In a typical soft dollar arrangement, a security broker provides an institutional portfolio manager with credits to buy research from independent vendors in consideration for the manager's promise to send the broker premium commission business when trading his portfolio securities. Because...

This study examines implied volatility from options on crude oil futures surrounding OPEC meetings. Studies suggest that the implied volatility embedded in option prices should drift upward prior to scheduled information releases and drop afterward. As predicted, volatility drifts upward as the...

We provide evidence on the role of commodity futures in portfolios comprised of stocks, bonds, T‐bills, and real estate. Over the period investigated (1973–1997), Markowitz optimization over a range of risk levels gives substantial weight to commodity futures, thereby enhancing the...

This paper examines the behavior of managerial investment, dividend, and capital structure decisions subsequent to the adoption of stock options as part of the compensation package. Previous studies have documented a positive stock market reaction to changes in incentive compensation plans. The...