O trabalho analisou o impacto da introdução dos contratos futuros agropecuários (de café arábica, soja, milho, açúcar cristal, etanol e boi gordo), negociados na Bolsa de Valores, Mercadorias e Futuros - BM&FBOVESPA, no risco e no retorno de uma carteira diversificada, composta por ações, títulos, ouro e dólar, entre agosto de 1994 e dezembro de 2007, sendo realizados estudos para o intervalo de tempo completo e para subdivisões de dois e três períodos, além de uma análise bianual. Foram consideradas diferentes estratégias com tais derivativos: posições estáticas (comprada ou vendida em contratos de primeiro vencimento ou de vencimentos superiores a seis meses), dinâmicas (com a utilização de médias móveis para se definir pela compra ou venda dos papéis em questão) e a partir de fundos de investimentos nacionais, que utilizam estes títulos em seus portfólios. Buscou-se ainda mensurar como a utilidade dos investidores foi alterada, considerando as composições ótimas da carteira e diferentes graus de aversão ao risco de tais agentes. Com o uso da Teoria do Portfólio, verificou-se que: a) as estratégias estáticas de compra e de venda de futuros sobre commodities elevaram a performance da carteira diversificada quando realizada análise bianual e para os períodos 1994-1998 e 1999-2003 em alguns casos, observou-se redução no risco da carteira de até 70%, para certos níveis de retorno; b) a utilização destes derivativos em estratégias dinâmicas, baseadas em médias móveis, teve, em geral, impacto positivo na performance frente aos resultados da carteira original e daquela em que se introduziram posições estáticas; c) a introdução dos fundos de investimento Sparta e Guepardo, caracterizados pela utilização de derivativos agropecuários e pela adoção de uma gestão dinâmica, também elevou significativamente o desempenho do portfólio diversificado além de aumentar consideravelmente o retorno médio da carteira, constataram-se reduções de risco para certas faixas de rentabilidade de até 40%; d) os derivativos sobre commodities estiveram presentes em praticamente todas as carteiras que maximizaram a utilidade dos agentes (exceto para o período completo e entre 1994-2000) em geral, à medida que a aversão ao risco do investidor se elevava, a participação destes papéis no portfólio decrescia. Concluiu-se, portanto, que os derivativos sobre commodities, negociados na BM&FBOVESPA, constituíram-se em instrumentos capazes de elevar a performance de uma carteira diversificada para vários dos subperíodos considerados no estudo. Em geral, os maiores benefícios da introdução destes ativos no portfólio ocorreram em períodos relativamente mais curtos (biênios), dado o caráter cíclico dos preços dos produtos agropecuários. Além disso, os resultados apontam que o uso de análises técnicas e fundamentalistas pode elevar ainda mais o desempenho das carteiras que incluem posições compradas ou vendidas estáticas em futuros sobre commodities, já que a inserção de estratégias, que utilizaram simples instrumentos de análise técnica para definição do tipo de posições a assumir, e de fundos de commodities foi capaz de elevar significativamente a performance do investimento. / The work has analyzed the impact of including commodity futures (arabica coffee, soybean, corn, crystal sugar, ethanol and live cattle), negotiated at Securities, Commodity and Futures Exchange - BM&FBOVESPA, in the performance of a diversified portfolio, composed by stocks, bonds, gold and dollar, between August of 1994 and December of 2007, when were studied the complete time break and subdivisions of two and three periods, adding a biannual analysis. Different strategies with these derivatives were considered: i) passive positions - buy and hold or sell and hold contracts of first settlement or that took six months to maturity; ii) active positions for which ones there were used a trend technical rule to determine whether a futures contract should be held as a long or short position; iii) commodity futures funds. It was also aimed to measure how investors utility was modified, considering the optimal portfolios and different levels of risk aversion. Using the Portfolio Theory, it was verified that: a) the passive strategies enhanced the portfolio performance when were considered biannual analysis and over the time periods 1994-1998 and 1999-2003 in some cases, it was noticed reduction of 70% in the portfolio risk, for some levels of return; b) the use of these derivatives in active strategies, based on a trend rule, had, in general, positive impact in performance before the results of original portfolio and that ones in which there were introduced passive positions; c) the addition of Sparta and Guepardo funds, characterized by the use of commodity futures and by the adoption of a dynamic management, improved the diversified portfolio performance; d) the commodity futures were present in almost all portfolios that maximized the investors utility (except for the complete period between 1994-2000) in general, as the risk aversion increased, the participation of these papers in the portfolio decreased. Therefore, it was concluded that commodity futures, negotiated in BM&FBOVESPA, were constituted in instruments able to improve the portfolio performance for many of the sub-periods considered in the study. In general, the benefits of these introduction occurred in shorter periods (biennium), considering the cyclical character of agricultural commodity prices. Besides that, the results show that the use of technical and fundamentalist analysis can improve the performance of the portfolios that include passive positions in commodity futures, since the addition of strategies based on simple technical analysis and of commodity funds was able to improve the performance investment significantly.

