The Effects of Margin Changes on Commodity Futures Markets
47 Pages Posted: 6 Aug 2012 Last revised: 17 Oct 2013
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The Effects of Margin Changes on Commodity Futures Markets
The Effects of Margin Changes on Commodity Futures Markets
Date Written: October 15, 2013
Abstract
In light of the recently passed 2010 Dodd–Frank Act, we assess the effect of margin changes on prices/returns, the risk-sharing between speculators and hedgers, and the price stability of a large number of commodity futures markets. We find that margin increases decrease the rate at which prices change, yet they impair the risk sharing function and they decrease market liquidity in certain markets. The regulator should set margins by taking the heterogeneity of commodity futures markets into account. Certain effects of margin changes diffuse across related markets though. Our results are robust to endogenously set margins by the exchanges.
Keywords: Funding constraints, Hedging, Market liquidity, Margins, Price stability, Speculators
JEL Classification: G10, G14, G18, G28
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation