The theory of storage implies that inventory and demand conditions affect (1) the variances and correlations of commodity spot and forward prices and (2) the spread between spot and forward prices. For four industrial metals and one precious metal over the 1986-92 period, the observed relations...

An analysis of the futures market delivery 'end game' specifies necessary and sufficient conditions for long and short traders to manipulate futures prices at contract expiration. The empirical and welfare implications of manipulation are derived as well. Manipulation is most likely to occur in...

Replacement of delivery settlement of futures contracts with cash settlement is frequently proposed to reduce the frequency of market manipulation. This article shows that it is always possible to design a delivery-settled futures contract that is less susceptible to cornering by a large long...