Este trabalho testa a validade da Hipótese das Expectativas, segundo a qual as taxas de juros de longo prazo são formadas pela média das expectativas sobre as taxas de curto prazo futuras. O estudo baseia-se em dois artigos reconhecidos internacionalmente: Fama e Bliss (1987) e Cochrane e Piazzesi (2005). Os testes são realizados utilizando-se retornos em excesso e taxas forward mensais para títulos com prazo de vencimento entre dois e cinco anos. A base de dados consiste em observações mensais da taxa à vista de contratos futuros de DI. Os resultados apontam para a rejeição da HE para o caso brasileiro. Uma combinação linear de taxas forward é capaz de explicar a variação dos retornos em excesso com R² de até 0,63 para um título com maturidade em dois anos. / This work tests the validity of Expectations Hypothesis (EH), which posts that the long-term rates are an average of future expectations of short-term rates. The study is based on two internationally recognized papers: Fama e Bliss (1987) and Cochrane e Piazzesi (2005). The tests are performed using monthly observations on excess returns and forward rates for 2 to 5 year bonds. The data consists in monthly observations of ID future contracts yields. The results suggest rejection the EH for the Brazilian case. A linear combination of forward rates is able to explain excess returns variation with R² up to 0.63 for 2-year bonds.

This thesis examines the dependence structures between commodity futures and corresponding commodity producer equity indices in bearish, bullish and normal market conditions. We study commodity futures and producer indices in the energy, precious metals, gold and agriculture commodity markets using daily return data that ranges from 16 December 2005 to 28 June 2019. We employ the cross-quantilogram approach developed by Han et al. (2016) to examine dependence structures in the full quantile range, which represents different market states. Furthermore, we control for different lag structures, uncertainties and time-varying dependence structures. From our results we conclude the following: 1) There are time-varying asymmetric and symmetric dependencies in different commodity markets. There is asymmetric dependence between commodity futures and producer indices in the precious metals, gold and agricultural markets. In the oil market, the relationship is symmetrical. No relationship is found in the natural gas market. 2) Heterogenous dependence structures are identified in the gold, precious metals and agricultural commodity markets. The oil market uncovers homogenous dependence structures. 3) The observed spillover in all markets occur in the very short run, at one day, and dissipates after a week and additionally after a month. Our results provide new information regarding commodity diversification attributes which can be useful to investors. Our results also provide important policy implications: Since volatility spillovers between commodity futures and producer indices may deter investors from including commodities in their portfolios, as they might lose their diversifier qualities, it is important to enforce policies that will prevent the spillovers between the assets. Further, regulations of the commodity futures markets could be an alternative to reduce the spillovers.

A major concern for investors in residential real estate throughout the United States is the decline in value of residential real estate. The high demand for residential real estate bas increased prices significantly. Many analysts believe that the recent price increases have been fueled by speculation and there is currently potential for a decline in prices. This thesis studies various methods by which investors might potentially hedge the decline in residential real estate values that many analysts predict will occur. Three possible methods that could provide investors with a cost-effective way to hedge a decline in residential real estate values are studied in this thesis. These methods are taking a short position in a portfolio of stocks from the PHLX Housing Index, buying Morgan Stanley I 00% Bear Capital Protected Notes, and selling a Hedgelet portfolio, which consists of binary options offered by Hedgestreet. Throughout the analysis of the hedging strategies, the objective was to determine which hedging strategy would provide the best possible hedge at the lowest possible cost to the investor. I concluded that none of the three hedging strategies would provide a cost-effective hedge for the investor.

[pt] Esta dissertação documenta o volume negociado dos contratos futuros sobre nove commodities agropecuárias negociadas na Bolsa de Mercadorias e Futuros (BM&F), entre dezembro de 1999 e dezembro de 2003. A análise identifica as commodities mais negociadas e, a partir daí, estuda a formação dos preços futuros do boi gordo e do milho. O trabalho mostra como usar a crise brasileira de 2002 para identificar o impacto de custos de transação e expectativas de crise sobre os preços futuros do boi gordo e do milho. / [en] This work documents the trade volume of nine agricultural futures contracts negotiated on the Bolsa de Mercadorias e Futuros (BM&F), between December of 1999 and December of 2003. The analysis identifies the most traded commodities and, then, studies the formation of futures prices of live cattle and corn. The work shows how to use the Brazilian currency crisis of 2002 to identify the impact of storage costs and crisis expectations on the futures prices of live cattle and corn.

