Abstract
In this paper we introduce a three factor model to price commodity futures contracts. This model allows both the spot price volatility and convenience yield to be stochastic, nevertheless futures prices can be obtained conveniently in closed form. Further, we use Brent crude oil futures prices to calibrate the model using the extended Kalman filter. In comparison to the benchmark model for commodity futures pricing, the Schwartz two-factor model, our three factor model shows a superior fit for contracts that have longer maturities. We further assess risk premia in Brent crude oil through the two models and observe that the Schwartz two-factor model over-predicts risk premia in comparison to the new model.
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Notes
We chose Brent crude oil, as it provides a global benchmark. Oil sold internationally is typically priced off Brent, see (Scheitrum et al. 2018). West Texas Intermediate (WTI), a reasonable alternative, is more geared toward the US market. Nevertheless, our study could be easily adapted to cover WTI prices instead of Brent crude oil.
This can be simply verified by substitution.
In terms of the actual meaning of parameter, we should compare \(\mu \) in the two factor model with \(\mu \) in the three factor model; \(\kappa \) in the two factor model with \(\kappa _1\) in the three factor model; \(\alpha \) in the two factor model with \(\alpha \) in the three factor model; \(\sigma _2\) in the two factor model with \(\sigma _1\) in the three factor model; \(\rho \) in the two factor model with \(\rho _1\) in the three factor model and \(\lambda \) in the two factor model with \(\lambda \) in the three factor model.
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Funding
This work is support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 72001090), the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (No.2020A1515010846) and the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (No. LQ20G010003).
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A explicit expression for A(T)
A explicit expression for A(T)
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Chen, J., Ewald, C., Ouyang, R. et al. Pricing commodity futures and determining risk premia in a three factor model with stochastic volatility: the case of Brent crude oil. Ann Oper Res 313, 29–46 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-021-04198-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-021-04198-7