of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), outlined tighter restrictions on derivatives dealers and traders in testimony to the US Senate yesterday.
Testing the metal
Interest in physically backed exchange-traded gold products boomed last quarter on the back of counterparty risk fears. But the industry is divided on what impact the surge of inflows had on the physical gold market's prices. Could the same effect now be…
The push to CCP
Feature
Squeezing more out of P&L explain
Commodity traders are increasingly aware of the need to squeeze greater profits from existing business activities. One oft overlooked tool for doing this is the P&L 'explain', write Akhil Sehgal and Anup Singh
Goldman's commodity record
Record results for first-quarter 2009 commodity trading driven by competitive dynamics, wider margins and liquid transactions
Asia Risk commodity survey 2009
Volatile commodity prices and heightened counterparty credit risk concerns saw dealers and brokers faced with unprecedented challenges during the past year. But some market participants have turned the upheaval to their advantage. Ben Marquand reports
It's all relative
Commodity-focused hedge funds have faced a torrid past nine months, suffering large losses and widespread redemptions. Yet some funds, notably relative-value arbitrage strategies, have performed better than most. By Richard Jackson
Aluminium canned
Aluminium prices hit a seven-year low in March. Is there any bullish news for the market? Roderick Bruce finds out
Farming fundamentals
While the ailing global economy is pressuring industrial commodity prices, the agricultural grains markets have some very different fundamental drivers, some of which appear fairly supportive, finds Pauline McCallion