This thesis consists of three essays on risk management in crude oil markets. In the first essay, the valuation of an oil sands project is studied using real options approach. Oil sands production consumes substantial amount of natural gas during extracting and upgrading. Natural gas prices are known to be stochastic and highly volatile which introduces a risk factor that needs to be taken into account. The essay studies the impact of this risk factor on the value of an oil sands project and its optimal operation. The essay takes into account the co-movement between crude oil and natural gas markets and, accordingly, proposes two models: one incorporates a long-run link between the two markets while the other has no such link. The valuation problem is solved using the Least Square Monte Carlo (LSMC) method proposed by Longsta ff and Schwartz (2001) for valuing American options. The valuation results show that incorporating a long-run relationship between the two markets is a very crucial decision in the value of the project and in its optimal operation. The essay shows that ignoring this long-run relationship makes the optimal policy sensitive to the dynamics of natural gas prices. On the other hand, incorporating this long-run relationship makes the dynamics of natural gas price process have a very low impact on valuation and the optimal operating policy. In the second essay, the relationship between the slope of the futures term structure, or the forward curve, and volatility in the crude oil market is investigated using a measure of the slope based on principal component analysis (PCA). The essay begins by reviewing the main theories of the relation between spot and futures prices and considering the implication of each theory on the relation between the slope of the forward curve and volatility. The diagonal VECH model of Bollerslev et al. (1988) was used to analyse the relationship between of the forward curve slope and the variances of the spot and futures prices and the covariance between them. The results show that there is a significant quadratic relationship and that exploiting this relation improves the hedging performance using futures contracts. The third essay attempts to model the spot price process of crude oil using the notion of convenience yield in a regime switching framework. Unlike the existing studies, which assume the convenience yield to have either a constant value or to have a stochastic behaviour with mean reversion to one equilibrium level, the model of this essay extends the Brennan and Schwartz (1985) model to allows for regime switching in the convenience yield along with the other parameters. In the essay, a closed form solution for the futures price is derived. The parameters are estimated using an extension to the Kalman filter proposed by Kim (1994). The regime switching one-factor model of this study does a reasonable job and the transitional probabilities play an important role in shaping the futures term structure implied by the model.

This thesis consists of three essays on risk management in crude oil markets. In the first essay, the valuation of an oil sands project is studied using real options approach. Oil sands production consumes substantial amount of natural gas during extracting and upgrading. Natural gas prices are known to be stochastic and highly volatile which introduces a risk factor that needs to be taken into account. The essay studies the impact of this risk factor on the value of an oil sands project and its optimal operation. The essay takes into account the co-movement between crude oil and natural gas markets and, accordingly, proposes two models: one incorporates a long-run link between the two markets while the other has no such link. The valuation problem is solved using the Least Square Monte Carlo (LSMC) method proposed by Longsta ff and Schwartz (2001) for valuing American options. The valuation results show that incorporating a long-run relationship between the two markets is a very crucial decision in the value of the project and in its optimal operation. The essay shows that ignoring this long-run relationship makes the optimal policy sensitive to the dynamics of natural gas prices. On the other hand, incorporating this long-run relationship makes the dynamics of natural gas price process have a very low impact on valuation and the optimal operating policy. In the second essay, the relationship between the slope of the futures term structure, or the forward curve, and volatility in the crude oil market is investigated using a measure of the slope based on principal component analysis (PCA). The essay begins by reviewing the main theories of the relation between spot and futures prices and considering the implication of each theory on the relation between the slope of the forward curve and volatility. The diagonal VECH model of Bollerslev et al. (1988) was used to analyse the relationship between of the forward curve slope and the variances of the spot and futures prices and the covariance between them. The results show that there is a significant quadratic relationship and that exploiting this relation improves the hedging performance using futures contracts. The third essay attempts to model the spot price process of crude oil using the notion of convenience yield in a regime switching framework. Unlike the existing studies, which assume the convenience yield to have either a constant value or to have a stochastic behaviour with mean reversion to one equilibrium level, the model of this essay extends the Brennan and Schwartz (1985) model to allows for regime switching in the convenience yield along with the other parameters. In the essay, a closed form solution for the futures price is derived. The parameters are estimated using an extension to the Kalman filter proposed by Kim (1994). The regime switching one-factor model of this study does a reasonable job and the transitional probabilities play an important role in shaping the futures term structure implied by the model.

In this study a two-part mixed probability density function was derived which described the relative changes in the Standard and Poor's 100 Stock Index over various intervals of time. The density function is a mixture of two different halves of normal distributions. Optimal values for the standard deviations for the two halves and the mean are given. Also, a general form of the function is given which uses linear regression models to estimate the standard deviations and the means. The density functions allow stock market participants trading index options and futures contracts on the S & P 100 Stock Index to determine probabilities of success or failure of trades involving price movements of certain magnitudes in given lengths of time.

