Commodities: Markets, Performance, and Strategies

Commodities: Markets, Performance, and Strategies provides a comprehensive view of commodity markets by describing and analyzing historical commodity performance, vehicles for investing in commodities, portfolio strategies, and current topics. It begins with the basics of commodity markets and various investment vehicles. The book then highlights the unique risk and return profiles of commodity investments, along with the dangers from mismanaged risk practices. The book also provides important insights into recent developments, including high frequency trading, financialization, and the emergence of virtual currencies as commodities. Readers of Commodities: Markets, Performance, and Strategies can gain an in-depth understanding about the multiple dimensions of commodity investing from experts from around the world.

Commodity markets can be accessed with products that create unique risk and return dynamics for investors worldwide. The authors provide insights in a range of areas, from the economics of supply and demand for individual physical commodities through the financial products used to gain exposure to commodities. The book balances useful practical advice on commodity exposure while exposing the reader to various pitfalls inherent in these markets. Readers interested in a basic understanding will benefit as will those looking for more in-depth presentations of specific areas within commodity markets. Overall, Commodities: Markets, Performance, and Strategies provides a fresh look at the myriad dimensions of investing in these globally important markets.

H. Kent Baker is a University Professor of Finance in the Kogod School of Business at American University. He has authored or edited 29 books and has published more than 170 refereed articles in such journals as the Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Financial Management, Financial Analysts Journal, and Journal of Portfolio Management. He has consulting and training experience with more than 100 organizations.

Greg Filbeck is a Samuel P. Black III Professor of Finance and Risk Management at Penn State Behrend and serves as the Director for the Black School of Business. Professor Filbeck has authored or edited 10 books and published more than 90 refereed academic journal articles appearing in the Financial Analysts Journal, Financial Review, and Journal of Business, Finance, and Accounting.

Jeffrey H. Harris is the Gary Cohn Goldman Sachs Chair in Finance in the Kogod School of Business at American University. Professor Harris has served as Chief Economist at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and has published 24 refereed articles in such journals as the Energy Journal, Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Journal of Financial Economics, Review of Financial Studies, Financial Management, and Journal of Futures Markets.