Measuring bias in a term-structure model of commodity prices through the comparison of simultaneous and sequential estimation

This study examines bias in a term-structure model of commodity prices in specifying the true stochastic dynamics of underlying spot price. The bias is quantified by comparing the model estimated by the conventional method of estimating all model parameters simultaneously with a panel of futures pri...

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Main Author: Suenaga, Hiroaki
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier Science 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/45840
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author Suenaga, Hiroaki
author_facet Suenaga, Hiroaki
author_sort Suenaga, Hiroaki
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This study examines bias in a term-structure model of commodity prices in specifying the true stochastic dynamics of underlying spot price. The bias is quantified by comparing the model estimated by the conventional method of estimating all model parameters simultaneously with a panel of futures prices and the model estimated by an alternative method of estimating model parameters in two steps. In this alternative approach, a subset of model parameters is first estimated on the first difference of observed futures prices so that these parameters are free from bias in specifying deterministic price variation and the dynamics of the underlying state variables. In the second step, the remaining model parameters are estimated on the futures price equations, while holding the parameters estimated in the first step. Empirical applications to four commodities (gold, crude oil, natural gas, and corn) reveal that the two-factor model widely considered in the literature is subject to a misspecification bias of substantial size. Out-of-sample forecast test indicates that, for three of the four commodities considered, the model estimated by the sequential method yields a considerably more accurate price forecast than the model estimated by the simultaneous method.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-458402019-02-19T04:27:57Z Measuring bias in a term-structure model of commodity prices through the comparison of simultaneous and sequential estimation Suenaga, Hiroaki Commodity prices Term-structure model Volatility This study examines bias in a term-structure model of commodity prices in specifying the true stochastic dynamics of underlying spot price. The bias is quantified by comparing the model estimated by the conventional method of estimating all model parameters simultaneously with a panel of futures prices and the model estimated by an alternative method of estimating model parameters in two steps. In this alternative approach, a subset of model parameters is first estimated on the first difference of observed futures prices so that these parameters are free from bias in specifying deterministic price variation and the dynamics of the underlying state variables. In the second step, the remaining model parameters are estimated on the futures price equations, while holding the parameters estimated in the first step. Empirical applications to four commodities (gold, crude oil, natural gas, and corn) reveal that the two-factor model widely considered in the literature is subject to a misspecification bias of substantial size. Out-of-sample forecast test indicates that, for three of the four commodities considered, the model estimated by the sequential method yields a considerably more accurate price forecast than the model estimated by the simultaneous method. 2013 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/45840 10.1016/j.matcom.2013.04.010 Elsevier Science fulltext
spellingShingle Commodity prices
Term-structure model
Volatility
Suenaga, Hiroaki
Measuring bias in a term-structure model of commodity prices through the comparison of simultaneous and sequential estimation
title Measuring bias in a term-structure model of commodity prices through the comparison of simultaneous and sequential estimation
title_full Measuring bias in a term-structure model of commodity prices through the comparison of simultaneous and sequential estimation
title_fullStr Measuring bias in a term-structure model of commodity prices through the comparison of simultaneous and sequential estimation
title_full_unstemmed Measuring bias in a term-structure model of commodity prices through the comparison of simultaneous and sequential estimation
title_short Measuring bias in a term-structure model of commodity prices through the comparison of simultaneous and sequential estimation
title_sort measuring bias in a term-structure model of commodity prices through the comparison of simultaneous and sequential estimation
topic Commodity prices
Term-structure model
Volatility
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/45840