A existência de especificidade temporal na produção do confinamento de bovinos, que limita o período de negociação e busca por preços mais atrativos, corrobora com a necessidade do uso de mecanismos de hedge. Este pode ser feito pelo confinador com o uso da BM&F Bovespa, via contratos futuros e de opções, ou diretamente com os frigoríficos, por meio de contratos a termo. O objetivo desta dissertação é identificar fatores determinantes para a utilização de hedge (contratos futuros, de opções e termo) por confinadores. Foram realizadas pesquisas com confinadores participantes de eventos realizados em Ribeirão Preto-SP, em 2012 e 2013, e por telefone em 2014. Para a análise dos dados foram utilizadas estatísticas descritivas. Em seguida, com uso do Teste Exato de Fisher, foi analisada a associação das características dos confinamentos e pecuaristas ao uso do hedge. Com o intuito de identificar os determinantes para o uso de ferramentas de gestão de preços, foram elaborados modelos de regressão logística. Os resultados indicaram que o tamanho do confinamento, a escolaridade do gestor, o controle acurado de custos, o confinamento exclusivo, a utilização de hedge para os grãos, uso anterior de ferramentas e a parceria com frigoríficos têm relação com a utilização de uma ou mais formas de gestão de risco de preços do boi gordo. / The existence of temporal specificity in the production of feedlot cattle, which limits the period of negotiation and search for more attractive prices, confirms the necessity of using hedging mechanisms by feedlot cattle producers. The hedging can be done via BM&F Bovespa, through futures and options, or directly with slaughterhouses, through forward contracts. The aim of this study is identify determinants for using hedge (futures contracts, options contracts and forward contracts) by feedlot cattle producers. Surveys were applied to participants of events in Ribeirão Preto-SP, in 2012 and 2013, and via phone in 2014. Descriptive statistics of data were obtained and the determinants for using hedge were investigated using hypothesis tests. The relations between the producer\'s and feedlot\'s characteristics with hedging use were tested by Fisher Exact Test. In order to identify the determinants for the use of hedge, logistic regression models were implemented. The results have indicated that the size of the confinement, the manager\'s educational level, the high cost control, the feedlot as the only activity, the use of hedging for grains, the prior use of these tools and the partnership with slaughterhouses are related to the use of one or more ways to manage price risk of cattle.

A existência de especificidade temporal na produção do confinamento de bovinos, que limita o período de negociação e busca por preços mais atrativos, corrobora com a necessidade do uso de mecanismos de hedge. Este pode ser feito pelo confinador com o uso da BM&F Bovespa, via contratos futuros e de opções, ou diretamente com os frigoríficos, por meio de contratos a termo. O objetivo desta dissertação é identificar fatores determinantes para a utilização de hedge (contratos futuros, de opções e termo) por confinadores. Foram realizadas pesquisas com confinadores participantes de eventos realizados em Ribeirão Preto-SP, em 2012 e 2013, e por telefone em 2014. Para a análise dos dados foram utilizadas estatísticas descritivas. Em seguida, com uso do Teste Exato de Fisher, foi analisada a associação das características dos confinamentos e pecuaristas ao uso do hedge. Com o intuito de identificar os determinantes para o uso de ferramentas de gestão de preços, foram elaborados modelos de regressão logística. Os resultados indicaram que o tamanho do confinamento, a escolaridade do gestor, o controle acurado de custos, o confinamento exclusivo, a utilização de hedge para os grãos, uso anterior de ferramentas e a parceria com frigoríficos têm relação com a utilização de uma ou mais formas de gestão de risco de preços do boi gordo. / The existence of temporal specificity in the production of feedlot cattle, which limits the period of negotiation and search for more attractive prices, confirms the necessity of using hedging mechanisms by feedlot cattle producers. The hedging can be done via BM&F Bovespa, through futures and options, or directly with slaughterhouses, through forward contracts. The aim of this study is identify determinants for using hedge (futures contracts, options contracts and forward contracts) by feedlot cattle producers. Surveys were applied to participants of events in Ribeirão Preto-SP, in 2012 and 2013, and via phone in 2014. Descriptive statistics of data were obtained and the determinants for using hedge were investigated using hypothesis tests. The relations between the producer\'s and feedlot\'s characteristics with hedging use were tested by Fisher Exact Test. In order to identify the determinants for the use of hedge, logistic regression models were implemented. The results have indicated that the size of the confinement, the manager\'s educational level, the high cost control, the feedlot as the only activity, the use of hedging for grains, the prior use of these tools and the partnership with slaughterhouses are related to the use of one or more ways to manage price risk of cattle.